Using The Updated LinkedIn For Lead Generation

Linkedin For Marketing

It's been awhile since Linkedin unveiled a dramatic revision of the way clients set up their Linkedin page, changing the way companies use the service to engage customers. The New Linkedin page is designed with the goal of making it easier to tell your story and connect, engage with your network and generate leads. What are these changes and how can you use them to their best effect?

Keeping Current With What's Happening on Linkedin

One of the significant changes to the new Linkedin is that recent activity is now featured at the top of the page. A feed shows what recent changes someone makes to their Linkedin page, and articles are sent to the top of your feed based on their relevance to your industry based on your connections and the content you share. An event recommendations feature allows travelers to search for the city they're in and find a list of events in that location.

Improved Networking

The entire purpose of Linkedin is for professionals to network. The new process for connecting is the most important component of the update. Taking a page from Facebook's playbook, Linkedin made it possible for users to follow other users. Unlike Facebook, however, the Linkedin subscription feature was created with an eye to members being able to create industry-focused content. The subscription format is a way to keep in touch with what's happening in your industry, although the real benefit to adding followers is the ability to show value to potential clients. Think of Linkedin as a neighborhood of interconnected houses. No one wants to be seen as the person who brings the bad stuff to the potluck on the cul-de-sac. 

The new page also makes it much easier to publish content as targeted updates, with breakdowns according to company size, industry, and other features. You'll be able to track the number of clicks, shares, and other metrics for your posts, allowing you to evaluate what's working.

The New Look

The meat of Linkedin's redesign is a new company page aesthetic, replacing the old style that seemed a bit antiquated. The new company page sports a cover photo at the top of the page, and the product and services included in a sidebar, rather than hidden in a tabbed link at the top of the page. The "About" section, however, has been relegated to a position of much lower prominence at the bottom of the page. The new Products and Services page has its sidebar that shows recommendations and user testimonials.

Getting the Most From Your New Linkedin Page

The changes to the new Linkedin page aren't super-dramatic, but they will tweak the way you should use the site as a business tool. To begin with, the new page encourages a more visual approach to page design. The cover photo is the first thing visitors will see, so choose one descriptive to your company. For an interior designer that could be a featured shot of a successful project.

The new Linkedin should help you target prospects more effectively as well. You can get insights on your followers, seeing which updates are the most successful, allowing you to create quality content that is most likely to make an impression. The search features show what you and potential prospects have in common, decreasing the awkward likelihood of cold-calling.

To use your profile most effectively, recall Thoreau's admonishment to "Simplify, simply, simplify." Highlight only your strongest skills, and create content that will mainly appeal to those in your network- the news feed feature heavily favors updates that are relevant to a user. By narrowing your approach to your skills and how they add value to your network, you can greatly improve your success on Linkedin.

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About Michael Conway

I'm the owner and strategist at Means-of-Production. My firm builds Squarespace websites, Houzz profiles, and content marketing and advertising solutions for architects, interior designers, design-build contractors and landscape design firms. Our all-in-one marketing tactics attract the right clients with exceptional architectural photography and brand messaging that sets you apart from the competition.