5 Ways to Use LinkedIn for Business in 2023

While most businesses run to social media platforms like Instagram, if you have a B2B business, then LinkedIn should be your top choice.

With over 900 million users, LinkedIn is a great platform to generate leads for your business, develop new relationships, expand your network, and hire top talent. Hence, it should definitely be a part of your social media marketing strategy. However, if you think the only way to use LinkedIn for business is content creation, you are in for a surprise.

In this article, we’ll discuss five ways you can use the platform for marketing your business and supercharging. We’ll also discuss how you can get started with these methods.

Without further delay, let’s get started.

5 Ways To Use LinkedIn For Business

1. Advertising

LinkedIn advertising allows businesses to market themselves through various types of ads. These are sponsored content, sponsored InMail, and display ads.

Sponsored content allows businesses to promote their content, such as articles or videos, to a targeted audience. Sponsored InMail enables businesses to send personalized messages to LinkedIn users. Display ads are like traditional banner ads. They appear on the LinkedIn website and mobile app.

LinkedIn advertising is different from other forms of online advertising because it allows businesses to target a specific professional audience based on factors such as job title, industry, and company size. This can be particularly useful for B2B companies looking to reach decision-makers and other professionals in their target market.

Here are the steps to get started:

1. Create a LinkedIn account and set up a company page if you don’t already have one.

2. Go to the section that says “Campaign Manager“. Select “Create a campaign.“

3. Choose your campaign type (e.g. sponsored content, sponsored InMail, or display ads) and set your targeting options (e.g. demographics, interests, and job titles).

4. Create your ad content and set your budget and schedule.

5. Monitor your campaign’s performance by analyzing data from LinkedIn’s analytics tools.

6. Optimize your campaign by making changes to targeting and ad content as needed.

It’s important to note that, like any advertising platform, it takes time and experimentation to see the results you desire.

2. Networking

Networking on LinkedIn for businesses is the process of building and maintaining professional relationships on the platform to promote and grow a business. It involves connecting with other companies, engaging with their content, and networking to establish partnerships, generate leads, and build brand awareness.

Networking on LinkedIn has several benefits. First, it helps businesses access new opportunities and enter new partnerships. Additionally, networking on LinkedIn can be a great way to build a company’s brand, increase visibility among potential clients and partners, and generate leads.

To network on LinkedIn, do the following:

• Build a company page: Make sure your company page is complete, professional, and reflects your business.
• Connect with other businesses: Reach out to companies you know, industry partners, potential clients, and suppliers.
• Engage with others’ content: Share and comment on other businesses’ content and participate in groups and discussions.
• Building relationships: Once you’ve connected with a business, take the time to build a relationship by engaging with their content, sending them personalized messages, and offering help or advice.
• Advertising: Use LinkedIn Advertising to reach a professional audience and generate leads. It’s a great way to complement your networking strategy.

3. Recruitment

Recruitment on LinkedIn is using the platform to find and attract qualified candidates for job openings within a business. It involves posting job listings, searching for and reaching out to potential candidates, and using the platform’s various recruitment tools and features to streamline the hiring process.

Recruitment on LinkedIn helps businesses reach a large and targeted audience of professionals. This makes it easier to find qualified candidates for specific roles. Additionally, LinkedIn allows businesses to access a wealth of information about potential candidates, such as their work experience, skills, and professional network, which can be used to make more informed hiring decisions. 

To recruit on LinkedIn, here’s what you need to do:

• Create a company page: Make sure your company page is complete and professional to appear trustworthy and legitimate to potential candidates.
• Post job listings: Create job listings for open positions and ensure they are detailed and accurately reflect the role.
• Search for candidates: Use LinkedIn’s advanced search feature to find candidates with specific qualifications or experience.
• Reach out to potential candidates: Personalize your outreach and message with information that makes it clear that you have taken the time to review their profile and understand their qualifications.
• Utilize LinkedIn Recruiter: LinkedIn Recruiter is a powerful tool that allows you to find, reach out and manage potential candidates, this is a paid service.
• Utilize LinkedIn Talent Insights: This paid service allows you to gain valuable insights into the talent market and the ideal candidates for your open positions.

4. Sales Generation

Sales generation on LinkedIn is the process of using the platform to identify, attract, and convert potential customers for a business. It involves using LinkedIn’s various features and tools, such as advertising, lead generation, and personal branding, to reach and engage with potential customers and ultimately drive sales.

You should use the platform for lead generation because it helps businesses reach a large and targeted audience. This makes it easier to connect with potential customers. Additionally, LinkedIn allows businesses to access a wealth of information about potential customers, such as their industry, job title, and professional network, which can be used to create targeted and personalized sales pitches. Sales generation on LinkedIn also allows for a more effective and efficient sales process. Businesses can easily manage and track leads and communicate with potential customers in one place.

To generate sales on LinkedIn, businesses can start by:

• Building a strong personal brand: A strong personal brand on LinkedIn can help attract potential customers and position yourself as an expert in your industry.
• Creating a company page: Make sure your company page is complete and professional, and it showcases your products or services.
• Advertising: Use LinkedIn Advertising to reach a professional audience and generate leads. You can target your ads to specific audiences and industries.
• Utilizing Sales Navigator: LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a paid service that allows you to find, reach out and manage potential customers. It also lets you see who has viewed your profile, visited your website, and more.

5. Personal Branding

Personal branding on LinkedIn is using the platform to establish oneself as an expert and thought leader in a specific industry or field. Brand building on LinkedIn involves the creation and sharing of content. Moreover, you can use the platform to build relationships and the various features to show your skills and experience.

Building a personal brand on LinkedIn has several benefits. For example, it helps you establish yourself as an expert and thought leader in the industry, which makes potential customers, partners, and investors trust you. Additionally, it will help you stand out from your competitors. Personal branding on LinkedIn also helps businesses build a professional network, which can be valuable for finding new job opportunities or business partners.

To build a personal brand on LinkedIn, businesses can start by:

• Creating a professional profile: Make sure your profile is complete, includes a professional headshot, and showcases your skills and experience.
• Building relationships: Connect with other professionals in your industry and participate in groups and discussions.
• Using LinkedIn’s features: Utilize LinkedIn’s features, such as endorsements, recommendations, and portfolio sections, to showcase your expertise and skills.
• Creating a personal website or blog and link it to your LinkedIn profile: This can help you showcase your work in more detail and also provide a way for people to contact you directly.
• Consistency is key: Regularly update your profile, share relevant content and engage with your network, a consistent and active presence on LinkedIn can help you build a strong personal brand.

Key Takeaways

Whether you want to reach new customers, build authority in your niche, find new business partners, or hire the best talent for your business, LinkedIn is a great tool. 

We’ve discussed five ways to use LinkedIn for business, but don’t feel overwhelmed as how you use LinkedIn depends on your current needs and goals. For example, if you’re at the stage where growing your team is a priority then use the platform for recruitment. However, if you’re just starting out, then building a brand may be more important for you.

If you want to use LinkedIn for sales generation, then use an automation tool like expandi. The sales generation process is lengthy and cumbersome. It takes precious hours everyday to follow up with leads, engage with their content, and build rapport. Instead, use expandi to automate the process, so that you can focus on other important tasks. Start your 30-day free trial today!