“I already have a personal profile on LinkedIn that I hardly use.
Why do I need a company profile?”
Well, for starters, in order to maximize the impact of social media, you need to use it strategically, to connect and engage with contacts, influencers, potential customers and affiliates. Use your personal LinkedIn profile to engage with your connections, complement your in-person networking, and to stay in touch with colleagues, customers or referral sources.
A company page on LinkedIn increases visibility and credibility for your company. The bigger your online footprint, the more likely both search engines and potential customers will find you. While company pages are an excellent option for companies with a limited website such as franchises or start-ups, you’ll find company pages on LinkedIn for many large corporations as well.
Try searching on your company name. How many listings come up? Your website, of course. Maybe a Facebook page, Google+ or Twitter profile, a profile on LinkedIn or another professional network. The more places you participate online, the greater number of mentions you’ll find. Creating a LinkedIn company page and keeping it fresh with frequent updates is one way to increase your online footprint.
How to create a company LinkedIn page
To create a company page, you must:
- Be a company employee with a verifiable email address associated with your company (gmail won’t suffice)
- Have an established profile with several connections
If you meet the requirements, start by clicking the Work icon on the right side of the top nav bar. Scroll to the bottom of the menu, select Show More and then Create a company page. Populate your company name (be sure to use the official one) and an email address associated with the company. Click the box to verify that you are authorized to create a company page on behalf of the company.
In the Company Overview section, upload your logo and a banner image and complete the fields for company size and industry. Craft your description, being attentive to your phrasing and word choice. The description should be well-articulated, keyword-rich, and succinct. Be sure the url is properly formatted to link to your company website.
Remember to use phrasing that is customer-focused
; avoid “tech-speak.” Add up to three LinkedIn groups and designate additional contacts with administrator privileges to maintain your company page.
Use the Specialties section to include specific areas your company focuses on. This section is character-limited, so your phrasing needs to be succinct.
Using your company page to increase visibility and credibility
Don’t forget to come back. Once you’ve created your company page, access it from your account settings on the top navigation bar. Company pages offer the same status update functionality as a personal profile, but individuals must follow your company to see your updates. Lead your connections to your company page by posting an update on your company page, then linking to it with a status update on your personal profile or posts in groups. Or link to your company page from other social media platforms.
Gauge the effectiveness of your posts by using the insights and analytics: impressions, clicks, and interactions (engagement) for each post, as well as followers acquired. Your notifications offer a daily view of likes, comments, shares and mentions.
Like other social media, effectively using a LinkedIn company page is not simply about getting more followers. It’s about attracting the right followers to see your updates. Be sure your updates offer useful information relevant to your industry and your target customers. Follow these six guidelines:
- Include a link to more information, such as a blog post, event, graphic or article. According to LinkedIn, company page posts with a link generate twice the engagement of those without.
- Phrase it well. Engage followers with a punchy headline or call to action that will compel them to click through. Use verbiage to encourage comments and always respond to comments promptly.
- Get to the point. Short updates work best; distill your words to a brief yet impactful message to maximize engagement. Most readers will not take time to read a lengthy update.
- Mix it up to stay interesting. Vary everything: the types of content you share, the style of your posts, the time of day/days of the week that you post company updates.
- Review your analytics to assess which types of content, timing and styles resonate most with your target followers (you may be surprised at the results!).
- Add value. Simply sharing content from others with a comment like “good advice” doesn’t add much to your credibility. As with any content, always offer a unique perspective and original content that is useful for your target audience.
Looking for more tips on LinkedIn? See these related posts:
Are You Ignoring Your LinkedIn Company Page?
LinkedIn Analytics: A Quick Tutorial
Maximizing LinkedIn Effectiveness: Not A One-Time Activity
