Ken Teegardin/Flickr - Wells Fargo are big LinkedIn users
LinkedIn can be a hugely powerful tool if you know how to wield it in the right way. We’ve chosen a handful of our favorite businesses on the social networking site, and taken a look at what it is they’re doing right.
Most people are happy to while away time on their favorite social network, chatting with friends, connecting with colleagues and generally having fun, but many people don’t know just how good a social network can be for their business.
LinkedIn, the world’s biggest business-oriented social network, can be a hugely powerful tool for connecting with consumers, furthering your reach into the marketplace, generating leads and making new contacts who might be able to help you expand your business or increase your turnover.
There are a number of firms out there who have embraced LinkedIn and who are able to set a good example to other businesses, even smaller ones, who might want to spend a few minutes expanding their horizons by putting LinkedIn to work, and we’ve put together a list of our top picks and what it is we think they’re doing right.
Wells Fargo
One of the oldest and most well-respected names in US finance, Wells Fargo has moved in to the 21st century with consummate ease. The New York-based multinational uses LinkedIn to primarily connect with its customers, offering articles, advice and information on finance and investments at a consumer level, as well as sharing information more useful to big business.
The corporation also makes use of its page to advertise new services and offer up promotions and competitions to current and would-be clients.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
LinkedIn isn’t just for financial services, as BIDMC ably demonstrates.
The hospital, which is well known for being one of the most esteemed seats of medical education in the country, has invested a little time into its presence on the site, with a full and expansive profile which it uses to share articles on health and wellness, connect with medical professionals and students alike and direct people to its range of services and opportunities.
The fine folk at BIDMC also realise what it takes to maintain a healthy social network profile as well as a healthy body, offering regular content and comment from people whose opinions matter.
Gensler
Global design firm Gensler is a world leader in architecture and interiors, and has used its LinkedIn page not only to interact with followers, but it's shown its flair for making things look good with a bold, and most importantly, up-to-date cover picture.
Gensler not only shares pertinent articles which anyone with an interest in design and sustainability would wish to read, but also uses the page to showcase what the company has to offer to prospective new employees, ensuring is continues to recruit from the cream of the crop.
Gensler's social media strategy is obviously very tight, with its LinkedIn page appearing as a beacon of professionalism and authority in the world of design, but the company also manages to keep things light by using brightly colored images – a smart move for a company wanting to make the world a prettier place.
GE
Many companies seem to forget that a social media presence requires you to be, well, present; neglected pages do companies a disservice by making them look sloppy and behind the times, but GE updates its LinkedIn page almost daily, sometimes more than once a day, with articles and posts relating to the sciences.
GE is a company which covers many areas, including, but not limited to electronic manufacture, aviation, healthcare and energy. By keeping its content focused on innovation in these areas, GE establishes itself as a thought-leader in many fields.
Every post benefits from engagement by GE's followers, which is key when using LinkedIn for business as it shows that the company is creating a buzz around its content.
Deloitte
Deloitte is an umbrella company made up of audit, consulting, financial and tax services, and uses its LinkedIn page to promote content from its own site, such as infographics and blog posts, maximizing their SEO impact.
Ultimately, traffic is driven back to the company's main website, and therefore LinkedIn is being used as a kind of springboard to increase the company's global network.
Many of the articles posted by Deloitte create genuine points of conversation, although the company's main site doesn't have a commenting section, so may have led users resorting to using the LinkedIn page as a kind of elborate discussion board, creating excellent levels of interaction for Deloitte.
he company also boasts almost 180,000 of its staff as members of this site, really driving home the gravitas that this company represents.
Zach Zupancic/Flickr
Why You Should Be Using LinkedIn
Although primarily used by business users, LinkedIn could lead your company to attractive higher-profile clients. You can also use your company page to drive recruitment and portraying your company culture on the site will no doubt have a positive impact when you're tryting to attract the cream of the crop.
To build a successful page and presence on the social network, ensure you keep your profile up to date, encourage your employees to join the company page and blog, blog, blog to provide followers interesting content and build your brand reputation.