LinkedIn: The Most Effective Social Network of Our Time
Unlike other social media channels whose goal is mainly to entertain us, LinkedIn adds value to the time we spend on the Internet.
When it was launched almost 20 years ago, making it the oldest active social network, probably even the founders of LinkedIn could not have predicted that it would gain such popularity, but above all – influence and credibility in the business world.
Internet searches for "LinkedIn" in the last 12 years have grown by as much as 212%, and as the largest professional network with more than 830 million users (of which 43.2% are women and 56.8% are men) in over 200 countries, last year LinkedIn was declared the most trusted social network (Digital Trust Benchmark Report 2021). In Serbia, according to NapoleonCat statistics, 1,125,000 users were registered in August of this year, which is 13.1% of the entire population, and the largest share is made up of people between 25 and 34 years old (64%).
Unlike other social media channels whose goal is mainly to entertain us, LinkedIn adds value to the time we spend on the Internet. Yes, you will also connect with other people on LinkedIn, but apart from connections, you will get something much more - the opportunity to be seen in an authentic way, but also to be recognized and recognized for your professional achievements. This is precisely why this social network represents the most effective way to build a brand - both personal and corporate.
Marko Anđelković, digital team leader of the Smartpoint agency, emphasizes that LinkedIn is actually the new Facebook, but that there is nothing wrong with that. "Users on this social network are increasingly looking for information that they used to find elsewhere. LinkedIn is no longer a network that only offers "strict" corporate content," Anđelković explains, emphasizing that we are witnessing the expansion of personal, lifestyle content that also has great potential for marketing, especially if we take into account the increase in the number of LinkedIn influencers such as Miloš Milaković. This is supported by the fact that this type of content generates up to 15 times more impressions compared to job ads, which to some extent represent the core of this network.
That LinkedIn is one of the key marketing channels today is also proven by the fact that 98% of content marketers use this network for B2B marketing and attracting new business partners - 80% of their B2B clients originate from LinkedIn, and almost half of the surveyed marketers revealed that they in this way they reached at least one client. Thanks to the credibility it has gained over time, LinkedIn is considered a more effective way to build and expand a business than the social networks Facebook and Twitter that used to be in first place.
Why is LinkedIn more important than ever?
As many as 40 million people use LinkedIn to search for work every week, and 210 million job applications are submitted monthly (81 every second). This is the reason why this social network should be seen as the CV of the 21st century. "Paper" resumes and portfolios will still have value, but we must be aware that we can never know with certainty exactly how many people they can reach, even when applying for a job for which there is an open competition or participating in official competitions and pitches.
With an adequately edited LinkedIn profile, it is easier to attract attention to yourself and your work, regardless of whether we are talking about individuals or companies. In addition, this social network is much more than simply listing work experiences and projects you've worked on. With all the content creation options at your disposal, you can better present yourself to your followers, as well as potential employers or clients, both professionally and personally, which will only contribute to a positive first impression.
Given that many circumstances have caused the entire market to change, and to look at business and industries in a slightly different way, it is crucial to stand out from the competition, and using the full potential that LinkedIn has will help you do just that. Not only will work experience confirm your expertise, but highlighting your values and interests will help you present yourself as a "perfect match". Track how your competition "behaves" - and deliver better.
Finally, we must not ignore the fact that LinkedIn is a social network after all. This means that its main goal is to connect you with people, but in this case those who belong to your industry, who are experts in their fields, where you can find a mentor, inspiration, encouragement for your further progress, with whom you can exchange knowledge and experiences and thereby enrich your career on several levels. So, professionalism is what makes the difference in this case and sets LinkedIn apart from other networks that we access on a daily basis.
And yet, given that LinkedIn is a kind of combination of personal and business, the approach to content creation should be exactly that - combined.
“LinkedIn users should share accomplishments they are proud of on their private profiles – people love to see and support stories like that. However, this kind of personal approach should be nurtured by corporations as well - yes, campaigns, projects, and good business ideas should be promoted, but what happens behind the scenes should also be communicated, the team presented, team building, "happy hour" and socially responsible activities that show how nice it is to work with such people," explains Marko Anđelković, digital team leader of the Smartpoint agency, adding that, at the end of the day, employees are the best representatives of each company.
So, the importance of the network of contacts should be especially recognized by corporations. If you include your employees in the promotion of your work, who will also share, like, and comment on your content, as well as create it, it will easily reach even more LinkedIn users, that is, potential clients and collaborators.
How else can you draw attention to yourself? Regardless of whether we are talking about personal or corporate branding, you need to be heard. Use the potential of numerous LinkedIn groups from your industry in order to share the content you create and the projects you are working on, enter into dialogue and interaction with key people who belong to the same industry and with whom you can achieve the desired type of cooperation.
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Video content, like on other networks, is a format that is here to stay. Not only does it bring more engagement, but it can also be used in many creative ways. For example, hosting a webinar can build your authority in the industry and strengthen the trust of your target group. Through video content, you can promote your company's culture - as mentioned earlier, LinkedIn users love "behind-the-scenes" content and more personal stories that they can relate to. Keep in mind the recommendation that the videos you post on this social network should be mobile-friendly - in the form of a square and with a written caption, as almost all video content is generally watched with the sound turned off.
Experimenting with other forms of content, using popular but appropriate hashtags, properly targeting the "LinkedIn persona" you want to reach, regular publishing, and, above all, optimizing the LinkedIn profile or corporate page, are things that go without saying for good "performance". That's where you should start before you even begin building your brand.
Following current trends is key to success on LinkedIn. Marko Anđelković, the digital team leader of the Smartpoint agency, believes that in the future, there will be an increasing representation of lifestyle content that we currently see on Instagram, especially in video form, as TikTok is the platform that defines trends across all social networks. Interactive and locally targeted content will also gain importance, as will influencers. "Influencers don't have to be people with a lot of followers who are known to the general public, as is the case with other networks. In fact, the best influencers can be employees themselves, who will present the company they work for personally and authentically," concludes Anđelković.
For Marketing mreža website text written by: Ivana Tomić, Smartpoint Brand Specialist
Photo: Unsplash