August 19, 2021
CEO & Chief Strategiest at Behind the Design
It can feel very overwhelming. Social media is a great marketing tool for a design business, but where do you start. As I have written before, I liked using LinkedIn for marketing my business for several reasons. The primary reason is I can reach my audience with LinkedIn. I will show you how to create a company page on LinkedIn that will jumpstart your marketing efforts in this post.
Do you know that 80% of business-to-business leads come from LinkedIn? LinkedIn can help you generate business, increase your visibility, and create brand awareness among your audience for a design business. It can also help you engage employees and find new employees. I take a closer, in-depth look at how a LinkedIn company page can help you market your business in “Why you Need a LinkedIn Company Page.”
Under the work tab, scroll to the bottom of the popup and select “Create a Company Page.” Next, LinkedIn will ask you about your “type of business.” There are four options – small business, medium to large business, showcase pages, and educational institutions. Select the one that is most appropriate for your business.
The next screen will walk you through setting up the company page. This screen will provide your company name, create a personalized URL for the company page, and add the website. You will also add details such as the industry, your company size, and company type. You will also add a logo (logo size is 300 x 300) and your tagline on this screen. At this point, don’t worry about the logo or tagline too much. You will be able to edit later.
When you are directed to your company page, you will have opportunities to complete different sections. According to LinkedIn, a complete profile will garner a 30% increase in views. Initially, you are looking to increase your company’s awareness with increased visitors.
I suggest you create a banner for your company page that resembles your brand and website. Remember, in branding, we want every marketing support piece to feel similar. It doesn’t have to look the same, just similar, so it is tied together in the viewers’ minds. (Click the pencil icon in each section to add information.) The banner should be a 1,128px x 191px.
Creating a banner should clearly showcase your company, what you do, and your company brand. You do not need your logo since the logo will be added already.
Select the pencil below the banner image. A popup will appear with many options. This area is essential as you will complete each section to complete your profile.
Once you have set up your page, it is now time to start adding updates. This is an integral part of any company page. You will need to be consistent by adding updates often. I started with past blog posts that I felt my audience would want to read. I also add posts of exciting happenings, such as an event coming up or a new client. You can post inspiration notes, share employee successes or client successes. You should be posting on your company page at least two times per week for added engagement.
Increasing LinkedIn followers is the biggest marketing challenge once you have set up your company page. Ask your employees to follow the page and share posts. Employees can take an active role in promoting the company and the great things the company is doing.
Also, ask your connections to follow. Send a quick message to a connection. “Hey, I thought this article might help you…” When someone follows your page, they will see your posts in their feed. The biggest thing to remember when posting is that the post needs to be attractive to your audience. It is a good idea to add links back to your website or other important sites.
I use the “Invite more Connections,” which is along the right side of your administrative page. You can invite up to 100 people per month. Then, as people follow, you can reuse their connection slot to invite others. The second thing I do is after I connect with someone, I send a follow-up message with a little more detail about the company and inviting them to follow the page for more insights and advice.
With a company page, LinkedIn provides analytics. Use these analytics to monitor your progress and impact. For example, pay close attention to what content gets the most “likes” or comments. This will help you develop more content your audience appreciates and wants. Under Admin tools, you have additional options, including “sponsor your updates.” This is a way to advertise across a larger audience.
One thing to note, when employees add your company to their profile, your company’s logo will appear. Also, when someone connects with an employee, a popup will appear that asks if that person would like to follow the company they work for, which is your company. These are all great ways to increase brand awareness.
Jacqueline Green is the driving force behind Behind the Design, a company dedicated to helping interior designers, architects, and creative entrepreneurs thrive through education, training, and marketing services. As founder, CEO, and Chief Strategist, she combines education, coaching, and marketing to empower business owners to achieve their goals. Her leadership is transforming how creative professionals build successful businesses, creating a community of empowered entrepreneurs.