LinkedIn is a social media website, but it is pretty different from Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. It is a professional network with almost 800 million users worldwide, spanning 200 countries and territories. LinkedIn’s vision is to create economic opportunity for every single member of the global workforce, and its mission is to connect the world’s professionals.
Co-founder Reid Hoffman started LinkedIn from his living room in 2002, then launched in 2003. In December of 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn and brought a professional cloud and network. A few years ago, it seemed like the popularity of LinkedIn was beginning to fade, but this turns out not to be the case at all. In fact, LinkedIn is expecting its user rate to exceed expectations and grow quickly.
This is significant because it means LinkedIn continues to be a vibrant social media platform targeted to professionals looking for work and employers. Due to current phenomena like “The Great Resignation,” LinkedIn should become an essential part of your marketing strategy.
Is LinkedIn Dying As A Social Network?
Many people graduate from college being told that they need a LinkedIn account. They are told that employers will use it as part of their social media footprint and that it humanizes the person behind the resume. In fact, 87% of employers use the platform as they search for candidates.
This search may be to verify identity, but is also to search for potential candidates. LinkedIn isn’t like other social media websites. You probably won’t find pictures of lavish dinners or photos from a wedding here.
Instead, you’ll see job boards, information on potential employers, and other people looking to make connections in your industry. In this way, LinkedIn feels like more of a business directory or even an employer search engine. So, though it is not like other networks, it is still a vibrant online tool that shares a wealth of information.
Is LinkedIn Still A Good Marketing Platform?
Over the last few years, LinkedIn ads have become prevalent with greater and greater adoption. With all of the data collected on users in the platform, ads can be very targeted to the individual. To understand whether you will see a benefit to ads from LinkedIn, first, look to your target audience.
Primarily, users utilize LinkedIn for career advancement and professional and personal development. If your product or service fits into one of those categories, ads may be the perfect fit for your company.
After all, the folks who use LinkedIn often can access decision-makers in their field or may, in fact, be decision-makers themselves. On the other hand, LinkedIn may not be the best platform to spend your advertising budget if you are trying to sell tennis shoes, for example.
Which Industries are Present On LinkedIn?
Targeting your advertisements to users on the platform in the right industry will help you see a return on your advertising investment. Obviously, it is best to understand if your targeted industry is utilizing LinkedIn for this to be effective.
The most common industries utilizing the platform are information technology and services, hospital and healthcare, construction, education management, retail, financial service, accounting, computer software, auto, and higher education. If your ideal industry is within those categories, you’ll likely find a benefit to using LinkedIn.
Reasons To Continue Marketing On LinkedIn
LinkedIn has the potential to help you meet and engage with new clients. Here are five reasons you should consider adding it to your marketing strategy.
The Great Resignation Has Sparked A Lot Of Job Changing
You may have heard of “The Great Resignation,” or the growing trend of people resigning from their jobs to find something that makes them happier. Even though people are resigning, it doesn’t mean they are not going back to work. Rather, they are looking for a change and a reboot. People are also actively searching for new jobs, so many people are heavily using LinkedIn and engaging with the companies posting to the platform.
When Jobseekers Are Active, Employers Are Active
If job seekers are active, it means that recruiters are also active. With more people using the platform, you have a greater opportunity for more folks to see your advertisements. More eyes means more opportunity for advertisement engagement.
LinkedIn Marketing Value Gives More Bang For The Buck Than TV or Radio
As more and more people continue to use social media, marketing to social media users continues to become a profitable practice. In fact, this year, social media ad marketing will likely take over television marketing to the tune of $177 billion dollars. So, not only is this marketing less expensive, it is becoming more popular and common. LinkedIn is part of the social media landscape, and with its opportunity to reach a target audience, this would be money very well spent.
LinkedIn Advertising Offers A Much Easier Interface Than TV or Radio
One of the absolute best parts of a social media advertising campaign is the ease of creating and managing it. Like other social media websites, LinkedIn also have a very simple process. You will create a LinkedIn Page, determine an objective, meet the ad formats, create a campaign manager account, and get rocking. It is really that simple. This process is much more user-friendly than television and radio advertisements.
LinkedIn Measurement Is Robust And Campaigns Can Be Adjusted Easily
LinkedIn has an impressive platform for analyzing and monitoring your campaign’s performance. You’ll be able to see what the interaction process looks like with your ads and adapt or manage it with ease. Through their own Campaign Manager platform, you’ll also be able to see the amount of engagement through clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), average engagement, conversations, leads, and the general turnaround on your advertising investment. These metrics can help you make decisions on future ads and understand if the LinkedIn platform is a beneficial advertising resource for you and your business.
LinkedIn has the potential to become a powerful advertising tool for your business. How will you use it this year? We’d love to know! Connect with us in the comments below!
— Sean