You’ve hired a professional for custom website design and a firm that offers premium SEO services. You added listings to directories, signed up for Google’s AdSense, and started building an organic network of high-quality links. What’s next for your online business marketing plan?
If you’re not yet taking full advantage of the advertising and promotional opportunities offered by social media platforms, now is the time to start. While platforms like Facebook and Twitter may seem better suited to marketing, don’t discount the benefits to be gained by using professional social media site LinkedIn to further your agenda. Here are a few tips to create a LinkedIn marketing plan for your business.
Finesse Your Page
You know that your business website can benefit from custom web design, but what about your LinkedIn profile? While tools are available to help you to design a page on your own, you definitely want to focus on creating a profile that supports your brand image and creates a memorable experience for visitors and followers. This could require professional help.
Post Regular Updates
Like any form of social media, you’re likely to see the best response when you check in regularly. This means posting daily updates (or even posting multiple times a day) to remain relevant, foster relationships, and reach out to new contacts.
Distribute Content
Content marketing strategies are becoming more and more important for lead generation, and businesses and marketing services alike are finding ways to promote content through social media. If you want to include content marketing as part of your LinkedIn strategy, there are a variety of ways to do so.
Posting updates is fairly par for the course, but you can also post or promote long-form content (articles, white papers, etc.). A solid strategy should include daily updates and publishing long-form content at least once a week (ideally 2-3 times per week if you can manage it).
Create a Group
There are many reasons to create a group, but there are two main ones that businesses will appreciate. First and foremost, it provides you with an opportunity to increase visibility and connect with like-minded professionals. It also allows you to demonstrate your expertise. Both can play important roles in your overall marketing strategy.
Follow Up
No marketing plan is complete without follow-through. You can’t make connections and then rest on your laurels.
If lasting relationships are your goal, it’s imperative that you continue to foster relationships through social media by providing content and staying in contact with valued connections. This is why many business owners hire social media managers to handle the day-to-day functions of a social media marketing plan.