Today’s small business landscape requires a savvy owner who understands that both digital and interpersonal connections drive growth. A unique social media strategy, including Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and Substack, can set you ahead. Still, many small business owners have yet to use LinkedIn to its full potential.
Here’s how to leverage LinkedIn and expand your reach as a small business owner.
Optimize your LinkedIn Page
Like word of mouth for brick-and-mortar businesses, being an active member of LinkedIn is key to getting discovered and reaching more potential clients.
“[B2B] decision-makers … vet leaders through their digital footprint,” explained Ilana Golan, CEO and founder of the Leap Academy. “The first step is to … [get] clarity on how you want to be portrayed. Ask yourself, ‘What doors are you trying to open, and what value can you bring?’”
Here are some best practices to help you align your LinkedIn page with the message and image you want to convey:
- Connect with the people you know. Those in your business community are likely on LinkedIn; ensure your online connections reflect your business relationships.
- Participate in groups. Posting comments in discussion groups gives you visibility and a chance to make new connections, which widen your circle.
- Use hashtags specific to your brand. Think about the hashtags you use on other social platforms and use them on LinkedIn too. Doing this helps build brand recognition.
- Invest in targeted ads. If your marketing budget allows, pay for targeted ads to reach those with similar interests you may not have the chance to connect with.
These optimization steps can establish your business as an industry leader that consumers and colleagues trust.
Create valuable content
With careful thought, you can turn LinkedIn from an echo chamber into a bullhorn that drives change and shapes the trajectory of your business.
“Start by speaking to real problems your audience is facing. Not trends. Not recycled advice,” explained Steph Michelle, Founder and CEO of Lumena Global Advisory. “Strong content answers questions your audience has not yet articulated. It should make people think, save it, or share it.”
Here’s how to create posts that truly resonate with your audience.
- Use visual assets to your advantage. An eye-catching carousel of graphics or an impactful short-form video can leave a lasting impression. Like other social platforms, LinkedIn’s algorithm tends to favor posts with visual elements, because that’s what users engage with most.
- Write captions at an ideal length. The ideal post includes a captivating hook, a succinct story, and a call to action. LinkedIn’s character limit is 2,000 (300 to 400 words), but you don’t need to max it out to capture and keep your audience's attention. In-depth feed posts tend to perform well at around 800 to 1,000 characters (150 to 200 words), while short, punchy captions of 100 characters or fewer can be more effective for posts featuring a graphic, carousel, or video.
- Offer value to your audience. Whether you're inspiring your audience with tips for success or teaching them how to solve a pressing business problem, your posts must provide real value to their lives.
[Read more: YouTube, Vimeo, and Whatnot Execs on How Video Is Critical to Brand Growth in the Age of AI]
People do business with people they feel like they already know. LinkedIn makes that possible at scale.Colleen Joyce, CEO of Lawyer.com
Use LinkedIn Live to reach professionals in real time
Hosting a livestream event via LinkedIn Live allows you to reach those in your industry and potential hires in the most authentic way possible, outside of meeting in person. To access this feature, your page must be at least 30 days old, have at least 150 followers, and abide by LinkedIn’s community standards.
One thing that’s unique about LinkedIn is that it doesn’t have its own built-in, real-time software like other sites. You can choose your own streaming software, like Socialive, which LinkedIn partners with. Other sources include:
- SteamYard
- Restream
- Switcher Studio
- Wirecast
- OBS Studio
Each streaming source includes a mix of paid and free services to help you curate a streaming experience that suits your business. The key to livestreaming, however, is to put your community first and ensure they can find value in your stream. This can be industry knowledge, information about job opportunities, or webinars, to name a few ideas.
Establish yourself as an expert in your field
To grow your business, you must be seen as someone with the knowledge others in your field aspire to have. By establishing yourself as an expert, your entire social media marketing strategy becomes a way to showcase that expertise through thoughtful, accurate interactions with the community.
“When decision-makers consistently see your perspective, your insights, and your wins in their feed, you stop feeling like a vendor [and] start feeling like a trusted voice,” said Colleen Joyce, the CEO of Lawyer.com. “People do business with people they feel like they already know. LinkedIn makes that possible at scale.”
LinkedIn allows you to market your business like an influencer. Trust is strengthened by hashtags that flow with the latest industry trends to keep your page relevant. A polished profile picture and background photo and turning on Creator Mode can further strengthen this goal.
[Read more: How to Build a Reputation‑First Business]
Consistently engage with your audience
When you meaningfully connect with followers, they’re more likely to routinely visit your page. Respond to comments, give endorsements of products or services that have helped you grow, and balance the promotion of your own page. This practice helps you create a cycle of giving that avoids the “sell, sell, sell” trap that kills business connections.
Remember: LinkedIn itself is a business that wants people to spend time on its platform. When you boost your engagement rate, it signals to the algorithm that your page can draw people in and keep them engaged. This encourages the platform to promote your page, helping you discover business opportunities and achieve better outcomes.
Track metrics in LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s metrics and analytics help you understand which of your posts are performing well with your audience and who is engaging the most with your content. By knowing which numbers are the most important to track, you’ll quickly set yourself up for faster growth.
Followers
The follower metric is one of your most important insights to track if you’re cultivating a community that will grow your business.
- Total followers: Your total follower count gives you a quick snapshot of your community's stability. Are you retaining followers, or did something recently shift in your favor or against you?
- Growth over time: Is your reach consistently growing? It’s important that these metrics increase over time.
- Follower demographics: Are you reaching people in the right industry? This metric shows the percentages of job titles, seniority levels, and locations among your followers.
Search appearances
Tracking your search appearances shows how often your profile appears in search results. You can learn:
- Your page’s discoverability. Is your page well-positioned as an industry leader? A higher search appearance indicates that it is.
- The job titles of the people who saw your page. Are you attracting decision makers? Job titles can help you determine whether the people finding you align with your ideal circle.
- Where your viewers work. Are you gaining the right attention? This insight can help you spot industry patterns and who your content reaches.
Visitors
Tracking your visitors lets you see how many people are curious enough to visit your page. This metric can help you learn how many unique visitors your profile receives and how it changes over time. It also provides insight into your visitor demographics, including their industry and geographic region.
Call-to-action performance
Call-to-action (CTA) performance is measured through your click-through rate. Are your posts spurring readers to action? By tracking this, you’ll see:
- If your CTAs are compelling. Did readers see it and follow through?
- Which posts convert attention to action. You can see your website visits, newsletter signups, and more.
- Next-step readiness. High impressions and low clicks indicate your audience has awareness but not intent.
- Alignment. You’ll be able to determine if “learn more” or “book a call” resonates more.
[Read more: 5 Business Metrics You Should Analyze Every Year]
Turn your insights into action
The social media analytics on your LinkedIn page are a powerful tool for crafting a path to success. By learning what’s working and what isn’t, you give yourself the tools you need to invest in powerful paid ad campaigns, as well as optimize your LinkedIn page.
A paid ad campaign on LinkedIn is unlike those on other sites, as it can lead to actual connections. Instead of selling to customers, you’re networking to grow, teach, and learn. Maintaining an open dialogue with others in your field is the best way to avoid being left behind. Businesses that continue to network are more likely to stay up to date with the latest trends, allowing them to preempt and lead the market by using tools to predict the next wave.
Whether you post paid ads, organic content, or a mix of both, remember that your LinkedIn strategy should build trust and rapport with your audience by delivering meaningful insights.
“[LinkedIn is] about becoming the familiar, trusted expert in your space over time,” Joyce told CO—. “When trust grows, opportunities follow. Always.”
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.
