Social media can be a hugely effective tool for pulling qualified leads into your sales funnel.
It works so well because the people who engage with your social media posts (clicking links, posting comments, sharing content) are demonstrating clear interest in your business. If you can take the right next steps, at the right time, you can convert these followers into customers.
But like everything else on social media, lead generation can be a real time drain. To help focus your resources for the best chance of success, which platforms should you prioritise?
LinkedIn – the most effective platform for B2B lead generation
According to the experts, the best social media app for lead generation is LinkedIn. At least, it is for B2B marketers.
An enormous 80% of B2B leads are generated on LinkedIn, which is also where the key decision makers, spenders and executives spend their time. According to LinkedIn itself, the platform’s audience has twice the buying power of the average web audience. And its lead conversion rates are a huge 3x higher than other major advertising platforms.
Why is LinkedIn such a good bet?
There are quite a few reasons why LinkedIn works so well for lead generation activities. Firstly, it’s already business-focused. Users are there primarily looking for jobs, opportunities and partnerships, not to post their pet photos or holiday snaps.
Crucially, people are ready, willing and eager to do business – unlike on other social platforms.
LinkedIn is also cost-effective. Any business can use its basic service for free, from which they can start making connections and reaching out to potential leads. To reach this same audience on Facebook or Instagram, you’re likely to need to splash out on paid targeted campaigns.
Quick tips for lead generation success on LinkedIn
Not given LinkedIn much attention before? It’s time to put it front and centre of your social media lead generation efforts. Here’s how to get started:
- Work on your profile. This is your first and most crucial job, as your profile is essentially your business card on LinkedIn. You need a professional headshot or brand logo, a compelling summary and an up-to-date summary of your experience history.
- Create great content. Approximately 45% of article readers on LinkedIn are directors, managers, VPs and people in other high-level roles. Impress with your content and showcase your business as a thought leader in your field, and you never know where it could lead.
- Be authentic. Remember that credibility and authority, rather than marketing magic or a strong sales pitch, matter most on LinkedIn.
- Make use of the powerful LinkedIn search function. Using this essential tool, you can pinpoint exactly the people you need to speak to. You can filter by region, industry, position, company and many other useful parameters.
- Grow your network. Making quality connections takes time. It also requires a degree of skill and subtlety if you’re trying to manoeuvre your way into a lucrative circle. Use the search tool to find contacts, but remember that great blog content and updates can also attract contacts organically.
- Don’t be a spammer. It can be super off-putting if there’s no obvious reason to contact someone and you’ve obviously done a copy and paste job in your message. So, steer clear of the hard sales pitch, personalise your messages, and focus on making quality, meaningful connections.
Want help generating qualified leads through social media, including LinkedIn? Get in touch with the expert lead generation team here at IT Focus – we’d love to hear from you.
