LinkedIn for B2B marketing serves a clear, crucial purpose for any business.

In our ordinary, day-to-day lives, we may flock to social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to pass the time with whatever new content appears on our feeds. Our work lives, though, ask for something a little different. While other platforms absolutely can have their purposes for a B2B business (if done correctly), the people you’re trying to reach in the B2B market are primarily sat on one platform in particular: LinkedIn.

LinkedIn now boasts more than 900 million members — that’s 11.4% of the planet. There are more than 1 billion interactions every month on the platform; 40% of users access it every day; and, surprisingly, it’s used sparingly (one could argue: with more purpose and focus) for an average of 17 minutes per month per person.

Below, we share some of the biggest returns you’ll see for time spent on your business’ LinkedIn for B2B marketing. Then, we go on to how you do it.

Why you should use LinkedIn for B2B marketing

B2B marketing on LinkedIn in particular presents a brief, idyllic window to meet the right people, in the right place, at the right time — with consistency. Here are some of the things you’ll get back for your efforts.

Boost broad brand recognition

On LinkedIn, your B2B brand and identity attract potential clients in a business-oriented, therefore primed, environment. LinkedIn is 277% more effective at generating leads than Facebook and Twitter — that increases even further for B2B marketers, 40% of whom see the platform as their most effective channel for driving high quality leads, reporting that 80% of their social media leads come through the channel.

Reach (and speak with) your target audience

While some organic strategies like SEO optimisation can be a little complex, not always yielding the desired results, 77% of marketers say LinkedIn does provide quality organic results — the right people see what you put out there (within reason) by default (within reason). 65 million of LinkedIn users, four out of five, drive business decisions, too, so you have interest, the ability to act, and the chance to connect.

Attract talent

LinkedIn is one of the most popular job-seeker platforms out there. Every second, 101 people submit an application thanks to a streamlined process — that’s more than eight million job applications a day. Every minute, eight people are hired.

Ads that actually work

75% of B2B marketers advertise using LinkedIn Ads because it’s the perfect place to reach business decision-makers — 80% say those ads provide better results than anywhere else, and more than 33% of of buyers who see a business ad on LinkedIn go on to research the company with the purpose of possible purchase.

How to set up LinkedIn for your B2B marketing

Now we've covered the why, here are a few pointers to get your LinkedIn business profile prepped for some effective B2B marketing.

Optimise your profile

Make sure all content throughout your profile provides a clear, concise explanation of who you are, what you offer, and who you’re hoping to reach. To support your SEO efforts, find the most appropriate keywords for your business and industry (using online tools like SE Ranking or Semrush), then sprinkle them throughout your profile. Website links, social media profiles, and professional photos for your profile and cover are important final touches.

Publish consistent updates

Maintaining your audience's interest requires frequent updates. Share business updates, insights, and news from the industry where you have something to contribute to the conversation — this is where your thought leadership can really be given space to shine. Companies that post on LinkedIn at least once per week see twice the engagement rate — even more so when various media types are used: video, articles, and photography in particular. (For all of your B2B video marketing needs, visit our sister agency: Transform Digital.)

Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups is a dedicated space for professionals to share expertise, seek advice, and build meaningful relationships. They've been around for a little while — trends right now show social media moving toward far more intentional, self-selected communities, so they’ll become more important over time. They’re a targeted opportunity to build your brand and grow a professional community. According to a study by LinkedIn, members who join groups on the platform see up to a 5 x increase in profile views compared to those who join none at all.

Try LinkedIn Ads

Think about running an ad on LinkedIn if you want to grow your online presence there. Among the advertising choices available on LinkedIn are display ads, sponsored InMail, and sponsored content. According to a study by LinkedIn, businesses that advertise on the platform can see up to a 38% increase in brand awareness and up to a 21% increase in website conversions. You may reach a specific audience and generate leads for your company through LinkedIn advertising.

Need a hand?

We work with lots of happy clients on their LinkedIn for B2B marketing strategies strategies on a daily basis. Our team’s approach is to be much more than just a marketing function — we’re your creative collaborators, critical friends, sounding board, and external experts. Find out more about who we are, and get in touch if you’d like some support with your approach to LinkedIn B2B marketing and broader strategy.

~ ~ ~

Statistics for this post were sourced from Kinsta (2023), Social Shepherd (2023), Hubspot (2020), and LinkedIn (2017).

The first draft for this blog post was written by Henry Foster, who joined us for three weeks on placement from Cardiff Metropolitan University. At Transform Comms, we actively look for social outreach opportunities wherever possible, to support and work with people who are interested in gaining work experience in marketing, communications, the services of our sister companies Transform Digital and Transform ESG, and anything related.