LinkedIn Discussion Forums to Connect with Prospects [Toolbox Tuesday]
Utilizing LinkedIn's discussion forums is one of the quickest ways to jump start your LinkedIn strategy and strengthen your business's social media marketing strategy.
Everyday, thousands of people use LinkedIn discussions to explore various industries, making these forums a rich repository of industry sources, thought leaders, and potential customers. LinkedIn discussion forums are full of interested, savvy users who are already looking for answers- as a social media marketer, what's not to love?
So, how do you incorporate these LinkedIn discussions into your business's LinkedIn strategy?
- Join LinkedIn discussions that are relevant to your industry. Jump right into current discussions by adding your own comments to existing posts. Make sure that your comments are insightful, helpful, and not overly promotional. Once you get involved in these discussions, you can monitor influential participants, either by viewing the "Top Influences" board or by tracking individual profiles.
- Create your own LinkedIn discussion group. Review your inbound marketing keywords to determine hot-button issues, then build a new discussion around those topics. Invite people to your group via LinkedIn or via email.
- Join LinkedIn Answers. LinkedIn Answers is a professional forum that allows you to post questions and to answer others' questions. Each answer that you supply shows up on your profile, demonstrating your expertise to both clients and colleagues.
To make the most of your LinkedIn discussion posts, make sure that each of your posts is relevant and interesting, and that it shows your expertise.
Additionally, it is important to regularly monitor your participation. Make sure that you always engage with others in the group and respond to their comments in a timely fashion. Also, try to post on a regular schedule, with frequent comments about a variety of subjects. Regular postings should become a routine part of your larger social media marketing strategy.
For more LinkedIn tips, check out these 6 Excellent LinkedIn Apps for Business!
