Linkedin has half a billion users. These are enormous numbers by any standards. Millions and millions of professionals at one place, still B2B marketers haven’t tapped Linkedin marketing the way they should.

Therefore they haven’t achieved that much success in obtaining leads. The floodgates haven’t opened yet. It’s kind of surprising.

What are those missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle?

You have to understand one thing. It’s not a three-step process, where you join, become active, and start garnering leaves.

So, what does one actually do?

Everyone can get those accidental leads, but to really make a mark, some serious prospecting is required on your part.

In this write-up, we will try to address a much-asked question, “How to find qualified leads in this heap of job seekers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals?”

How’s LinkedIn holding up in the current social media scenario?

According to various surveys, around 90% of B2B marketers see Linkedin as the quintessential platform to get leads.

The perception of Linkedin is that of a lead generation magnet. But is this perception justified?

If we see the number of leads that are generated through social media channels, Linkedin performs really well. Social Media as a whole isn’t the biggest source of company leads, but that’s a different discussion altogether. If we want to see Linkedin’s efficacy, then we should compare it with other social media channels only.

So in that context, the perception is reasonable.

As per HubSpot, if we talk about leads that are generated using social media, 80% of that comes from LinkedIn. It’s about strategically positioning yourself, to enjoy a constant influx of leads.

Marketing never happens on itself, and there is no point blaming a platform for failed results if your strategy is not right. Here are a few tips for you, for upping your marketing game with Linkedin.

1. Create content that generates actions

You may set up a pretty impressive profile but you must know the art of sharing content, otherwise, you will remain a non-starter.

Just understand one thing, a large chunk of Linkedin users want “Newsy Content”, or “Expert Opinions”.

Again it’s a perception game. People must perceive you as someone who likes to remain in touch with everything latest and someone who keeps upgrading his knowledge.

For that, you must post content on a daily basis. It should become a part of your daily routine. This way you will connect with your audience better.

You can always create a blend of experience, information, and knowledge, to make your posts multi-dimensional.

Using quotations of great leaders or entrepreneurs in your posts can work wonders. By doing that you can make readers comfortable as they are already familiar with those big names, and are emotionally or intellectually invested in them. Therefore, they can consume your content without much resistance.

You just need to be fresh with your content. More than 100,000 articles are published on Linkedin on a weekly basis. So, avoid rehashing those articles and try to create something unique. This way your content sharing pattern won’t become predictable or obvious.

You must use headlines for all your posts, and needless to mention, they need to be catchy. Don’t jargonize them and keep the language colloquial.

2. “Matched Audiences” is the best tool for Linkedin marketing

LinkedIn’s ads have improved big time in recent times.

You can be highly selective with your audience and send targeted messages with a sponsored InMail. We have talked about InMails later in this write-up.

You can retarget visitors that are already a part of your sales funnel using a tool called “Matched Audiences”. It has added a new dimension to Linkedin and enhanced its image as an advertising platform.

For a better conversion rate, you are required to pursue a big chunk of people that didn’t convert on the first visit, and that’s why this tool is a big plus. We have discussed Retargeting in one of our write-ups. Do give it a read.

Linkedin has a niche audience which comprises mostly of professional. This makes targeting slightly easier and makes this tool even more effective. If you have a pre-existing network, then it’s even better.

3. Search for individuals. Linkedin enjoys a handsome accuracy there

If you haven’t noticed, Linkedin’s searching capabilities is right at the top. They know, if you find that right guy, then you can really push the peddle, make some inroads, and close the sale.

So don’t take that Search bar lightly. You can “turn it around” for yourself by investing your time in it.

It’s highly customizable and you can streamline results to a great extent, with an advanced feature like All Filters.

You can refine the search results on the basis of location, mutual connections, and someone’s current organization. With the kind of accuracy, Linkedin provides, rest assured, you will get to the right person.

Once you find the right person, it’s better to use InMails to introduce yourself, as then you can elaborate more on your intention. Don’t worry, InMail isn’t seen as an intrusion into one’s privacy and is very much accepted across the Linkedin community.

4. Invest in InMails

We have mentioned it a couple of time in this write-up. It gives you enough “Communication Space” to elaborate on your purpose. You can build that much-needed trust if you choose your words wisely.

All those professionals you meet via mutual connections or groups, you can send your message without sending any connection request. Also, if you communicate using InMails, the other side is convinced that you mean business, as it’s a paid feature.

That said, it’s worth every penny. Just think of it. You can add a personal touch to your interaction and make it more powerful and influential.

The response rate of InMail is three times more than the traditional mail. Using analytics, you can fine-tune your messages and make them more relevant.

So don’t hold back and invest in InMail. They can add that much-required subtlety to your persuasion.

5. Avail the free resources

Currently, there are around 500 million users on Linkedin and they want to touch the magical figure of 3 billion.
They are not just wishing for it to happen but are building resources to keep the platform relevant.

Let’s take the example of LinkedIn Marketing blog. Here you will find some of the best pieces curated to enhance your marketing skills. Not only you will know the ins and outs of Linkedin’s existing toolkit, but you can also keep in touch with Linkedin’s updates and new releases.

It’s about understanding the different dimensions of a platform and getting familiar with it as much as you can. The more information you consume, the better will be the outcomes of your lead generation efforts.

Conclusion

You shouldn’t worry much about the shrinking lead pool. You just need to direct your efforts towards a single platform and avoid being all over the place.

In this write-up, we have discussed why that platform should be Linkedin.

The platform is evolving and purpose to professionally connect with one another is getting different dimensions. These are exciting times and you must make Linkedin an integral part of your lead generation strategy.

To learn more about social media marketing, read our write-ups on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube Marketing. 

Do share your views and queries in the comment section.