How To Market Your Startup on Linkedin

By John Rampton

 

Did you know that LinkedIn LNKD -0.03% has over 332 million members from all over the world? That stat alone should be enough for you to use the world’s largest professional network to market your startup. But, LinkedIn also provides a number of top-notch features that can be used to share information, network and promote your business. Here’s how you can use those resources to market your startup on LinkedIn.

 

Set Up a Company Page

 

Even if you have a LinkedIn member account that’s been helping you make some great connections, it’s definitely worth your time to set up a Company Page for your startup. After all, you want to people to discover your startup, and you can’t exactly do that with just a members page. A Company Page on LinkedIn allows you to provide other members an overview of your startup and keep them up-to-date with news like product updates and job openings.

 

A LinkedIn Company Page also has some other major perks. For example, there is an analytics features which you can use to learn more about your audience or the latest industry trends. LinkedIn will also help share your page with the relevant audience and there’s also Sponsored Updates that can be used to spread the word about your startup.

 

Create a Showcase Page While You’re At It

 

A Showcase Page is an extension of your Company Page. These pages have been designed,”for spotlighting a brand, business unit, or initiative. Create a page for different aspects of your business with their own messages and audience segments to share with.” Furthermore, you can share specific content with a targeted audience to build better relationships.

 

Companies that have used Showcase Pages include Microsoft MSFT +0.65%, Cisco, Adobe and HP.

 

Start a Group

 

If you’re already a member of LinkedIn, then you know how important groups are. The same is true for your startup. That’s why you should join relevant groups that can help give your a startup a little boost. However, you may also want to join media, manufacturing and investor groups to also start making valuable connections – which you can find through the Groups Directory.

 

However, you may want to take this a step further and create your own group. Besides continuing to establish connections with colleagues, customers and peers, this also establishes you as an industry leader. Social Media Examiner talked to six-industry leaders who provided the following tips:

• Create your own email invite, not the default LinkedIn message.
• Set-up an autoresponder email for new members.
• Email members frequently.
• Create discussions.
• Focus on a niche audience.
• Chose the right name for your group.

 

Become an Influencer

 

Again, LinkedIn is all about making connections. And what better way to make connections than by offering advice and answering questions? Because LinkedIn is a professional network there are a lot people seeking advice from experts in certain fields. If you can provide this helpful information then they will see you as an industry leader.

 

More importantly. however, is the ability to create content that can highlight your expertise and talent. Instead of sharing and reading articles, go ahead and start creating your own content. When you write an original piece of content it further proves that you are a trusted expert in your field. Even though LinkedIn no longer accepts

 

Influencer applications, there could be potential with its Publishing Platform. Regardless of the title, sharing your knowledge with the LinkedIn community is one of the most effective ways to market your startup through Content Marketing.

 

Help Others

 

Remember, LinkedIn isn’t just about promoting your startup. It’s also about becoming a trusted member of a community. While you may be proving that your are trusted by sharing your knowledge with group members and connections, you also should be lending a hand as well. This means if you have a connection on LinkedIn who is seeking an investment for their tech startup and you just met an Angel who works primarily in the tech industry, then you can introduce them. If you have a colleague seeking employment, vouch for that individual if you notice a job opening.

 

These minor tasks may not seem all that important right now, but they could come back to benefit your startup - for example, that Angel investor made money from your friend with the tech startup and is returning the favor by introducing you to a VC. Sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know as well.

 

I personally like to click on the “Home” button where I can see what everyone is talking about.  I offer both advice and comment on top posts.  This helps get my name out there as well as help many people out.  I also give away my services for free to everyone out there

 

Connect with Mentors

 

Mentors are extremely important to entrepreneurs. They’ve been there and done that. This means that they know how to take an idea and make it into a reality. They also have vital connections of their own and will steer you in the right direction. And, with LinkedIn, you can easily connect with mentors who can assist you in marketing your startup.

 

Kevin Daum suggests on “Inc.com,” that when searching for a mentor on LinkedIn, you do the following:

• Search for mentors in your industry.
• Learn as much as you can about your prospective mentor.
• Send them a personal note.
• Set boundaries.
• Demonstrate your gratitude.

 

Unlike other social networks, LinkedIn is one that seems to be the most accepting of startups. Even more important, it’s probably one of the best platforms to market your startup if you put in the time and effort.

 

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