This is the last part of our blog series: How to Use Linkedin to Grow your Business. Part I went over how to optimize your profile and Part II talked about how to grow your networks. Now that you have a Linkedin profile and people (connections as Linkedin calls them) now what? The answer is simple: post valuable content that drives action (but don’t be salesy!).
We all know it – or should know it by now – content is king! Bringing real value to your target audience and customer base is a must if you want your website or blog to succeed. I learned from a recent training with Brendon Burchard that you want to deliver content that is so valuable you can say, “Geesh, I could sell this or people would pay to know this information.” That’s how you know you have value.
This post will discuss two parts:
1) Creating valuable content.
2) Creating content that drives action.
If you make sure to do both 1 and 2, then you will get more website traffic and more followers/fans/subscribers, which means more business for you.
#1 Here are some tips to creating valuable content:
- Provide powerful and insightful information with a clear focus.
- Create content for each target audience.
- Use examples, stories, case studies and statistics.
- Create titles that grab one’s attention!
o Ask a question
o Spark their curiosity (don’t put full description in title – make them want to read more)
o Present title as a problem based question – not solution based
- Segment target audiences and create web pages that speak to them, press releases targeted towards them, etc.
- Develop a site personality – This is HUGE! Create a distinct, consistent and memorable site. Consider tone of voice in content.
- Insert photos, graphs, charts, polls, videos, audio – need more than just text! Content is everything you see – catch people’s attention.
- Make the content interactive – wikis, calculators, quizzes, “Ask the Expert,” trivia, “Your Expertise Q&A,” How To Checklist, etc.
- Give opportunity to post comments/feedback – this will give ideas for content the prospect wants to read.
- Showcase a client’s story.
- Remain focused on buyers and their problems.
- Always be answering the “So what?” – why should people pay attention?
- Post interesting articles that your target audience would enjoy.
- Set Google Alerts for keywords within your industry to learn what is being talked about, what is in the news, etc. Then build off this for your content.
- Follow blogs that your target audience would follow. Repost interesting blogs or build off from what people are commenting on. Find the current buzz!
- Check in with your target audience – ask them for feedback, post a poll, etc.
- Giveaways, contests, or any other appealing content will draw in more followers, fans, etc.
- Make content benefit based – what’s in it for them (your target market)?
- Stay away from product driven messages.
- Always think of the wow factor – what makes your company unique – not just better.
- Always have a call to action; what step do you want your readers to take next?
#2 Creating Content That Drives Action
Now that you have content that brings value to your target audience and customer base, make sure it drives action as David Meerman Scott would say. So what does this mean? Everything you write, a Linkedin post, Facebook post, a Tweet, a newsletter, an article, a blog, and even content for a web page should all have a call to action. For example, if you write a blog post on Top 10 tips for PR, at the end you could have a call to action that drives action like this:
Do you have another PR tip? Please comment below or keep the conversation going on Facebook! Post your tip on our wall with your name and website URL.
This call to action does a few things:
1. It drives traffic to your Facebook page.
2. It encourages interaction on your Facebook page; the more activity on your Facebook page with fans the better.
3. Gives others a chance to showcase their expertise and link back to their website; and you could even learn something new!
Check out this blog from Entreprenette to learn unique call to actions that work for other entrepreneurs:
This concludes our series: How to Use Linkedin to Market Your Business. Part I taught you how to optimize your profile, Part II discussed how to grow your networks, and Part III showed you how to post valuable content that drives action.
Do you have another tip or a comment? We want to hear from you! Please comment below and make sure to link back to your website. Also follow Social Media 22 on Twitter and we will follow you!
Godspeed.