For online professional networking, LinkedIn really cannot be beaten. And when it comes to social media marketing for tech companies and SaaS providers, the business-focused social media platform allows them to build their professional connections, showcase their expertise, gain credibility, and demonstrate their thought leadership amongst their networks.
While Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube tend to get more engagement from the general population, when it comes to social media marketing for tech companies, LinkedIn should not be overlooked or underutilized. Here’s 5 reasons why:
#1 Gather Insight on Enterprise Users:
Enterprise uses are gold. But finding them and appealing to them isn’t always that easy. More often than not, there is more than one decision maker calling the shots on what new software or technology to introduce to their teams, the buying cycle may be prolonged, and you aren’t always privy to the deciding factors and who has the most veto power. But you can use LinkedIn to glean insight on who’s who in the organization you’re pitching your product to.
- What can you tell about the key decision makers?
- What kinds of work do they do?
- What can you tell about the content they share?
- Who are the influencers they follow?
- What, if any, LinkedIn Groups do they belong to?
Successful social media marketing for tech companies requires ample client research. LinkedIn has made it easier than ever for B2B businesses and tech companies to gain insight on their current and potential clients from a B2B perspective (without creeping their personal lives on Facebook or Instagram).
#2 Connect with Clients and Alliances and Cozy Up to Leads:
LinkedIn provides the perfect platform through which you can network. Whether you are looking to connect with existing clients, learn more about prospective clients, or simply looking for a new way to contact clients, potential industry partners and alliances, LinkedIn offers an appropriate channel for doing just that.
Use LinkedIn as a networking tool and learn more about your clients across the sales pipeline. You can check in with existing clients in a more personal manner by engaging with their content and finding things to discuss with them in your next meeting or call, based on the content they share and engage with. If you and your prospective client or alliance share a mutual connection, even better. All of these things help break the ice and lead to conversations.
LinkedIn allows interaction without being too invasive or cliché. Liking posts, sharing interesting news, and other forms of activity allow you to demonstrate your knowledge–of both your industry and theirs–without coming off as pushy or spammy (so long as you avoid sending pre-formatted, automated LinkedIn messages and responses).
#3 Learn More About Your Industry:
The software and technology fields are continually evolving industries, especially with new digital marketing coming in the mix. LinkedIn allows a forum where you can connect with other tech companies, learn more about what is happening within the industry and grow your business. Joining professional groups, as well as local business groups will enable you to better learn about what competitors are offering and how you can differentiate yourself.
Software and tech are all about providing value for clients, long-term and short-term. LinkedIn will help you understand what other tech companies are doing to establish themselves in the market and the different tools that others are availing to gain market share. Plus, it is a great way to gain more information on emerging trends in the industry as you work towards crafting your long-term business strategy.
#4 Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader:
Using LinkedIn consistently and frequently allows you to have your finger on the pulse when it comes to software and tech. When it comes to social media marketing for tech companies, it is a great tactic to establish yourself as a thought leader in a competitive digital landscape and add invaluable SEO content for your brand. There are many ways to accomplish this, and you can employ a multitude of strategies to ensure this momentum keeps going. Sharing updates, interesting articles, participating in groups and publishing your own content are just some of the ways you can do this.
A key part of social media marketing for tech companies is providing value to your followers, and LinkedIn is no different in that respect. Your connections will value quality content; not the quantity of the content you publish. Though it seems tempting to post a lot, and keep yourself in others’ feeds, that is not quite the right strategy.
The effective LinkedIn strategy will require that you provide helpful content while also engaging meaningfully with other connections and groups. Use the platform to showcase that you are thoughtful in your approach with clients. You must also show that you understand what products your clients need and position yourself as a well-qualified company that can drive real value for your clients.
#5 Brand Exposure with a B2B Audience When Business is Top of Mind:
While LinkedIn may not have as large an audience as Facebook, it boasts something very valuable that Facebook doesn’t: when LinkedIn users are active on the platform, they are far more likely to be in a business mindset than when they are engaging on Facebook or Instagram. Part of effective social media marketing for tech companies is all about context and timing: reaching people with the information they want–when finding a solution to whatever challenge they’re having that your product solves–is top of mind.
There’s tremendous opportunity for software and technology companies to gain brand exposure and promote their products beyond just maintaining their LinkedIn Company Pages. Like Facebook, LinkedIn offers various advertising formats and audience targeting that every software and tech company should, at the very least, experiment with, and without requiring a massive budget to do so.
Social Media Presence is Incredibly Important for Software and Tech:
Especially as digital marketing becomes more prevalent within the industry as a whole. Becoming a consistent user on LinkedIn requires patience and dedication but can yield a long-term return on investment if done correctly. To learn more about how social media such as LinkedIn can help you build your brand, contact us today for a no-obligation discussion.