Right, so I was grabbing a coffee with Oscar the other day, and we got onto the topic of LinkedIn – you know, how it’s evolved from just a digital CV to this serious engine for generating new business. We were particularly buzzing about hyper-personalisation, and how to actually make it work beyond just mentioning someone’s company in a post.
“The problem with ‘personalisation’ is that it often feels, well, not personal,” Oscar said, swirling his latte. “Everyone’s got the same generic ‘Hey [Name], loved your work at [Company]’ opener. It’s tired.”
Exactly! So, we dug into how to move past that, and came up with some pretty cool ideas. The cornerstone? LinkedIn Polls.
Poll Power: Getting Real Insights
Think about it: a LinkedIn poll isn’t just a bit of fun. It’s a mini-survey giving you direct insight into what your target audience is actually thinking. And the best part? It’s quick, easy, and non-intrusive.
Let’s say you’re targeting marketing managers in the SaaS space. Instead of firing out articles on generic marketing trends, run a poll. Some example questions might be:
- “What’s your biggest challenge with lead generation right now?” (Options: Content creation, Budget constraints, Reaching the right audience, Measuring ROI)
- “What’s your preferred marketing automation platform?” (List the top contenders)
- “On a scale of 1-5, how confident are you in your current content strategy?”
The art of asking engaging questions is key. Make them relevant, targeted, and easy to understand. Avoid jargon, keep the options concise, and focus on pain points or interests that you can genuinely address. Be aware of inherent bias in your wording when framing the questions. A great place to consider bias is the phrasing around the “correct” answer – it is often subconsciously presented differently.
Turning Poll Results into Content Gold
Now, here’s where the magic happens. Once the poll closes, dive into the results. Don’t just glance at the numbers – analyse them. What’s the clear winner? Are there any surprises? What underlying themes are emerging?
Let’s imagine your “lead generation challenge” poll shows that “Content creation” is the biggest pain point. Boom! There’s your content focus. Now you can:
- Craft tailored articles: “The Ultimate Guide to Content Creation for SaaS Marketing Managers” or “5 Content Hacks to Boost Lead Generation on a Tight Budget.”
- Create targeted videos: “[Company Name] shares the secrets to creating content that converts” or “Debunking the myth of always needing professional content”.
- Develop engaging posts: Share a case study of how you helped a client overcome content creation challenges, or offer actionable tips for improving content performance.
Notice how this isn’t just generic content – it’s directly addressing the specific pain point identified by your target audience. That’s hyper-personalisation in action.
LinkedIn Analytics & Sales Navigator: Your Secret Weapons
To take it a step further, integrate your poll insights with LinkedIn Analytics and Sales Navigator. LinkedIn Analytics tells you who’s engaging with your polls and content – their job titles, industries, and location. This lets you refine your targeting and messaging even further.
Sales Navigator allows you to identify specific individuals within your target audience who might be interested in your solutions. You can then share your hyper-personalised content directly with them, starting a conversation based on their expressed needs and interests.
Oscar had a great point about this, he said, “With Sales Navigator, you’re not just firing content into the void, you’re giving your sales team some really high-quality starting points for conversations. That’s like finding gold compared to traditional cold outreach”.
Engagement is Everything
Remember, simply posting isn’t enough. Engagement is key. Respond to comments on your polls and posts, ask follow-up questions, and encourage discussion. This builds relationships, establishes you as an authority, and further refines your understanding of your audience.
Understanding your target audience
This is fundamentally about understanding the interests and pain points of your target audience. You need to get to grips with this if you want to be considered an expert in your field.
- Who are they?
- What do they care about?
- What are their goals and aspirations?
- What are their current challenges?
Once you can answer these questions, you can tailor your content and engagement accordingly to become someone they look to for industry insights.
So, what’s the key takeaway? Stop blasting out generic content and start using LinkedIn polls to understand your audience’s specific needs. Then, craft hyper-personalised content that addresses those needs directly, using LinkedIn Analytics and Sales Navigator to target the right people. Engaging with the results will help strengthen your brand. Take those small steps to a content strategy that genuinely resonates and drives results.
