Best uses for LinkedIn advertising in your business

LinkedIn is a social platform that shouldn’t be discounted when you’re considering your social media marketing plan. 

The platform’s advertising options can boost your brand’s visibility if you know how to use them.

LinkedIn’s users

According to a survey by Pew Research Center, 25% of adults say they use LinkedIn on their computer or smartphone. This number jumps to 50% when looking at adults with a college degree. Overall, LinkedIn users are more likely to:

  • Be in their late twenties. 34% of 25-to 29-year-olds report using LinkedIn versus just 9% of adults over 65.
  • Make more than $75,000 per year. 45% of adults in this income bracket have a LinkedIn account, versus only 13% of those that make less than $30,000.
  • Live in a city. 30% of urban-dwellers use LinkedIn versus 13% of those in rural communities.

Knowing who uses LinkedIn and why is crucial to deciding how best to use the platform and its advertising options.

There are two main reasons for using LinkedIn – as a recruitment/job-seeking tool or for professional networking. LinkedIn has been firmly established as a platform for career development so tread carefully when posting on the site.

User profiles vs. company pages

Now that we understand the user base, it’s important to distinguish between user profiles and company pages. User profiles give individuals a chance to describe themselves and their careers and make connections with people in the same field, at the same company or in the same city. Connecting with other users and building a personal network can have a big impact on your business prospects. If you are in a B2B (business-to-business) industry, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with the best information about your current role. When new contacts and members of your network invariably look you up on LinkedIn, having a robust profile can help build trust.

User profiles are also necessary for the recruitment and job-seeking side of the platform. Recruiters can send messages to people with the right skills and experience for an open position. Businesses can also use the job board function of LinkedIn to post open positions and collect applications. Users can even use their profile as their resume in some cases.

Company pages can be used in a few different ways. Businesses can post updates about what’s going on in their business, let potential employees know what the company culture is like and offer more credibility to potential customers. One of the most important uses of a company page is sharing content that shows your business has experts in your industry that can help potential customers solve their problems.

Types of LinkedIn ads

There are three different kinds of LinkedIn ads that can be used for three different purposes. The types of LinkedIn advertising are:

  • Sponsored Content: Boost your company’s content that shows industry expertise in the LinkedIn feeds of your target customers. This type of ad is only effective if you target customers are spending a lot of time on the platform. The majority of LinkedIn users use the platform for two hours or less per week, so choose this option carefully.
  • Text Ads: These basic ads show up in the right-hand column of the LinkedIn platform and include a short headline and a small image. The right-hand column is not a prime location for ads since most people do not spend a lot of time looking in that area of a webpage. However, since these ads are usually inexpensive, they might work best for companies with small budgets.
  • Sponsored InMail: This option is, by far, the most powerful form of advertising on LinkedIn. Sponsored InMail ads allow users or businesses to send messages directly to the inboxes of users in a targeted group. For many users, this means they will get an email or push notification saying they have a new message. These ads are great for recruiters or businesses looking to fill an open position or businesses that want to reach a specific group of people with a compelling targeted message – such as an upcoming event or special offer.

LinkedIn advertising can be a great option for your business. Click here for more social media marketing tips for your business.

Connect With the Chamber