We’ve said it before. We’ll say it again. If you’re not harnessing the power of LinkedIn to drive visibility for yourself and your business, you’re missing a trick.
Whilst the term ‘coronavirus’ dominated social media conversations in 2020, professionals are putting their trust in established brands now more than ever. Audiences want to make sense of the situation, and are taking to social media to decipher the ‘new normal’. Is what they’re feeling normal, and could others be feeling the same way? They’re turning to data and industry leaders for insight to help them make informed decisions that may not only affect them, but the thousands of employees who depend on them.
In Africa alone, LinkedIn engagement has doubled since the start of the pandemic, with Sub-Saharan Africa content largely influenced by the experience of other outbreaks of deadly diseases. This is in stark contrast to Europe’s focus on the future social and economic consequences of the pandemic.
On LinkedIn, brands have prioritised quality over quantity, and it’s paid off with record high engagement rates. Calls to action are more influential than ever, with data showing that the most shared posts offer a way for innovators, entrepreneurs and community organisers to get involved.
Using social media to stay abreast with industry news isn’t new. But during the pandemic, top executives started taking a more human approach to the LinkedIn Articles they were posting. These articles led to higher engagement levels amongst colleagues and communities, with even executives at competitor brands choosing to engage. With a new view of executives being more approachable, diverse perspectives thrived.
It’s not just content that’s changed. Social Media and Digital Managers jumped at the opportunity of using new LinkedIn features to connect with their audiences. Live events were replaced with LinkedIn Live (which has increased by 89% since the start of the pandemic), and polls are used regularly to engage audience interest on a particular topic.
And then there’s Stories. Whilst most argue that it’s already being done on Facebook and Instagram, Stories offers brands always-on awareness and provides an opportunity to engage with tactical topics that may seem old tomorrow, without it saving a post to the page’s timeline.
So how are brands scoring higher engagement rates and impressions? Well, it’s all in the algorithm and posting at the right time. LinkedIn users are most engaged on weekdays, with the beginning of the week being prime. Before Covid, 8-9 am was a great time to post content as many commuters would login on their journey or use it as a tool to catch up on industry articles with their morning coffee. But working from home changed that. We’re seeing more engagement around 11am and 3pm as many more users are incorporating the platform into their daily work routine.
With the pandemic and recession shaping our new normal, and more attention on the way a company responds to the crises, organisations are turning to LinkedIn to raise brand awareness and generate leads at a fraction of their marketing budget.
LinkedIn is here to stay. It’s about time you add it to your marketing and communications strategy.
Kate Morgan
Social Media Consultant at ByDesign Digital
