In the realm of B2B brand building, the digital landscape has evolved significantly. LinkedIn remains the ultimate platform for building B2B brand visibility with 80% of B2B leads generated through social media coming from LinkedIn, according to research from the HubSpot. While company pages remain pivotal, the importance of individual active personal profiles for key spokespeople cannot be overstated. These personal profiles serve as powerful tools to amplify brand visibility, establish thought leadership, and foster meaningful connections. In this blog post, I’ll delve into the significance of personal profiles and provide specific tips for leveraging LinkedIn effectively to enhance B2B brand awareness.
Why Personal Profiles Matter
Humanise the Brand: Personal profiles humanise the brand by putting faces to the organisation. People connect with people, and having key spokespeople actively engaging on platforms like LinkedIn allows for more authentic interactions, building trust and rapport with the audience. Research by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions found that posts with images receive 2.3 times more engagement than those without. Additionally, posts that include video content typically see 5 times more engagement. These statistics imply that incorporating personal elements such as images, videos, and authentic storytelling into LinkedIn profiles and content can significantly increase engagement levels.
Showcase Expertise: Personal profiles offer a platform for showcasing expertise and thought leadership. By sharing valuable insights, industry trends, and professional achievements, key spokespeople position themselves as authoritative figures in their respective fields, consequently elevating the brand’s credibility.
Expand Reach: While company pages have their reach, personal profiles often have a more extensive network of connections spanning many industries. Leveraging personal profiles enables the dissemination of brand content to a wider audience, potentially reaching prospects and decision-makers that may not be actively following the company page.
Build Connections : Personal profiles facilitate one-to-one engagement, allowing for personalised interactions with prospects, clients, and industry peers. Building and nurturing relationships on a personal level lays a solid foundation for fostering business partnerships and driving brand advocacy. Organic reach, coupled with the potential for content virality through shares and comments, often results in a broader and more diverse audience compared to company pages, which often rely on followers and paid advertising to extend their reach.
Tips for Maximising your LinkedIn profile for Brand Visibility
- Optimise Your Profile: Ensure that your personal LinkedIn profile is complete and optimised. This includes a professional profile picture, a compelling headline such as ‘ Passionate Marketing Professional | Storyteller’, a succinct yet informative summary, and detailed experience and skills sections.
- Share Relevant Content Regularly: Consistently share valuable content related to your industry, expertise, and the brand’s offerings. This could include blog posts, industry news, insightful articles, or even original thought pieces. Engage with your network by providing commentary, asking questions, and encouraging discussions. Following a multimedia integrated approach can produce the most optimal results. Sharing a variety of content including videos, PDFs and infographics can foster engagement and expand reach.
- Participate in Groups and Discussions: Join relevant LinkedIn groups and actively participate in discussions. Share your insights, answer questions, and contribute meaningfully to conversations. This not only increases your visibility within specific niches but also positions you as an engaged and knowledgeable thought leader.
- Make use of LinkedIn Articles: Leverage LinkedIn’s article publishing feature to share in-depth thought leadership pieces, case studies, or analysis. Publishing articles allows you to showcase your expertise and provides an opportunity for your content to be shared beyond your immediate network.
- Engage with Connections: Actively engage with your connections by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts. This reciprocity fosters stronger relationships and increases the likelihood of your content being seen by a broader audience through the LinkedIn algorithm.
- Participate in Live Events and Webinars: Host or participate in live events, webinars, or panel discussions within your industry. This not only positions you as a thought leader but also exposes your personal brand and the company to a wider audience.
- Measure and Iterate: Monitor the performance of your LinkedIn activities using analytics tools provided by the platform. Pay attention to metrics such as post reach, engagement rates, and profile views. Use these insights to refine your content strategy and optimise your approach over time.
While company pages are essential for establishing an official online presence, personal profiles play a crucial role in humanising a brand, showcasing expertise, expanding reach, and fostering relationships. By leveraging platforms like LinkedIn effectively and implementing the aforementioned tips, key spokespeople can significantly enhance B2B brand awareness and drive tangible business outcomes.
To learn more or for support in developing your own or your business’s social media channels contact us today.