There is a rapid rise in businesses adopting social networking channels for their company, and LinkedIn is one of the most popular and commonly used B2B social networking platforms. LinkedIn Inc., founded in 2002, is headquartered in Mountain View, California, US. The company also has its headquarters for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Microsoft Corporation is the parent company of LinkedIn Inc. Microsoft acquired the social networking platform in 2016, worth $26.2 billion. A professional can use the platform to connect with other professionals in their field across the world. Additionally, it allows simultaneously searching for jobs and finding potential clients with learning and growth.
LinkedIn users can develop a profile, enlist their current working position and place, and add previous workplace and experience, skills, and academic information. They can also create online resumes via the platform, and members can search for people, jobs, and companies present on the platform.
Besides, one can use a QR-code for hunting purposes. Users must scan a LinkedIn code to connect with another LinkedIn member. Users of LinkedIn can also connect with other members who are searchable according to their preferences. The social networking platform offers features like content sharing, which makes it convenient and handy for B2B companies.
Previously, in 2005, it forked its first profit-making operations job listing and subscriptions. Consequently, in 2011, it became a part of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Thus, under CEO Jeff Weiner’s work, the company became publicly listed on the NYSE.
The Advantages of Using LinkedIn as a Business-to-Business Social Network:
Boosting Brand Awareness in Business-to-Business Marketing:
Brand awareness is one of the essential factors in promoting and marketing a product, and it enables businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors’ products and services on the market. Using a feasible and long-term marketing plan might generate unique challenges for marketers.
The platform includes a specifically designed “Read Me series” that explains the tactics and techniques that a company needs to succeed. The series consists of three scenarios that provide strategies for increasing brand awareness in the market. It also helps enterprises raise among the crowd, providing a professional audience of around 750 Mn + as of 2021.
The first series guides the user for better advertising on LinkedIn. The second one provides insight for increasing the number and quality of leads that can be achieved via LinkedIn. Last but not least, describes the smartest, tricky and most affordable techniques for developing brand awareness on its platform. Moreover, LinkedIn’s Read Me series helps to achieve the following goals in B2B Marketing:
- Establishing a budget effectively to meet various brand awareness goals
- Strategies for repurposing existing brand benefits.
- A scenario to track the value generated by brand awareness and show that value to the business
- Lead Generation on LinkedIn
Remember that proficient leads come from a quality audience. Creating advertising on LinkedIn may help a company develop by bringing in quality leads. Users can use skilled and efficient statistical data to target the audience in the most effective way possible based on their work, experience, title, industry, etc. Can use LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms to remove main obstructions to online conversions because it is required to fill the data manually. At the same time, the information will be loaded automatically when LinkedIn members click on the ad. It is time-saving, and thus you will get more precise and entire data about the leads.
LinkedIn and Content Marketing:
In 2013, the company debuted its Sponsored Updates ad program. This feature allowed individuals and companies to pay for a LinkedIn sponsor for their content, and it also allowed them to share it with their user base.
LinkedIn Corporation Revenue Contribution to Microsoft for Q3 2021 is US$ 10 billion (approx), and in comparison, it was US$ 8.05 billion in 2020.
Some Facts about LinkedIn Content Marketing:
- 94%of B2B marketers choose to distribute information using LinkedIn.
- More than half of all social traffic to B2B websites and blogs comes from the social network.
- About 91% of marketing chairpersons list LinkedIn as the top place to discover quality content
- Around 92% of Business-to-business marketers have LinkedIn in their digital marketing blend.
- LinkedIn drives almost 80% of leads via its platform.
LinkedIn and Marketing
According to sources, in 2021, LinkedIn makes up the majority of B2B display ad spending in the United States.
- This quarter, LinkedIn’s advertising division reached $1 billion in sales for the first time, increasing 97% year over year.
- LinkedIn is a top-three player in B2B digital advertising, with a 3x faster growth rate than our industry.
- Advertisers know LinkedIn as a reliable medium, and 58 million businesses have created brand communities on the network.
LinkedIn and Jobs:
The platform gives you the option to create online job advertisements to promote your company’s openings. On the other side, it permits job hunters to look at these openings. So one can search for multiple options through the platform. LinkedIn also offers job postings that are relevant to the user’s interests. There are two possible approaches regarding the job, and those are as follows:
Job hunting Via LinkedIn:
LinkedIn has newly introduced a feature called Instant Job Notifications. It allows the user to see jobs as soon as the recruiter posts them. The feature unrolls a new module that frames top-skill people with entered job titles, leading companies in that sector, and users’ first-degree connections with that job title. On the platform, users may also search for a specific job title. Thus users can view jobs customized according to their background and matching skill set.
Recruiting Via LinkedIn:
A company can start appointing new candidates simply by posting requirements and openings on the platform. They have the ability to post a job immediately and discover a unique and suitable individual. Furthermore, by reviewing and filtering applications, one can effectively manage applicants.
Top Influencers Using LinkedIn:
Some of the Top LinkedIn Profiles Driving the International Business Conversation. The following are the influencers who weigh in on today’s most important concerns from various fields:
- Bill Gates, Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He’s tackling the world’s greatest challenges and sharing what he’s learned from Warren Buffett.
- Richard Branson, a well-known British entrepreneur and the founder of Virgin Group. He is well-versed in all areas of life and work.
- Melinda Gates, Co-Chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She is concerned with women’s and girls’ equality.
- Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s Executive Chairman and Next Play Ventures’ Founding Partner. He is a powerful influencer and authority figure in the fields of entrepreneurship, startups, online enterprises, and other topics.
In the end, I would like to say LinkedIn is one of the power tools that allow businesses to enhance and evolve.
About the Author
Preksha Jain is an SEO Specialist at Market.us. She is keen on learning and analyzing different markets, passionate about playing with marketing strategies. I’m interested to read and cracking innovative stuff.