Social media is a double-edged sword. When wielded correctly, it can help your brand stand out in the busy B2B LinkedIn market. But swing it around with abandon and you risk losing a finger. But fear not! This detailed guide will teach you how to conquer four common LinkedIn challenges B2B companies face today.
🤷 We don’t know how to evaluate what’s working
👪 Not enough followers
🥱 Little to no engagement
📉 Lack of conversions
We don’t know how to evaluate what’s working. 🤷
Revisit your data.
Understanding why your organic social media content isn't effective begins with a look at your data. Yes, it's intimidating to wrap yourself up in metrics and numbers. But buried within that data are the clues you’ve been searching for.
Quick note: it’s important to remember that data should be your guide, not subjective opinions. Resist the temptation to make assumptions based on what you’ve heard—for example, the sales team saying something doesn’t work—without consulting the data first. Data is your objective friend who tells you the truth, even when it’s hard to hear.
To get started, take a look at this quarter’s data, and then last quarter’s data. Which posts received a lot of engagement? What type of content was it? Educational articles, thought leadership pieces, engaging videos, or something else? Looking back at your successful content helps you understand what your audience likes and reminds you what is effective for your brand.
The next stage is pinpointing exactly when and where your engagement started to decline. Sift through your engagement rates, reach metrics, and follower growth over time, adjusting the date range as needed. Look for patterns or abrupt changes – a steady decline or a sudden drop. This data doesn't lie, and often the drop-off points are glaring once you start looking.
Analyzing the timeline of your metrics is crucial, but don't stop there. Layer context over those numbers. Was there an algorithm change on LinkedIn around the time your engagement dipped? Did your content strategy shift? Perhaps there was an industry event or a global occurrence (pandemic, anyone?) that swayed LinkedIn users' attention elsewhere. Understanding the 'why' behind the data is as crucial as the data itself.
Once you’ve armed yourself with this knowledge, you can put it into action. Knowing what content worked in the past provides a foundation. But don't just replicate – innovate. Consider how you can evolve past strategies to align with current trends and audience needs.
Ask your audience.
Sometimes, the best way to find out what your audience is looking for is to ask. Using survey platforms like SurveyMonkey or Typeform to do market research is an excellent way to learn more about how your audience sees your brand, how aware they are of it, and what they specifically want and need from you. This approach can not only uncover what's broken but shine a light on untapped opportunities.
Creating a survey for a professional audience means balancing brevity and accuracy. You want to make questions engaging and meaningful so people can quickly fill them out while still providing the depth of feedback you need. Adding different types of questions like rating scales, multiple choice, and open-ended questions gives you various views into the data to reveal what your audience is actually thinking.
Distributing the survey can be as creative a process as crafting it. You can post it on LinkedIn, send it in personalized messages, or include it in email campaigns to get more people to take part. However, the key to unlocking participation often lies in incentives. Offering exclusive content, discounts, or giveaways can encourage your audience to participate. This approach not only provides you with valuable insights but also shows your audience that you value their input.
Quick note: If you choose to leverage survey incentives to boost response rates, be aware that the results aren’t perfectly objective. You’re getting the input of respondents who engage with your brand AND desire the incentive, not just the pure opinions of those who engage with your brand. But as long as the incentive is modest, many B2B brands find that it produces more respondents without overly skewing the data.
The true power of using surveys for market research isn't just in collecting raw data; it's in the valuable insights you gain from it. Analyzing feedback involves identifying patterns, quantifying people's comments, and then creating a strategy to address your audience's needs, pains, and priorities. This straightforward method not only pinpoints the areas of your social media strategy that need improvement, but also strengthens your relationship with your audience by involving them in your brand's development.
A/B Test
When it's unclear which of your strategies are genuinely working, A/B testing can provide the clarity you need. This process includes conducting experiments by altering one factor—whether it's the kind of content, the times of posting, or the wording of Calls to Action—to see which version performs better. For instance, if you're uncertain whether your audience favors video content or image posts, you could craft two comparable posts, one with a video and one with an image, and distribute them at similar times to compare their performance. Analyze which one drives more engagement or leads to more conversions. This granular testing offers tangible, actionable data about your audience’s preferences and behaviors.
Our page doesn't have enough followers. 👪
Get into the mind of your audience.
