Facebook for professionals, LinkedIn is one of the largest growing social media platforms. With more than 467 million registered users, the company boasts that two users sign up every second. As a result, more and more brands are leveraging LinkedIn to not only network but also forge long-standing and lucrative business opportunities. However, brand marketers are gaining their footing—and figuring out how to use LinkedIn Sponsored Content.
Bring on the Business
People go to LinkedIn to connect with associates, look for work and keep their resumes up-to-date. Thus, brands should give consumers what they want. One company that has done an exceptional job is Coca-Cola. While a marketer’s first mind online is to sell, sell, sell, Jay Moye, co-managing editor for Coca-Cola Journey, the product’s digital magazine catered toward Millennials, points out that nuance is needed when it comes to LinkedIn Sponsored Content.
“You’ll see more consumer-focused content go up on our Facebook page, whereas you’ll see more business innovation, jobs, workplace stuff go up on LinkedIn,” Moye says. “That’s kind of a no-brainer. It’s obviously an older, more professional audience on LinkedIn.”
So what does this mean? It means that marketers should be especially mindful of what they post on the platform. It’s very likely the content that performs well on websites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram may underperform—or be downright inappropriate—on LinkedIn. As Moye touched on, it’s important to know LinkedIn’s user base. Here are some stats of interest:
- 70 percent of LinkedIn users are located outside of the US.
- 40 percent of users log in to LinkedIn daily.
- 13 percent of 15- to 34-year-olds use LinkedIn.
- 56 percent of the user base is men.
- The average user spends 17 minutes per month on LinkedIn.
How LinkedIn Sponsored Content Works
It’s good to know who you’re marketing to, but amplifying a brand’s voice can be a daunting task, especially on social media. That’s where the LinkedIn Sponsored Content program comes in. According to LinkedIn, use of native ads brings your content marketing game to the next level, “captures the attention of highly engaged people—and drives qualified traffic right to you.” However, fine-tuned native ads are only one facet of their sponsorship program; LinkedIn also offers paid updates and direct content, which allows businesses to target promising segments and demographics.
Dedicating funds to attract followers and boost engagement can feel like tricky business, but there’s a slew of benefits that come with it. One success story is NewsCred, who churned out 20 sponsored updates in a two-month period and noted the quality of leads, conversion and, most importantly, return on investment (ROI). Here are some findings of interest:
- 60 to 65 percent of users were deemed medium-high or high quality (compared to 20 to 30 percent yielded from Google AdWords).
- For every one dollar spent on sponsored updates, they earned $17.60 in revenue.
- Leads followed through LinkedIn Sponsored Content where 50 percent more valuable than those identified through AdWords. (LinkedIn users were three times more likely to convert to a closed, wondeal).
- Cost per name (CPN) on LinkedIn Sponsored Content were 20 and 75 percent less than native advertising and AdWords, respectively.
Highlighting relevant, attractive content is undoubtedly important. Implementing LinkedIn Sponsored Content is a smart move. But pinning important posts to your timeline will attract eyes of the avid jobseeker. It’s also important to note that not all content is equal. Providing content that is specific to LinkedIn’s base is a sure-fire way to gain—and keep—a following.