As a new graduate, what is the next step in advancing your career? I find myself asking this question. With a very uneasy feeling, I stumbled upon a professional platform with a focus on building business relationships and overall advancing my career. That platform is LinkedIn. In the following article, we are going to address, 'Why should you choose LinkedIn to Market?' Next, we will touch on the numbers and demographics of LinkedIn including the details of the potential audience. Then we will go in-depth on both 'LinkedIn Pages' vs 'LinkedIn Profiles' and how each can be utilized as a marketing tool. Finally, we will recap all of the important points and how to apply the learned knowledge in a way that helps your career!
Why LinkedIn Marketing?
Are you looking to build your professional network and advance your career? Look no further than LinkedIn - the ultimate platform for business relationships, career development, and idea sharing. With over 774 million members across 200 countries and territories, LinkedIn offers a diverse and dynamic user base that is perfect for individuals and organizations looking to expand their reach. What's more, LinkedIn boasts the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate compared to other social media platforms, making it a powerful marketing tool for businesses. Whether you're a software engineer, nurse, or salesperson, LinkedIn has something for everyone. In this article, we'll explore the different types of LinkedIn accounts, the platform's audience, and how you can make the most of this essential tool to achieve your professional goals. So let's dive in and discover why LinkedIn is the go-to platform for building your professional presence and achieving success!
About LinkedIn
LinkedIn was created by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant in December 2002, with the goal of creating an online platform for professionals to connect and network. Originally intended for job seekers to connect with potential employers, LinkedIn quickly became a broader professional networking platform. The site launched in May 2003, and it gained popularity rapidly, with professionals using the site to share information, connect with colleagues, and build their personal brands. LinkedIn has continued to evolve over the years, introducing new features such as LinkedIn Pages, LinkedIn Learning, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator. In 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, cementing its position as an essential tool for professionals and businesses worldwide. Today, with over 774 million members in 200 countries and territories, LinkedIn is the world's largest professional networking platform, thanks to the vision and dedication of its founders. The original idea has blossomed over the last 20 years into one of the most valuable online tools available all across the globe.
Based on a study HubSpot did in 2020, with five-thousand businesses. Found that when compared with Twitter and Facebook, LinkedIn had the highest visitor-to-lead percentage of total traffic. LinkedIn had a 2.74% conversion rate, while Facebook had a .69% and Twitter at .77%, even when combined did not reach LinkedIn's conversion rate(HubSpot). We will touch on these statistics more later on and how professionals utilize them in business-to-business & business-to-consumer marketing.
Understanding LinkedIn 'Profile' vs LinkedIn 'Page'
LinkedIn has two kinds of accounts that you can use as marketing tools. The LinkedIn profile is more personal and must have a two-way connection before created content will be shared with each other. While a LinkedIn page is an account that can be followed to see the content without having to have that mutual connection. It is important to keep in mind that both of these, profiles and pages, have different advantages and disadvantages but the key is to utilize them in combination to get the best outcome.
Depending on the goal of the marketing plan, each can be used based on the situation. Linked describes the difference with the statement, "The LinkedIn community is divided into two categories: members and organizations. Both play important roles in the engagements and interactions taking place on the platform each day (LinkedIn)." Typically, businesses will have pages while personal accounts are considered profiles. Keeping both in mind when putting together a marketing plan, and can help when deciding which direction and goals your marketing plan will follow.
Another key difference between LinkedIn Pages and personal profiles is the way they can be used for advertising purposes. LinkedIn Pages are the only way to run ads on LinkedIn, which can be useful for companies looking to target specific audiences and promote their products or services. However, it's important to note that in order to set up a Page, a personal profile is required. This requirement helps to ensure that Pages are owned and operated by real people, and not bots or fake accounts. Personal profiles also include more sections such as Activity, Experience, Skills & Endorsements, Recommendations, and Interests, which are not present on LinkedIn Pages. In contrast, LinkedIn Pages include sections like Overview, About, Jobs, and People, which highlight information about the organization as a whole. Despite these differences, one important commonality between personal profiles and LinkedIn Pages is that they are both free to use, making them accessible to anyone looking to build their professional network or promote their business.
To recap, LinkedIn Pages and personal profiles have several differences that reflect the different objectives and priorities of individuals and organizations on the platform. While personal profiles emphasize networking and relationship-building, LinkedIn Pages focus on building a following and promoting an organization as a whole. Additionally, LinkedIn Pages are the only way to run ads on LinkedIn and require a personal profile to set up. Despite these differences, both personal profiles and LinkedIn Pages are free to use, making them accessible to anyone looking to build their professional presence on the platform.
LinkedIn's Audience
LinkedIn has released a new guide that provides insights into the platform's usage and audience. The guide, titled "The LinkedIn Insights Handbook," includes data on key demographics, content trends, and engagement metrics.
According to the guide, LinkedIn has over 774 million members across 200 countries and territories, with 310 million active users each month. The platform's user base is diverse, with 60% of users located outside of the United States and a fairly even gender split.
The guide also highlights the importance of content on LinkedIn, with the platform's algorithm favoring posts that spark conversation and engagement. The most successful posts on LinkedIn often include visual content, such as images or videos, and use a conversational tone. Additionally, the guide notes that LinkedIn users are more likely to engage with content that offers insights and knowledge, rather than promotional material.
In terms of industries, the guide notes that technology, healthcare, and finance are the most active sectors on LinkedIn, with software engineering, nursing, and sales being the most common job functions. The guide also provides insights into the mobile usage of LinkedIn, noting that the platform's mobile app is responsible for a significant portion of its traffic.
Overall, "The LinkedIn Insights Handbook" is a useful resource for businesses and individuals looking to better understand the platform and how to use it effectively. By providing data on demographics, content trends, and engagement metrics, the guide offers insights into how to create successful content and engage with LinkedIn's diverse user base.
Recap
In conclusion, LinkedIn has become a vital platform for businesses and individuals to build professional relationships, advance their careers, and share ideas. The platform's visitor-to-lead conversion rate is the highest compared to other social media platforms, making it an effective marketing tool. LinkedIn offers two types of accounts - personal profiles and pages - that have different advantages and can be utilized in combination to achieve marketing goals. The platform's diverse user base is located across 200 countries and territories, with technology, healthcare, and finance being the most active sectors. Finally, the "LinkedIn Insights Handbook" provides useful data on demographics, content trends, and engagement metrics, making it a valuable resource for businesses and individuals to optimize their presence on the platform. Overall, LinkedIn continues to be a key player in the professional networking space, providing a unique platform for individuals and organizations to connect, engage, and grow.
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Resources
Zantal-Wiener, A. (2022, June 7). The beginner's guide to linkedin marketing. HubSpot Blog. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23454/the-ultimate-cheat-sheet-for-mastering-linkedin.aspx
https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordmagic/?db=us -For Keyword Research
Vu, E. (2019, November). LinkedIn page vs. Personal Page: What's the difference? LinkedIn. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/business/marketing/blog/linkedin-pages/linkedin-page-vs-personal-page
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