Right, let’s talk LinkedIn. But not just the usual job postings and connection requests. I’ve been wrestling with the question of how LinkedIn is evolving, specifically how live and interactive content can be a real game-changer for generating new business. It’s been a journey, and I want to share what I’ve discovered – a path I think you’ll find valuable too.
Forget the static profile. The future of LinkedIn is undeniably interactive. Think live streams, engaging polls, and quizzes that capture attention and nurture leads. But how do we move beyond just thinking about it and start actually doing it, in a way that truly resonates with our target audience?
LinkedIn Live: More Than Just a Broadcast
My first area of focus was LinkedIn Live. I’ve seen plenty of streams, but few that truly captivated me. The key, I realised, isn’t just being live, but providing genuine value. Think webinars, but ditch the dry PowerPoint presentations. Instead, focus on insightful discussions with industry experts, Q&A sessions that directly address your audience’s pain points, and even behind-the-scenes glimpses into your company culture.
Here’s how I’d approach it:
- Define Your Audience (Seriously!): This isn’t just about job titles. What are their specific challenges? What questions are they asking? What keeps them up at night? Use LinkedIn’s analytics to understand your existing audience, and tailor your content accordingly.
- Plan Engaging Content: No one wants to watch an hour-long sales pitch. Focus on providing valuable insights, actionable tips, and unique perspectives. Think workshops, debates, or even live demonstrations of your product or service.
- Promote, Promote, Promote: Don’t just expect people to stumble upon your live stream. Schedule posts leading up to the event, use LinkedIn’s event feature, and even consider running targeted ads to reach a wider audience.
- Interact!: This is live. Respond to comments, answer questions, and encourage participation. Make it a conversation, not a monologue.
- Repurpose the Content: The live stream is just the beginning. Turn it into blog posts, short video clips for social media, or even an email series. Get more mileage out of your effort.
Interactive Content: Polls, Quizzes, and More
Beyond LinkedIn Live, there’s a whole world of interactive content waiting to be explored. Polls, quizzes, and assessments can be incredibly effective for capturing attention, generating leads, and even gathering valuable market research.
Here’s my take on leveraging these tools:
- Focus on Value, Not Just Clicks: Don’t create quizzes just for the sake of it. Make sure they provide genuine value to the participant. Think personality assessments related to leadership styles, quizzes that test knowledge of industry trends, or polls that gather opinions on relevant topics.
- Make it Relevant to Your Business: Connect the interactive content to your products or services in a subtle, non-salesy way. For example, if you offer project management software, you could create a quiz that helps people identify their project management style.
- Use Lead Capture Forms Strategically: Don’t bombard people with forms upfront. Offer valuable content in exchange for their contact information after they’ve engaged with the interactive content.
- Personalise the Experience: Use the data you gather from polls and quizzes to tailor your follow-up communication. For example, if someone answers a quiz question incorrectly, send them a helpful resource that addresses the topic.
- AI – The Future is Now?: Consider incorporating AI to analyse the poll/quiz/live data to provide real-time feedback. Maybe the answers to a quiz will allow a sales team to understand the needs of the people engaging with the content and tailor a far more accurate response to potential client needs.
Engagement is Key: Understand Your Audience
None of this works, of course, if you don’t understand your target audience. It’s not enough to just know their job titles; you need to understand their interests, their challenges, and their motivations. Use LinkedIn’s analytics to gain insights into their behaviour, and actively engage with them in groups and discussions. Be authentic, be helpful, and be genuinely interested in what they have to say. Avoid the hard sell; instead, focus on building relationships and providing value.
The most important part of this is not to assume that what you have done once is what you should always do. Testing new and varied methods of engaging with your user base will allow you to gain the best possible results and understand what is and isn’t effective in a timely manor. This way you can constantly iterate and improve the processes and strategies you put in place to generate new business and build connections.
Ultimately, the key to success on LinkedIn is to treat it like a community, not just a platform for self-promotion. By focusing on providing value, building relationships, and leveraging the power of live and interactive content, you can unlock significant business growth. It takes effort, it takes experimentation, and it takes a genuine commitment to understanding your audience. But the rewards are well worth the investment.
