3 Keys to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Strategy for Leads

When it comes to social media, there are a few platforms that seem to get all of the attention. Facebook and Twitter are the most obvious examples, and with an estimated 1.2 billion unique monthly users between them. However, if your business is interested in getting more out of its social media strategy than some funny cat pictures and the odd retweet, then consider investing your time and energy somewhere more business-related. With roughly 260 million people using LinkedIn, including a growing number of business-to-business users, it's a platform that shouldn't be ignored if you want to generate productive leads. If you're not sure how to begin, here are 3 steps you can take to optimize your LinkedIn strategy for leads:

You're not going to have much success with b2b lead generation if you're not making connections likely to generate some interest in the products and services you have to offer. Take some time to cultivate connections that are relevant to your business by either fitting into your target demographics or relating to your products and services in some way (i.e., businesses that offer complementary services or products).

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a term that you're likely to have already heard. It's also a concept that can make it easier for other businesses to find you on LinkedIn. Carefully selected keywords and phrases can be used throughout your page in everything from your initial description to your subheads, image captions and throughout your content. If you're new to SEO, take some time to brush up on the basics to avoid common mistakes like keyword stuffing. Throw in some location references (i.e., "Miami IT solutions") if you want to target businesses within a specific area. Further optimize your LinkedIn page by:

• Prominently listing your contact info

• Clearly listing your specialties

• Posting original content (or relevant content from other sources)

• Using descriptive headlines and subheads

Simply having a LinkedIn page for your business-to-business offerings isn't likely to be enough to generate sufficient leads. Instead of dismissing LinkedIn as something that's not for your business if you're seeing lackluster results, take a moment to determine if you're really getting the most out of your LinkedIn page. There's likely to be something you're not doing that could do wonders when it comes to attracting leads and encouraging conversions.

• Include Internal and External Links – Social platforms used for business should be as interconnected as possible. With convenient links to your main website and other social media pages, you can easily direct the flow of traffic from your LinkedIn page to give potential business customers a better idea of what you have to offer.

• Display Illustrative Videos – There's no better way to "speak" to your audience than to create a video where you introduce your business and explain how you can help other businesses with the products and services you can provide. You can also use relevant videos you've already placed on your website or YouTube channel.

• Put Some Effort Into Your Banner – Your LinkedIn banner is the first thing someone sees when visiting your page for b2b services, so why not jazz it up? Make it clear what you offer with a straight forward catchphrase or slogan. Consider adding some photos or images while clearly displaying the name of your business. You don't want to leave any doubt as to what you're able to offer a visitor to your LinkedIn page.

• Get the Most Out of Your Products and Services Tabs – Your products and services tabs are meant to grab the attention of whoever lands on your page and, hopefully, generate productive leads. Your first tab should be your most appealing product or service since most visitors to your page aren't going to fishing for something that interests them. Keep in mind that you can link pretty munch anything (new blog posts, relevant videos, slideshows, etc.) from your tabs.

Need a little more convincing that it's worth the effort to optimize your LinkedIn strategy for leads? Consider the fact that more than 60 percent of all visits from social media channels to corporate websites originate on LinkedIn, while Facebook and Twitter only account for about 30 percent of those visits combined.

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Original source: 3 Keys to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Strategy for Leads.
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