With over 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for professionals and businesses to connect, engage, and grow. It offers distinctive opportunities for brand visibility, thought leadership, and networking. However, to use the full potential of LinkedIn, a well-defined content strategy is essential. An effective LinkedIn content strategy looks different for every business and this blog explores the 8 essential steps involved in building a tailored strategy for your brand.
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8 Top Steps to Create Your LinkedIn Content Strategy
1. Define Your Objectives
79% of marketers say generating more quality leads is their top priority for LinkedIn content strategies. So, begin by defining what you want to achieve with your strategy. It could be about increasing brand awareness, generating leads, driving traffic to your website, enhancing engagement, or improving sales. Consider your business’s specific aims and ensure that your LinkedIn content strategy is aligned with them.
2. Understand Your Audience
The next step is to recognize your target audience. 71% of B2B marketers who used audience personas saw an increase in leads. Ask yourself these questions: Who are they? What industries do they work in, and what challenges do they face? Creating audience personas based on these factors helps you understand their needs and tailor your messaging accordingly.
For example, if your audience consists of mid-career professionals in marketing, your content might focus on industry trends, best practices, or actionable insights that help them in their roles.
3. Analyse Your Competitor
Check out your competitors’ LinkedIn profiles to discover what worked or didn’t work for them. 47% of B2B buyers say that they rely on content from competitors to make purchasing decisions. Review your competitor’s posts to identify patterns in their successful content—whether it’s a specific format like video, the timing of posts, or particular themes that engage their audience.
For instance, you may notice a competitor regularly posts short, insightful videos about industry trends every Monday and receives high engagement in the form of likes and comments. This indicates that their audience values timely and concise video content.
4. Analyse Industry Trends
According to LinkedIn’s survey, 60% of LinkedIn members are interested in industry insights. Always stay up to date with the latest industry trends. For example, if you’re in the tech industry and a new software update or regulation is introduced, being one of the first to discuss its implications on LinkedIn can position you as a thought leader.
Sharing your insights on how the changes may impact industries and offering solutions adds value to your audience. As a result, your content will be more relevant, informative, and likely to engage your audience as they seek timely insights and perspectives.
5. Create Catchy Posts
Posts with images see a 2x higher comment rate than those without. At this point, you should have a good understanding of your competition’s style and approach and this should give you an idea of what you can do differently.
Use high-quality images captured with the help of professionals involved in product photography, which can significantly improve your posts’ appeal.
6. Develop a Content Calendar
Companies that post weekly on LinkedIn see a 2x higher engagement rate. Planning and organizing is an important part of your content strategy for LinkedIn as it makes execution much easier. So, develop a content calendar to schedule your posts. Focus on posting consistently rather than frequently, starting with a manageable schedule of 2-3 posts per week.
Use your content calendar to plan out your posts in advance, ensuring that each piece of content is a strategic step towards achieving your LinkedIn goals.
7. Engage with Your Network
LinkedIn members are 60% more likely to engage with a post from a connection than from a brand. So, an active profile is an important part of any LinkedIn content marketing strategy. Interact with other LinkedIn users by commenting on posts from others in your industry, sharing relevant articles or insights, and participating in discussions within LinkedIn groups. This is key in building and expanding your network on LinkedIn.
8. Use LinkedIn Features
LinkedIn offers a variety of features that can help increase engagement and reach. For example, polls are effective tools to improve interaction, as they invite your audience to share their opinions in a quick and easy format.
LinkedIn also allows you to add videos to your posts. LinkedIn video posts are 5x more likely to generate engagement. Including professional video content created with the help of a video production company can drive engagement since videos often perform better on LinkedIn compared to text-only posts. Additionally, use hashtags strategically and tag relevant people or companies in your posts to expand your content’s visibility and help you reach a larger audience.
A successful LinkedIn content strategy not only helps you share your expertise and insights but also fosters meaningful connections with your target audience. By delivering valuable content that resonates with your audience’s interests and needs, you can establish your brand as a trusted authority in your industry. Follow the above steps and seek professional help if required to build an effective LinkedIn content strategy for your business.