Are you making the most of LinkedIn for PR? Here are 5 ways to get started

In the world of B2B marketing and PR, companies are always looking for the most effective strategies to get the word out about their products, services and stories.

So, why don't more companies use LinkedIn for PR? 

Statistics published by LinkedIn show the platform has now exceeded more than 500 million members worldwide.

Further, 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to distribute content, according to the 2017 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Report produced by the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs.

Yet many businesses still neglect their presence on LinkedIn. Don’t be one of those businesses.

For those who want to leverage this popular platform more effectively, let’s take a look at some best practices: 

1) Don’t set your company up as a person: If you've spent any time on LinkedIn, you've probably seen personal profiles that have been set up by companies. Instead of establishing a company page for their brand, they’ve created a profile. 

Personal profiles are for – get ready – people. Companies are not people.

Instead, set up a company page for your business, then make sure your employees establish personal profiles. Use the company page to share all your news. Provide examples of posts for employees to share, if they choose to do so. 

Each principal should publish regular updates to his or her feed, sharing content created internally and curating the content of other industry thought leaders and publications. As with any social media platform, posting consistently is key. 

2) Take advantage of LinkedIn publishing: LinkedIn provides a feature where you can post articles you author called LinkedIn Publishing. This is yet another way to get your content out there.

One way to use this feature is to post pieces that you’ve already written and posted on your site (or perhaps guest posts that have been published on other sites). Wait a bit before re-posting them to LinkedIn Publishing. I usually recommend waiting at least a month or two.

Posting on LinkedIn Publishing gives you exposure to a different audience. And, you squeeze more juice out of your content. 

3) Use LinkedIn to search for journalists or influencers: If you're looking for journalists or influencer contacts, LinkedIn can help.

Check to see if someone you're looking to connect with shares any connections in common with you. One of your contacts may be able to introduce you. If not, you can send a connection request.

One important tip: if you’re trying to connect with new people on LinkedIn you don’t know--be sure to personalize the connection request. Don’t just hit the button to send out the standard request. Spend some time crafting a cover note that will convince them to accept your request.

Yet another alternative is to pay for LinkedIn Premium which allows you to contact those you aren’t yet connected with.

4) Dig into LinkedIn groups: LinkedIn groups are another often overlooked way to get your news and announcements out and to do research.

Are there groups that would find your content interesting? Join them and share some of your pieces. You can even start your own group and invite others to join it.

In addition, find groups where you can see what’s trending and participate in discussions. Where is your audience spending time? There are groups for all types of professionals—make sure to leverage those by sharing content and contributing by answering questions and being a resource for others.

5) A word about solopreneurs on LinkedIn: For solopreneurs, LinkedIn can provide a big boost to personal branding efforts. If you work for yourself—or if you're working for someone else but trying to build your own brand—you should use LinkedIn Publishing to share thought leadership articles (see #2 above).

Win an award? Land a speaking gig? Share them on LinkedIn. Remember to include visuals for maximum engagement. 

Now you have some ideas to help you leverage LinkedIn for initiatives that can be easily implemented and become part of your ongoing PR and marketing strategy.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, please consider sharing. Are you looking for help with your writing projects, public relations, content marketing or social media initiatives? Remember to follow me on social media for more tips and advice.  Head on over to my blog or sign up for my free monthly newsletter by clicking here.

Michelle Messenger Garrett is a writer, blogger and PR consultant. Her articles and advice have been featured in Entrepreneur and Forbes, and she’s a regular contributor to leading PR blogs like Ragan’s PR Daily and Muck Rack. Garrett was recently named one of the Top 13 Content Marketing Influencers to Follow in 2018 and her blog was named a Top 25 Must-Read Public Relations Blog. She is a member of the advisory board of the National Organization of Women in PR USA.