Don’t be a LinkedIn loser – How to smash your company’s socials out the park
It’s a situation that’s all too common, as well as your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, you’re also inexplicably entrusted with the company LinkedIn page. What’s worse, you’re then expected to produce content and explain why it did, or didn’t go well.
Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Obviously, there are oodles of benefits to having a top class social media presence. More people will find out about you and what you do, you can connect with potential and existing clients on a more personal level, and you can demonstrate that you’re up to speed with current industry news and trends.
Sounds good right? So how do we achieve it?
Why LinkedIn? Why not Tik Tok??
There are a lot of social media platforms out there and it can be tempting to throw yourself into them all. Instead of killing yourself trying to cover all bases, think about where your clients are likely to be and target those online spaces. Yes, nearly everyone has an Instagram account, but are they really thinking about work while they’re scrolling? More likely they’ve got their head stuck in cat videos.
What’s more, you need to understand what it takes to be on a given platform. X requires snappy, concise text (and a lobotomy judging by the current state of it). TikTok needs video editing, on-screen talent, and loads of time. LinkedIn needs sector knowledge, precise copy and high-quality visuals.
Determine whether you’ve got the skills and time, or could get them.
All set? Time to start posting
The clue is in the name when it comes to social media – so be social. People want to see the real you, even when you’re a brand. You can retain professionalism while having fun and showing at least a smidge of personality.
Post consistently. Although you don’t need to plan ahead, it’s best to have a consistent pace of posting, and also to maintain consistent style and tone – probably based off of your brand book or similar guidelines.
A dead easy weekly plan to maintain could be posting about a project (new or old) every Tuesday, and about people in your team every Thursday.
People love to see people. Graphics and information heavy content can be great but remember that people prefer photos and videos. This doesn’t mean you need a professional photographer. People enjoy content they can relate to, so candid photos go a long way.
Keeping track of it
How’s your content performing? How many likes will make your boss (or you if you’re the boss) happy? Well, how many grains of sand are in a pile of sand? It’s subjective, but here’s a couple of metrics to keep an eye on.
Impressions: this is how many times people saw your content on their screen. Note that one person could see your content more than once.
Engagement rate: an illustration of how engaging your content was for the people who saw it. Below 5% is not bad but not good, 10% is good and anything over 20% means you’re smashing it.
Comments: this is where you can really see what people think about your content and is a far better indicator of quality than mere reactions. Read what people have to say and take it on board. Better yet, if there’s a discussion to be had, drop them a reply.
Some common questions we get asked
Is there a best time to post on LinkedIn?
Nope, not really. Just post when people are going to be online, i.e. don’t post at 3am.
What’s a hashtag and do I need them?
Hashtags help social media algorithms categorise posts. Best to just use three at the end of your post, two broad e.g. #construction or #greatermanchester and one specific e.g. #placesforeveryone.
How often should I post?
Quality trumps quantity here. Post as often as is sustainable. Don’t post for the sake of it either. Anything more than three a week is frankly insane.
Do all our followers see our posts?
No. The algorithm only displays your content to a small proportion of your audience. People are shown content on LinkedIn that their network has reacted to, and some from accounts (like you) that they follow. Make it engaging and more people will see it.
The bottom line
Social media is a powerful tool to have in your marketing arsenal. Not only does it give you the means to engage with your current audience, but it’s also one of the best ways to get your brand message out to new people.
All too often its seen as a tickbox exercise, done as a chore without love and care. When done this way, your messages will fail to resonate and do nothing to support your marketing goals. Done with creativity, consistency and commitment, and they’ll open you and your business up to a whole new audience and world of growth.
If you’re looking for professional help with your social strategy, Luma Marketing’s expert team are ready and waiting to help. Call us today to get started.
This article was originally published on Place North West