So, you've glanced at your follower count and felt a bit, well, underwhelmed. It happens to the best of us. But here's the thing – you can’t just pump out post after post and expect to gain traction. You need to uncover which content makes your audience go, "Wow, they get me."
Understanding your audience is like the foundation of a house—if you skip it or rush through it, everything else is shaky. It’s not just about collecting data and demographics (though, yes, that’s important). It's about empathy. It's about connections. And it's about creating content that not only reaches your audience but resonates with them.
So, take a step back and think about who's on the other side of the screen. It's easy to forget these are real people scrolling through their feeds, not just numbers in your analytics. What's their day-to-day like? What challenges are they facing that your product or service could help with?
Create a tool (like this chart 👇) to help you compile information about your audience(s).
Learn from your competition.
Keeping a close eye on your competition isn't just smart—it's essential for staying ahead in the competitive B2B landscape. Approximately 74% of B2B companies are doing a competitive analysis once per year, with 36% evaluating their competitors every month. And if you examine it through the right lens, your competition is a goldmine of information for what works and what doesn’t.
Thought leadership, for example, is a strategy many B2B companies employ. According to the 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, 52% of B2B buying decision-makers and 54% of C-level execs spend at least one hour per week reading thought leadership content. If your competition is getting tons of engagement from their thought leadership, describe what makes their content work. Is it their knack for simplifying complex issues, or perhaps the timeliness with which they address industry trends? Note the frequency of their posts, the nature of the content they’re sharing, and the engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments they're racking up.
In addition, try to identify patterns in the types of content that may be contributing to their success. Do they use a formal tone filled with technical terms to show expertise, or a more conversational style that encourages discussion? Are there specific topics they're zeroing in on that align with industry trends or pain points? How do they interact with their audience—do they prompt discussions, ask questions, or create interactive content like polls?
By analyzing these components, you’ll be able to identify precisely which aspects of their thought leadership strategy resonate with your shared audience. Then, you can tactfully replicate what works by adapting their strategies to fit your unique brand voice and goals.
Beyond emulation, analyzing your competitor's success can also fuel your innovation. It helps you spot weaknesses in their strategy that you can take advantage of, giving you the chance to cover topics or tactics they've missed. But, remember, your goal isn't simply to replicate your competition; use your research as a springboard for creativity and improvement in your own B2B social media endeavors.
Leverage industry-related hashtags.
Hashtags aren't just for show—they're an essential part of your organic social media toolkit. By using relevant hashtags in your industry, your posts become searchable, providing a path for like-minded individuals to find your content. The recommended hashtags per post is 3-5. Aim for a mix between niche, medium-sized, and large follower count hashtags. (Bonus: install the Hashtag Analytics extension to discover a hashtag’s follower count and engagement).
- Niche Hashtags: These target a specific audience with precise interests. Although smaller in follower count, they offer higher engagement rates and can drive quality interactions.
- Medium-Sized Hashtags: These hashtags strike a balance between reach and relevance. They are not overly crowded, allowing your content to stand out, yet they attract a considerable audience for broader visibility.
- Large Follower Count Hashtags: While highly competitive, these hashtags expose your content to a vast audience. Use these for a chance to break into larger, more general audiences.
Using hashtags effectively isn't about blindly following trends or spamming your posts with every hashtag under the sun. It's about thoughtful selection, strategic mixing, and making data-driven decisions to ensure your content reaches its full potential. And remember: what resonates with your audience can change, so be open to experimenting and refining your hashtag approach based on the engagement you receive.
No one is engaging with our posts.
Give your audience opportunities to truly engage.
At the heart of engagement is content that sparks conversation, shares, and likes. Get your audience engaged by utilizing LinkedIn’s posting options such as polls and posting content that’s proven to work. This approach can transform your followers from passive viewers into active participants. Making your audience feel seen and valued is the key to creating relationships and nurturing a following.
Best practices for LinkedIn polls
- Relevant and timely: Choose topics that are currently trending in your industry, ensuring that the content is both engaging and useful to your audience.
- Accessible and inclusive: Frame questions in a way that's easy for everyone to understand, avoiding industry jargon where possible to encourage wider participation.
