When it comes to B2B social media marketing, LinkedIn takes the cake. Most business professionals use LinkedIn on a daily basis to find leads, make important connections, and spread the word about their products and services. If you utilize LinkedIn effectively to promote your company, you’ll be able to bring in more business and develop a stronger B2B social media presence.

Creating a good first impression in the business world is important and it can be achieved through your company’s LinkedIn account. The social media site boasts the world’s largest business network with 225 million members in over 200 countries and territories. Once you create a LinkedIn account as a business professional, you’ll have access to these members and you’ll have the opportunity to create connections that your company could benefit from. However, if you wish to make the most out of your LinkedIn account, it helps to understand these 3 effective ways to properly utilize the site.

1.)    Create a community of like-minded individuals. 

On LinkedIn, you can connect with many other businesses and influential individuals. However, you’ll want to gain followers who will be most interested in your products and services, or businesses you can mutually market with.

Making connections and increasing your number of followers just for the sake of adding new people won’t help you out much on LinkedIn, so try to make connections that make sense. Although you can choose from the “People You May Already Know” option, which is great for finding connections you might already have, you’ll need to do some research of your own as well if you want to expand your network and gain the right followers.

You’ll be able to develop your own community once your connections begin to grow. Make sure you update your page consistently with relevant company and marketing news and keep your connections in the loop. Find ways to mutually help out other companies. For example, if you provide services that tend to go hand-in-hand, it would be good to promote each other when the opportunity comes up. LinkedIn will help you get creative with your social media marketing campaigns.

2.)    Use LinkedIn for cross-platform promotion.

LinkedIn is a great way to easily share your blog posts, offers and promotions, and other articles that will be helpful to promote your business. Connecting your other social media accounts to your LinkedIn page will allow your customers to find you easier, and could help you build a strong content strategy across several social media platforms.

Cross-promotion through LinkedIn is great because your business contacts will be able to see how active your company is and will give customers the ability to engage with your business through several platforms. Getting other business professionals to share your content could lead to new connections and a wider network. Use LinkedIn to your advantage and make your social media marketing strategy stronger.

3.)    Get your employees involved.

Your company’s LinkedIn profile will only get stronger if you get all your employees involved. Ask them to make a professional account and connect to the company site. It shows your LinkedIn connections that your business is legitimate and professional, and increases the exposure of your products and services.

As long as your employees keep their profiles professional and use them to help promote your company, you’ll make more connections and bring in more business. Creating your own groups and networks will legitimize your business and help you build your reputation as an industry leader.

LinkedIn a great tool for building and growing your professional world, as long as you utilize the tips listed above. Take the time to create an intriguing profile and use it to make new and important connections. Your social media marketing strategy will greatly improve.

What is your company doing to utilize LinkedIn? What has worked for you in the past? Share it with us!