LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professional networking within the B2B sector. Similar to Facebook and other social networks, every LinkedIn user has a “feed” of posts curated by the LinkedIn algorithm. LinkedIn posts can be a powerful lead-generation tool if you approach them the right way. In this article, we’re going to show you how to write standout LinkedIn content that gets seen and helps your business generate leads.
Why is LinkedIn important for B2B marketing?
LinkedIn has over 900 million members across 200 countries, making it the largest professional network in the world. There really isn’t any platform comparable to LinkedIn in this regard, so unlike other social platforms, there is no direct competitor. If you want to specifically target high-level decision-makers in B2B, LinkedIn is the place to do it.
Luckily, the team at LinkedIn have designed their platform with plenty of features that make it an excellent tool for B2B marketers. For example:
- Advanced targeting capabilities for boosted posts or paid ads that allow you to target your ideal client based on their job title, company size, industry, and more.
- A variety of content formats including posts, videos, polls, images, and carousels that you can use to engage with your target audience.
- Highly customisable lead form templates that allow you to capture leads directly from LinkedIn.
According to research, 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation. 62% of those marketers claim it generates more leads than their next-highest social channel. So, it’s safe to say that LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful platform for B2B marketing.
There are plenty of ways to generate leads on LinkedIn including direct messaging, groups, and profile engagement. However, in this article, we’ll be focusing on creating high-quality LinkedIn posts that bring leads to you.
LinkedIn article vs. post – what’s the difference?
When it comes to writing LinkedIn content, there are two main formats you need to be aware of: LinkedIn articles and LinkedIn posts.
A post is a short-form piece of content that appears in a user’s LinkedIn news feed or timeline. You can use posts to promote existing content or create organic conversations with followers. They often contain link previews and short snippets of text. The character limit for LinkedIn posts is currently 3,000 characters.
An article, on the other hand, is a long-form piece of content that’s published directly on LinkedIn. It can be up to 120,000 characters long and typically includes visuals and links to external resources. It’s comparable to a traditional blog post that you might find on a company website.
Both content types have their own purpose and advantages. Posts are great for driving engagement and generating conversations, whereas a LinkedIn blog post can be helpful for more in-depth exploration of specific topics and driving traffic to external resources.
We can further divide LinkedIn posts into the categories below.
LinkedIn video post
A LinkedIn video post is a type of news feed post that features a short video. It can be anywhere between 3 seconds and 10 minutes long. LinkedIn posts that contain videos get 3x more engagement than text-only posts, so it’s worth considering this kind of post format to catch your audience’s attention.
LinkedIn carousel post
LinkedIn introduced the carousel post format to help businesses showcase up to 10 images in a single post. However, this feature didn’t experience much uptake, so as of June 2023, it has been removed. However, you may still see older posts using this post format.
LinkedIn photo post
Just like on Facebook, you can add a photo (or multiple photos) to your post on LinkedIn. This is the most common type of post, which you can use to showcase visual content like infographics and product photos.
LinkedIn text post
The simplest form of LinkedIn posts is text posts. This option allows you to write a short message (up to 3,000 characters) without any additional elements. You can also add relevant hashtags to increase visibility.
What makes a good LinkedIn post?
If we want to define “good” in the world of LinkedIn content, then we need to discuss the algorithm. When you post anything on LinkedIn, the algorithm tests your content’s appeal by showing it to a small fraction of your audience. If this group engages, the post then graduates to a wider audience, and the cycle continues.
The algorithm categorises LinkedIn content into one of the following groups:
- Spam
- Low quality
- High quality
It goes without saying that you want to aim for the third category, to get maximum exposure (and maximum leads). It’s easy to get past the spam filter – use proper grammar, don’t tag more than 5 people, don’t add tons of generic and unrelated hashtags, and don’t post more than once every 3 hours. But getting your LinkedIn content into the “high quality” category is a little more difficult.
According to LinkedIn, the defining feature of a high-quality post is high engagement. During that critical first hour, the algorithm wants to see that people are engaging with your post, either by liking, commenting or resharing. If you can get this engagement right away, then your post will continue to be seen by even more people. Pinning down the exact formula for a high-engaging post is tricky, but not impossible.
How to write LinkedIn posts that generate leads
As discussed, the key to getting attention on LinkedIn is to get approval from the algorithm. If you can do that then you’re well on your way to generating leads. Here are some key tips for writing posts that get your post in the algorithm’s “high quality” basket.
Write valuable content
It might seem obvious, but it still needs to be said. If you want to attract engagement and leads, your LinkedIn content needs to offer something of value. For example:
- Share industry insights and knowledge.
- Give advice on common business problems.
- Offer helpful resources to your followers.
