As the leaders in social media marketing and website design Philadelphia & Pittsburgh, we are frequently asked, “Which social media platforms should my business be on?”

Most digital marketing agencies will tell you that your business should be on all social media platforms -- perhaps as a way of raking in money, perhaps for a lack of knowledge on the challenges that small businesses face. At Responsival, we understand that every minute or dollar you spend on marketing efforts matters. That’s why when we make suggestions to our clients, we take the time to ask ourselves which strategies and platforms will help a business thrive. For some businesses, Instagram is the most important. For others, it may be Facebook or LinkedIn, and the business may not need to focus on Instagram at all.

That’s why Responsival is here to help you decide if you need a business LinkedIn account. We’ll start by breaking down what a business LinkedIn account can do, show you how businesses of all sizes are using business LinkedIn accounts, and wrap up with a simple checklist to help you make your final decision.

What can a Business LinkedIn Account Do?

Capabilities that Make a Business LinkedIn Account Valuable

Social media marketing is much more of a science than many people are led to believe. Marketing on social media involves demographic research, in-depth analytics, and secret tricks and formulas for crafting effective social media posts. Each platform differs on a variety of criteria, which is why social media marketing for businesses is often outsourced to a digital marketing agency.

LinkedIn is one of the most complicated platforms for business owners to maneuver on their own. With a strange way to build an account, limited interactive capabilities, and a complex ad structure, a business LinkedIn account is an enigma to many. 

So what exactly does a business LinkedIn account do for your business? LinkedIn is social media for the business community -- a platform that looks to nurture and grow relationships between professionals, businesses, everyday consumers, and the complicated web that exists between the three. With a LinkedIn business account, you have the ability to share updates and information about your business and interact with a valuable network of people that your business builds over time. This helps you grow leads and stronger relationships over time, proving invaluable for a business of any size.

Additionally, LinkedIn is one of the most powerful recruitment tools available for job hunters and hiring businesses. LinkedIn is the number one source for finding quality hires and more than 75% of people who change jobs use LinkedIn to inform their decision in one way or another, making it a key aspect to any job hunter or recruiter search efforts.

On top of recruitment, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for B2B advertising. LinkedIn provides ad targeting capabilities that are unlike any other platform and provide to be invaluable from a B2B standpoint. Targeting capabilities include targeting by job title, seniority, industry, location, and more, allowing businesses to develop a meaningful sales funnel using ads to reach valuable potential leads.

How are Businesses of Different Sizes Using a Business LinkedIn Account?

How Small, Medium-sized, and Large Businesses are Using Business LinkedIn Accounts

While it’s clear that LinkedIn is a powerful tool for businesses, the way businesses of different sizes used a business LinkedIn account varies. What does it look like? We’re here to break it down for businesses in three distinct size categories:

• Large business & enterprises: For large businesses, the use of a business LinkedIn Account is all about branding toward the professional market through large-scale campaigns and initiatives. Large businesses will often share business-related press and goodwill items designed to shine light upon positive business practices. Additionally, large businesses are the largest users of LinkedIn for hiring and recruitment.
• Medium-sized businesses: Medium-sized businesses thrive on LinkedIn because it allows them to develop leads and grow their business while continuing to nurture relationships with existing clients. In addition to using LinkedIn for lead-gen, medium-sized businesses will often share their work, spread knowledge about their services, and look for ways to spar interest and upsell their existing audience.
• Small businesses: Small business marketing is all about getting your name out there. LinkedIn is made to create a professional network online, and this professional network is invaluable for small businesses looking to gain legitimacy, show off their services and employees’ abilities, strengthen their branding, and reach the professional segment of their potential audience. 

Do Any of the Following Conditions Apply to Your Business? If so, you need a business LinkedIn Account.

Your business has employees.

In some cases, your business is so small that it’s just you. If that’s not the case and you plan on growing your business, take the time to make a business LinkedIn account. This will allow your employees to tag the business, share updates, and put the business on their own LinkedIn pages, spreading the word about your business (and allow your employees to humble-brag about working for you).

You’re working on building your brand.

If you’re currently working to build your branding, it’s important to reach as many outlets as possible. Making a business LinkedIn account allows you to reach the professional section of your potential audience and create content just for them.

You work in business-to-business.

If you work in business-to-business services or sales, LinkedIn is your most important social media network for engaging audiences, connecting with others, and posting ads. If you do nothing else as a B2B company, make a business LinkedIn account. We mean it.

Your business is professional-minded.

When you think about your brand, what words come to mind? If you think ‘aesthetically-pleasing,’ head over to Instagram or Pinterest. If you think ‘professional-minded,’ creating a business LinkedIn account. Your brand properly aligns with the mission of LinkedIn and the types of posts people want to see, making it an easy go-to platform for sharing updates and information.

Your business doesn’t show off its professional side.

On the contrary, LinkedIn is a place that’s all about business. If your business comes off as fun, quirky, or laid-back, having a business LinkedIn account is a way for you to project the professional side of your business. Share free PR, information about your mission or charitable work, or highlight the people who make your business possible on LinkedIn -- your fans will love it!

Is it time for your business to kick off efforts on LinkedIn? Get in touch with the team at Responsival - the leaders in digital marketing and website design Philadelphia & Pittsburgh - today to learn how we can help make your social media marketing efforts a success story.