- Insights, not just engagement: Design your polls to gather insights that can inform your content strategy or product development, turning engagement into actionable data.
- Pick the duration: Set a clear timeline for your poll, considering the urgency of the feedback and the typical online behavior of your audience. A well-timed poll can generate immediate and high engagement.
- Engage with respondents: Don't just observe the responses—engage with them. Reply to comments, thank participants, and be sure to share results or insights you received from the poll to close the feedback loop and show your audience what was learned.
Content that’s proven to work
- Thought leadership and industry insights: Content that provides valuable data or commentary on industry trends and news often leads to high engagement, positioning your brand as an authority.
- Educational content and how-to guides: Professionals come to LinkedIn for growth and learning. Share expertise through tutorials, guides, and tips relevant to your expertise.
- Company news and culture: Share achievements, milestones, and behind-the-scenes looks into your company culture to humanize your brand and build a connection with your audience. (Bonus: this kind of content doubles as a recruiting tactic!)
- Interactive content: Beyond polls, consider utilizing LinkedIn's other interactive features like live videos and Q&A sessions to maintain a dynamic and engaging presence.
By weaving these best practices and content types into your LinkedIn strategy, you can elevate your brand's presence, fostering not only better engagement but also deeper connections with your audience.
Stay consistent.
The algorithmic gods favor those who post consistently. Regular posts, timed to coincide with when your audience is most active, are essential for keeping your brand top-of-mind. Utilizing scheduling tools (i.e. HubSpot and Hootsuite) can help streamline this task, ensuring a consistent flow of content without consuming all your time. Regular posting is instrumental in keeping your audience engaged and fostering frequent interaction.
If you don’t have access to third-party scheduling tools, no problem. LinkedIn’s post scheduling feature has your back. It allows you to plan your posts directly within the platform, selecting dates and times so you don't have to constantly remind yourself. But remember: just because you can “set it” doesn't mean you can “forget” it. Keep an eye on how much interaction your posts get and look for patterns. See which days and times get the most likes, comments, and shares. It's all about trial and error—post at different times, check the results, and use that information to pick the best times to post.
Our content isn’t converting prospects. 📉
Revisit your goals.
Have you defined the primary goal for your company’s social media presence? Here are some popular ones...
- Recruit employees (I.e. join our team)
- Book sales calls (I.e. schedule a call)
- Get more demo requests (I.e. request a demo)
- Ensure investors are aware of our company (I.e. learn more)
- Establish ourselves as thought leaders (I.e. read our latest insight)
- Drive traffic to our website (I.e. visit our website)
- Engage with current customers (I.e. tell us what you think)
If you're drawing a blank here, chances are your content is all over the place. Defining your goal will not only sharpen your focus but ensure your message aligns with the people you actually want to reach.
Make your CTAs impossible to ignore.
Grabbing your followers’ attention and converting interest into action is both an art and a science. The key? Crafting compelling Calls to Action (CTAs) that clearly tell your followers what to do next. Here are several examples of specific, actionable CTAs.
- Download our free guide
- Register for our webinar
- Schedule a demo
- Read the full article
- Subscribe to our newsletter
- Contact us for more information
- Visit our website to learn more
Your CTA should make it attractive and easy for your users to take the next step. It’s all about removing the friction points and ensuring that, once hooked, your audience can glide from interest to action with as little resistance as possible.
Use the power of social proof.
People trust other people. When the Content Marketing Institute asked B2B marketers about the most effective types of content, 53% agreed that case studies and customer stories lead the pack (tied with video marketing).
Including elements of social proof like reviews, testimonials, or case studies can work wonders. It's about showing—not just telling—the value you bring to the table. When prospects see real stories and endorsements, it paints your brand in a credible light, nudging them closer to conversion.
Successfully troubleshooting your B2B organic social media tactics requires identifying your primary goal, having a deep understanding of your audience, consistent engagement, and continuous adaptation to feedback and performance metrics. Start by choosing a goal and revisiting your data to pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. Then engage directly with your audience through surveys and interactive content. Keep learning from your competitors and use A/B testing to refine your strategies. Consistency is key, so make sure you’re posting regularly and incorporating compelling CTAs into your content. By leveraging these approaches, you can boost engagement, increase followers, and drive conversions, ultimately creating a strong and effective organic social media presence.