Introduction
As businesses continue to navigate the uncertainty of Coronavirus slowdowns, it is even more crucial now to stay in front of people. The most accessible way to do that is through digital communication. In this week’s blog, we’ll be taking a look at the social media platform LinkedIn. One could argue that LinkedIn is the most important online network to have as a business professional. This platform, unlike any others, is dedicated solely to businesses and deal making. You won’t find many pictures of kittens and family parties on LinkedIn. It’s a great source for business insight for any company looking to expand their digital footprint.
Here are a couple of ways you can maximize your company’s effectiveness on LinkedIn:
Profile Strength
LinkedIn, like most social media platforms, works based off an algorithm. One of the best ways to use this algorithm is with a strong profile. The more complete your profile is, the more likely it is to appear as a search within the app or on the website. For example, if you were to create an account right now with half the information filled out and no profile picture, your page would appear much further down in the search as opposed to an account with pictures, summaries, and posts. Make sure you take advantage of all the features on LinkedIn’s profile pages. You can really make your company shine by having a strong profile!
Messages
Being responsive to messages is an important part in building connections. A 2017 LinkedIn online study with over 15,000 participants showed the impact of private messaging on their industry. Over one third (35%) said that “casual conversation” on LinkedIn Messaging led to a new opportunity. Nearly one fourth of the participants said that messaging new people led to new business for them.
Remember to refrain from being too sales-y with messaging. Try being insightful or inquisitive. Get a conversation going and then let them ask you for help. People don’t want to be sold to on LinkedIn. Instead, start a relationship and offer some free advice. Then, once you’re viewed as a non-aggressive source for help, they will feel comfortable coming to you for real assistance in the future.
Groups
As discussed in our Facebook blog last week, being a part of groups is also an important aspect of networking online. If you applied for college, you might remember having to list extracurricular activities which likely included various clubs or groups. The more you listed, the more well-rounded you would appear to the person reading your college application. Virtual groups on LinkedIn work the same way. There is always knowledge to be gained or ways to help in any group that is relevant to the roofing industry. Follow a group and then “connect” with its members. Be informed and be active.
When using social media for your business, it is important to have a goal in mind. Are you wanting to drive viewers to your website? Are you wanting people to reach out and message your account? Keep a goal in mind as you post, share, and like content—this will help unify your brand on social media! You can find our free, downloadable one-page social media help sheet here for some additional help.
If you have any questions about social media or marketing in the roofing industry, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Regional Manager here. Please follow along next week as we look at using Instagram in the roofing industry.