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The New Year is sure to bring change, but what about social media? B2B relies on LinkedIn to give it that distinctive edge over other business models, but how relevant will that platform be in 2016?
Well, if you have yet to jump on the LinkedIn train, it is way past time. All indications are that it will continue to be the premier B2B social media tool for the near future. There are few platforms that do what LinkedIn does and that’s saying something in a world of social media redundancy. What should you know about LinkedIn going into 2016?
The Statistics
The numbers tell the tale when it comes to the power of this social media platform. LinkedIn boasts over 400,000,000 users in 200 countries. Let’s put that into perspective:
- Facebook continues to dominate social media with well over 1.44 active users, but Twitter only reported 307 million in the third quarter of 2015.
- Google+ has more accounts set up than LinkedIn, but some are inactive.
- LinkedIn claims two new accounts every second, many of which are professionals like those you look for when hiring content writers. Over 30 million of their users students or recent college grads getting ready to enter the job market, too.
In the third quarter, LinkedIn reported 780 million dollars in revenue with an average increase of 37 percent each year since the company opened its virtual doors in 2003. Sixty-four percent of their income comes from talent management, 18 percent from premium subscriptions and 18 percent, or 140 million dollars, from marketing. With those numbers, it is safe to say LinkedIn is not going anywhere.
Making LinkedIn Work for Your Marketing Business
The real question is: Are you getting all you can out of LinkedIn? If not, it is a new year, so how about a new LinkedIn attitude. Find ways to use this B2B platform to give your marketing business the laser edge it needs to grow in 2016. Here are some tips to get you there.
2016 is being called the Year of the Customer Experience. You can put that to use on LinkedIn by refocusing your company profile and mission statement. If your page reads something like:
- We dominate this blankety, blank industry.
You need an upgrade. Instead of telling people why you are the best, tell them how you’re being the best benefits them. The key is to flip the relevance and make your page more about the customer experience and less about the business.
Expand your LinkedIn presence by setting up profiles for your front line employees as well as a company page. The more the merrier when it comes to social media contributions and make sure you connect all the dots, so readers automatically associate the business with the people who make it great. While you are at it, start an active LinkedIn group or two and get even more Internet points.
Take advantage of the free LinkedIn bling like their publishing platforms, professional database, search tools and connection suggestions.
2016 promises to be a bold year in marketing and LinkedIn will continue to be a force in it. At the risk of sounding like a Star Wars geek, use the force if you want your business to boom in the coming year.
Darla F is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in helping agencies meet their goals by developing creative and engaging content.
