How to market yourself on LinkedIn

Summary

LinkedIn is a now indispensable social network and platform for everything related to the ecosystem of professional and business contacts. That’s why it is essential to know how to navigate its dynamics, whether you’re a professional or a company, large or small (and everything in between). 

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a social network that was launched “way back” in 2003.  

Today it is, without a doubt, an indispensable tool for everything related to the development of professional contacts; this is true for professionals, for creators, for agencies both large and small, for start-ups entering the market, and for huge multinational companies. In short: for the whole ecosystem of work and business. 

Let’s quickly look at some important data to grasp the scope of what we’re talking about (source: news.linkedin.com): 

• LinkedIn now registers more than 810 million users spread across 200 countries worldwide.  

This figure was “only” 30 million in 2009, 100 million in 2011, and 630 million in 2019. The progression is evident and very marked. 

• Every week, 49 million people use LinkedIn to search for jobs. 
• Every minute 6 people, on average, are hired through LinkedIn. 
• On the other hand, 77 applications are sent every second for a wide variety of roles and professions. 

In short, the picture is already very clear. But also pay attention to this other, more specific data: 

• About 60% of LinkedIn users are between the ages of 24 and 34. These are the so-called millennials, and, in short, the most interesting segment of the population to look at when addressing new trends in the job market. 

Now let’s continue with data that emerge from the same research cited above. This time, it’s aimed at the marketing side so that we can tighten the circle around the theme of this post: how to market yourself on LinkedIn. 

• Brands have noticed a 33% increase in purchase intent as a result of LinkedIn advertising campaigns.  

This is an interesting statistic, which also stems from the ability to connect with prospects early in the marketing funnel. 

• 40% of marketers on the B2B side cited LinkedIn as the most effective channel for generating high-quality leads. 
• In addition, 93% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for social marketing campaigns. On Facebook this is 80%; on Twitter 71%. The figure is basic and unsurprising because LinkedIn is the perfect ecosystem for business-related information and content. 
• 77%  of content marketers say LinkedIn is able to generate the best organic results. Here, the gap with Facebook is even more pronounced: 37%. Then there is Instagram: 27%. And YouTube: 21%. 

We could continue, but the direction that this data points in seems clear. In short: when it comes to promoting yourself in a business setting, whether as a professional or as a company, there is no more powerful and effective channel than LinkedIn. And now we come to the question at the heart of this post: how to market yourself on LinkedIn. 

Let’s make a premise: There are huge differences between an individual looking for a job, a company or start-up looking for employees, an agency needing to find a space for visibility…and these are just a few examples. However, there are some common points that remain valid in all cases. We have decided to gather them around the 6 core themes that we see as the most important and decisive. Let’s take a look. 

1. Give…don’t just take  

The first piece of advice is very general, but it’s a starting point to which we should pay close attention. It is this: the best way to get something is to first give something. This is true in real life as well as in digital life, especially on social networks. 

So: try to be helpful. Give advice, make suggestions, provide recommendations. Introduce yourself and, above all, don’t back down when there is an opportunity to connect professionals and companies; even when all this doesn’t directly benefit you. 

You will see that, with a little patience, this “giving” will turn into “receiving”, even on an amplified scale. 

2. Optimize your profile for search 

Following this general advice on how to market yourself on LinkedIn, let’s move to the technical side of things. 

LinkedIn is a social network, certainly, but it also has features that bring it closer to a search engine. Translated: every word you choose to describe yourself, to describe your business, to talk about what you’re looking for or expect to find, is very important. And it’s not just a matter of words, but also of hierarchies. 

The field we are talking about is very broad. The advice is to turn to SEO marketing professionals, but with an awareness, beforehand, of a few factors: what is the identity and image you want to portray? What is the ideal audience you are targeting? What are your goals, both large and small? 

3. Have a complete and constantly updated profile 

This point is closely related to the previous one; again we are on the borderline between somewhat “technical” requirements and marketing best practices. 

First of all, it is about creating a complete profile in all areas: this will give a better image of yourself…and will be rewarded by search algorithms. 

Speaking of search algorithms: being up-to-date is constantly rewarded. So: your LinkedIn profile cannot be a “tab” that you fill in once and forget. If you’re a professional, don’t forget to update your positions and career snapshots. But that’s just the first level: a good best practice for both individuals and companies is to flag and share articles, conferences, training opportunities, and so on. 

In concluding this point, here are two figures (source: news.linkedin.com): 

• companies with a complete and up-to-date LinkedIn page record, on average, five times as many views as others. 
• The engagement rate of companies that post content an average of 2 times per week is double that of the others. 

4. Choose your profile photo carefully 

Now, let’s touch on a specific but sensitive point: the profile photo.  

If you’re a professional you may not need to book a professional photo shoot; however, you’ll want to keep certain aspects in mind when making or choosing your photo: 

• A close-up of your face, or at most a shot from the shoulders up is preferred (no close-ups and no full-body photos). 
• Choose a photo in which no one else appears. 
• Avoid accessories that cover the face, such as hats or sunglasses. 
• Don’t use selfies. 
• Watch out for quality! Low-definition, blurry, or grainy photos don’t make for a good impression. 
• Dress professionally and appropriately for your role. 

5. Leverage the unparalleled effectiveness of video  

We’ve seen above how important it is to “give” and not just “ask”. Put another way: offer content that is effective and engaging. This is also very useful for ranking and organic searches on the platform. 

But it’s not enough to produce quality content: in fact, you must pay attention to the type of media and the performance it is able to guarantee. In this area there is no doubt: the most effective media on LinkedIn is certainly video. 

Specifically, videos show an average engagement rate that is three times higher than text-only content (source: businessinsider.com). So, how can you market yourself on LinkedIn using video? 

First, by telling your story: this applies to both individuals and companies. Then there are the possibilities of promoting your products or services. In some cases, it can be helpful to have a well-defined video blogging program. 

And then, pay attention to the possibilities of streaming videos, which generate an average of 7 times as many reactions as classic videos and up to 24 times the number of comments (source: business.linkedin.com). 

Finally, by relying on specialized platforms, such as Babelee, the opportunities multiply. In a very simple way, and tailored to your needs, you can produce videos that take advantage of data-driven and personalization mechanisms, data visualization videos, video advertising; and much more. 

6. Aim for personalization 

Finally, here is an absolutely crucial point to answer the question of how to market yourself on LinkedIn. It’s about personalization. And it has two sides. 

The first is about brands or professionals: it’s about bringing out your own unique personality, to interacting with others, because even companies, after all, are a collection of people and not just a logo. 

But then there is an even more decisive aspect: personalization must also (re)start with one’s audience. The best path to effective communication always comes from knowing the person in front of us, the recipient, the target audience. 

This has been true for as long as “business” has existed. 

But, thanks to digital, it’s possible to implement technology tools that allow you to analyze your audience and extract their characteristics, profiles, behaviors, and desires and all in an automated way, even when we’re talking about endless audiences. 

And based on this knowledge, finally, build a well-centered and targeted online presence and communications tailored to different targets down to individuals. 

One example? 

Babelee’s personalized videos. 

And there you have it, even when it comes to how to market yourself on LinkedIn, the trajectory at the heart of digital transformation is back on the drawing board: it starts with data and always arrives at people!