As a consultant who assists entrepreneurs in starting, growing and optimizing their small businesses, I‘ve seen firsthand the power of LinkedIn. With over 560 million users globally, it provides unparalleled access to professional connections, industry influencers and potential customers.
But as a time and resource-constrained small business owner, it can be challenging to create standout content. You likely manage everything from daily operations to strategic planning on your own. My goal with this comprehensive guide is to provide the research, strategies and best practices that set you up for LinkedIn success.
LinkedIn Usage Trends Among Small Business Owners
Recent surveys shed light on how small business owners currently use LinkedIn, and where there are opportunities to improve:
- 78% of small business owners spend 30 minutes or less per week posting content. This limits reach and consistency.
- Just 28% share visual media in their updates, despite visual content receiving over 3X more engagement.
- Only 32% actively engage with their audience by responding to comments and messages. This hampers relationship and community building.
Key Takeaway: Most small business owners are not dedicating enough time or utilizing the most effective tactics on LinkedIn. By understanding what works, you can stand out from the majority of passive users.
Crafting Compelling LinkedIn Content
With limited time and resources, the content you do publish needs to count. These types of updates have proven the most valuable for small businesses on LinkedIn:
Success Stories
Highlight specific client wins and projects to showcase your experience and results. For example, local retailers could feature a recent shop layout they designed from concept to execution.
Behind-the-Scenes
Give potential customers a look into your product development, services or company culture. A craft brewery could do a video tour of experimental batches before public release.
List-Based Tips
Offer ‘how-to’ advice that provides solutions to common small business issues. A marketing agency could outline low-cost ways local startups can improve their social presence.
Expert Q&As
Interview or quote industry specialists to share trusted perspectives beyond your own. Home contractors could feature an electrician’s advice for DIYers on avoiding safety issues.
Top Tip: Match content topics to the pain points and questions of your ideal customers. This ensures maximum relevance which leads to engagement.
Multimedia That Drives Results
With attention spans short across all platforms, visual content breaks up blocks of texts while better conveying emotions and scenarios.
These types of rich media boost small business performance specifically on LinkedIn:
| Format | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Infographics | Visual representations of services, tips or data | An accounting firm shares tax changes |
| Photos | Show real customers, products, facilities | A boutique posts pics of new inventory |
| Videos | Demonstrations, testimonials, behind-the-scenes | A mechanic provides car maintenance tips |
Pro Tip: Short videos under one minute have proven most effective for small business pages on LinkedIn.
Hashtags and @mentions make it easier to pop up in relevant feed searches. For small businesses, priority targets include:
- Industry leaders and influencers
- Prospect customer groups
- Local community groups
- Industry conferences and publications
Follow these accounts and incorporate relevant hashtags into your own content.
For example, a bakery could tag:
#supportsmallbiz #bakerylife #denverfoodscene @ColoradoSmallBusinessAssn @DenTourismBoardInsider Tip: Tools like Hashtagify and RiteTag help identify popular and related hashtags to integrate.
Promoting Your Content Like a Pro
Creating amazing content is step one. Step two is distribution through:
LinkedIn Groups
Join at least five niche industry or regional LinkedIn Groups where you can share updates natively into group feeds to tap into these targeted communities.
LinkedIn Showcase Pages
Create a Company Showcase Page to establish an expanded presence and cross-promote personal profile content.
Paid Partners Program
For important posts, enroll in LinkedIn’s small business Paid Partners Program starting at $10 per day. This exposes your content to more targeted feeds.
Measuring Performance and Continually Optimizing
You have a wealth of data at your fingertips through LinkedIn’s Analytics to identify what content resonates most.
Prioritize these metrics for small businesses:
- Post impressions
- Content interactions
- Follower growth
Continually refine your strategy based on this performance data to maximize your LinkedIn results.
With the right approach tailored to small business owners, LinkedIn can drive tangible wins from relationships to revenue. For hands-on assistance developing and executing your LinkedIn small business growth plan, visit my website or schedule a free 30-minute consultation call.
