9 Simple Tips to Grow Your LinkedIn Followers as a Small Business Owner
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Bonus Tip 💡: Use a Social Media Management Apps to Save Time
LinkedIn has become an essential platform for small businesses looking to build networks, gain trust, and attract new clients.
LinkedIn is the leading platform for B2B content distribution
In fact, according to LinkedIn, it’s the leading platform for B2B content distribution, with over 96% of B2B marketers using it to share business-related content. Whether you’re offering specialized services or innovative products, LinkedIn provides the tools to reach a highly professional audience.
To maximize the benefits of this platform, here are easy-to-apply tips specifically tailored to help small business owners grow their LinkedIn following.
1. Optimize Your Company Profile
Profile of Hookle on LinkedIn
Your LinkedIn company profile is your digital storefront. Make sure it’s complete and engaging with these small adjustments.
Professional Profile Picture and Banner: Use high-quality, professional images for both. A clean, well-designed banner reflecting your brand’s colors can set you apart immediately.
Relevant Keywords: Include industry keywords in your business description, specialties, and tagline to help people find you in LinkedIn searches.
Contact Information: Ensure all your contact details are accurate and visible, making it easy for potential clients or followers to reach out.
2. Share Valuable, Engaging Content
Video by OrangeBrush on LinkedIn
The best way to gain followers on LinkedIn is by consistently posting high-value content that addresses your audience’s needs and challenges. This is what OrangeBrush has achieved, as shown in the video post above.
Here’s some key tips on how to do it:
Educational Posts: Share tips, how-to guides, or quick industry insights relevant to your audience.
Use Visuals: Posts with images or videos typically perform better on LinkedIn. Short videos that introduce your services or explain a unique business approach can be particularly effective.
3. Encourage Employees to Engage
Above is a great example from Heritage Federal Credit Union, which shared a Halloween post featuring employees - making it easy for them to reshare on their own social media channels. Encouraging employees to follow, like, and share your content is one of the simplest ways to expand your LinkedIn reach.
Here’s why it works:
Employee Advocacy: When employees interact with your posts, LinkedIn’s algorithm amplifies your content to reach their network as well.
Brand Ambassadors: Employees sharing your content adds credibility and authenticity, showing a more human side to your brand.
4. Post Consistently
Photo by Hookle
Consistency is key to staying visible on LinkedIn. Aim for at least 2-3 posts per week to keep your business top-of-mind.
Some key ideas to consider:
Plan a Posting Schedule: Try using a social media scheduler to plan your posts in advance. This helps ensure you maintain a steady stream of content without overwhelming yourself.
Experiment with Times: Posts often perform best during weekday mornings and around lunch, but you can test different times to see when your audience is most engaged.
Pro Tip: Use AI-powered scheduling tools to determine the optimal time to publish your posts..
5. Use LinkedIn’s ‘Invite to Follow’ Feature
LinkedIn "Invite to follow"
LinkedIn allows page admins to invite their connections to follow the company page. Use this feature sparingly, as LinkedIn limits the number of invites you can send per month.
A few tips:
Targeted Invites: Be selective and prioritize connections who are likely to benefit from your content or have shown interest in your industry.
Personalized Invitations: Add a short note when inviting people to increase the chance they’ll follow.
6. Engage with Your Followers
Post by Florence Breeze on LInkedIn
Directly interacting with your followers helps build loyalty and encourages engagement on your posts. Florence demonstrates this well by responding to a question, as shown in her post above.
Key tips:
Respond to Comments: When someone comments on your posts, reply to them! This shows you value their input and are interested in building a genuine connection.
Like and Share: Engage with followers’ content as well. A quick like or share on their posts can show that your business is active and interested in community building.
7. Join and Participate in LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups allow you to connect with like-minded professionals and potential followers in your industry.
Some key tips:
Be Active in Groups: Share advice, join conversations, and answer questions. Focus on being helpful rather than overly promotional.
Share Group Insights: When appropriate, share insights from LinkedIn Groups on your business page to create engaging, community-centered content.
8. Leverage Hashtags Wisely
Post by Florence Breeze on LInkedIn
The post above by Florence, which we showcased earlier, now highlights how she wisely uses hashtags. Adding relevant hashtags to your posts can help your content reach a broader audience.
Key tips:
Use 3-5 Hashtags: Select hashtags relevant to your industry, such as #SmallBusinessTips, #LinkedInMarketing, or #Entrepreneurship.
Follow Industry Hashtags: Follow trending hashtags in your industry to stay updated and find inspiration for new content ideas.
9. Collaborate with Other Small Businesses
Photo by relif via Canva
Networking with other businesses or influencers can boost your following. Look for local partnerships or online collaborations.
Some ideas to consider:
Co-Host a Webinar or Workshop: Partnering on a small event can attract mutual followers and strengthen your credibility.
Cross-Promote on LinkedIn: Tagging each other in LinkedIn posts or sharing collaborative content can drive new followers to your page.
Use a Social Media Management Apps to Save Time
Building a following on LinkedIn requires consistency and strategic posting, which can be time-consuming, especially for small businesses with limited resources. This is where management tools like AI-powered Hookle come in handy.
Hookle allows you to schedule posts, generate endless content ideas with AI assistance, track performance, and manage multiple accounts from a single platform, saving you time and effort while maintaining consistent posting.
Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence? Download Hookle for free now and start implementing your consistent social media strategy today!
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