The content also needs to put your brand and what you offer in a good light. The aim is to get people to reach out to you and contact you for more information about your services. Can you discuss any success stories? Can you talk about how your services have helped other customers?
Post when your network is online
Since you want engagement in that critical first hour, it makes sense to post when your network is most likely to see it. This will depend on where you are located. If you live in the UK, posting after 5 p.m. GMT won’t get you the results you’re looking for. But what is the best day to post on LinkedIn? Generally, people are more likely to be using LinkedIn during work days. According to research from the Influencer Marketing hub, these are the best times to post on LinkedIn:
- Wednesday from 8–10 AM
- Thursday at 9 AM and 1–2 PM
- Friday at 9 AM
Use a mix of broad and niche hashtags
Three hashtags are ideal for LinkedIn posts, but what hashtags should you use? The most successful posts use a mix of both broad and niche hashtags. For example, if you’re in the software industry, then include a few general technology-related tags such as #technology or #AI, along with more specific ones like #softwareengineering or #appdevelopment.
Tag people who are likely to respond
Tagging people is a good way to get direct engagement fast. But there’s no point in tagging someone who is unlikely to respond. So, think carefully about who you tag – are they likely to engage with your post or share it?
Avoid outbound links
Outbound links send users off the platform. This isn’t in LinkedIn’s best interest, so it’s best to avoid linking out if you can. Instead, focus on creating LinkedIn content that people want to read and share.
Include photos or other media
LinkedIn posts with images or other media get more engagement. So, if you can, include a relevant photo, video, or infographic to your post. If you don’t have the right media for your post, you can still format it using the bold and italics features (don’t go too wild though). Videos are a bit trickier. Attention spans are short so you need to ensure your video hooks people quickly. It should hold their attention long enough to watch and engage without scrolling on.
Ask a question
It’s a bit of a LinkedIn cliché, but asking a question is still one of the best ways to get engagement. Just try to avoid the over-used “agree??” at the end of every post. Pose a question relevant to the content you’re sharing, or something more general related to your industry. Then make sure to respond to each comment you receive.
Make sure your message is clear and concise
Your LinkedIn posts should be easy to read and understand. Keep them concise and to the point. Use bullet points or numbering to break down your message into smaller chunks, making it easier to read and understand.
Check back and engage with comments
Checking back on your posts regularly is important. This will allow you to respond to comments and maybe even start a conversation. This can create a snowball effect, leading even more engagement on your post.
Use relevant keywords
Just like you would optimize a blog post on a website, you can optimise your LinkedIn posts for key search terms. How do you determine what people are searching for? Easy – simply go to the search bar and type a term relevant to your content. Iit will give you a list of suggested searches. Experiment with different words and see what you can integrate (naturally) into your post. Consider search intent too. You want to show up in front of potential clients. What would they be likely to search for?
Hire a professional copywriter
If you don’t have the time or skill to write posts for your LinkedIn profile, consider hiring a copywriter. A professional copywriter will know how to put together well-written engaging LinkedIn posts. They can also help with optimising your post for search too. This can take the weight off your shoulders and allow you to share regular high-quality content without having to do it all yourself.
Follow up by connecting with leads
Don’t forget to follow up on any leads you get from LinkedIn posts. Send a message, comment or email (depending on the nature of the lead) to let them know that you saw their comment and would like to connect. This is a great way to build relationships and nurture your contacts list, which can be invaluable when it comes time for sales and marketing.
Get more help with your LinkedIn content
If you need help creating, optimising, and scheduling content for your LinkedIn profile, contact our content marketing agency. We can work with you to develop a strategy that will help you reach more people and generate more leads from the platform. Get in touch to get started!
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about LinkedIn posts.
How often should I post LinkedIn content?
It depends on what your goals are. Generally, it is recommended to post at least once per week, so you stay active and visible in the LinkedIn community. You can also look into scheduling LinkedIn posts in advance, so you don’t have to worry about posting content regularly.
How do I measure the success of my LinkedIn posts?
LinkedIn allows you to view analytics for each post, such as impressions, performance, reactions, comments, and reposts. You can also see the demographic breakdown of your audience. You can use these metrics to track the success of your LinkedIn posts and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Can I use LinkedIn Ads for lead generation?
Yes, LinkedIn offers a range of advertising solutions that are specifically designed for lead generation. You can target specific audiences based on their job title, company name, and other criteria so you can ensure your ads are reaching the right people.
Can I promote my posts on LinkedIn?
Yes, LinkedIn has a boost feature that allows you to promote your LinkedIn content and reach a wider audience. This is especially useful if you’re looking to generate leads from the platform, as it will help increase the visibility of your post.