LinkedIn lead generation
89% of B2B marketers rely on LinkedIn lead generation, and 62% say it generates over two times more lead than the next-highest social channel.
What are the best chances for gaining leads on LinkedIn. 11 experts give their best LinkedIn lead generation tips.
1. Setup and optimize the profile
You can set up your LinkedIn profile in a professional and optimized way. Let’s start with what’s above the fold, which should ideally include a combination of the following:
- A clear and friendly headshot
- A title which defines your company role and area of expertise
- A high-res background image that highlights your company, branding or a lead magnet
- Keywords that are relevant and motiving to leads
LinkedIn’s search algorithm works very much the same way as Google’s, so be sure to optimize — and optimize well. Just don’t get overly verbose. – Brent Barnhart, Sprout Social
2. Publish engaging content
When you are creating content for LinkedIn, you must understand why senior-level executives choose to spend their time on the platform. They are not looking for redundant and run-of-the-mill blog posts in their LinkedIn feed.
Instead, they are looking for content that will educate them and help them stay abreast with the latest developments in their industry.
Therefore, to generate leads, you should strive to publish content on industry trends and thought leadership. Make sure you lend your unique perspective to every piece of content. – Shane Barker, Digital Marketing Consultant
3. Identify the right decision makers for LinkedIn lead generation
Let’s say you want to be proactive about finding and nurturing leads on LinkedIn.
Start by typing the name of a specific role [“social media manager”] (with quotes) and/or a company [“Sprout Social”], or simply search the terms separately if you’re casually browsing for outreach candidates.
But let’s say you’re trying to find someone in a role at a particular company but you’re not 100% who you’re looking for.
Simply go to the “People” tab of any given company page. You’ll then be presented with a list of potential contacts with job titles and relevant connections front-and-center. – LinkedIn’s search algorithm works very much the same way as Google’s, so be sure to optimize — and optimize well. Just don’t get overly verbose. – Brent Barnhart, Sprout Social
4. Create a lead magnet
It’s usually a downloadable piece of FREE content that your niche target market is compelled to get their hands on.
Some lead magnets you can create:
- eBooks
- checklists
- how-to guides
- templates
- reports
- videos
For example, mine is my 1-Page Marketing Plan—and it’s been VERY successful.
BUT you’ll need to determine what works best for you.
Ask yourself:
- What does my market want?
- What is something that’s going to move the needle?
The key here is to make it compelling. If you choose a lousy or boring offer, it’ll fall flat. So here’s my six step formula for crafting a lead magnet that converts. – Allen Dib, bestselling author
5. Use LinkedIn Lead Generation Forms
One great feature of LinkedIn is that they let you add a call to action to your sponsored content ads. With a LinkedIn Lead Gen Form to collect sales prospecting you can attach a signup form to your ads that auto-populates with the lead’s LinkedIn contact information—all they have to do is enter their email address and click “submit.”
Lead Gen Forms were designed to be easy for mobile app users to use, eliminating the need to type out a lot of information just to sign up for a newsletter, download an eBook, or whatever the CTA may be. Without a Lead Gen Form, a lead will have to take extra steps to follow the link in your ad and fill out a form on your site before their contact information is captured, so this is an extremely helpful feature. – Eval Katz, Oktopost
6. Have a good discussion as often as possible
Never rely only on the one-directional interface such as websites, blog posts, and videos. Try and have a genuine conversation with your candidates as often as possible.
If your user asks about a characteristic in chat, don’t only offer a link to an information base, provide a 10-minute call to walk them through. This will provide you yet another opportunity to sell.
If you are emailing with your direction, attempt a video call. If you have a video call, offer to meet. Work and get more familiar with your leads every time you communicate with them. – Zahra Farid, Social Champ
7. Use bold images, videos and messages for LinkedIn lead generation
In general, this is a best practice for LinkedIn ads, but it’s especially key for compelling Lead Gen Form completions. The specifics vary based on which ad format you’re using, but in general we advise:
- Showing an image of the product, service, or asset someone is signing up for
- Including sharp, poppy colors that stand out on a member’s feed
- Tailoring the message and creative to your specific audience
- Making your video, image, or messaging ads distinctive and unique
8. Update regularly
Create a schedule and stick to it. Consistency instills a sense of reliability and keeps you relevant in their minds.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are ideal days to post. Consider posting between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. You could also post at lunchtime and finish with end-of-day posts between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
These are the best times for posting if you want to ensure that your content is freshly displayed at the top of the feed. – Neil Patel, Entrepreneur
9. Understand lead value
In order to understand the real quality of the audience you are capturing, you should assess not only how much it costs for someone to convert, but measure the long-term value of that lead. Casting a wide net, doesn’t always guarantee quality. Ask yourself these six questions before you launch your campaign:
- How does your company define a sales conversion?
- How long is your sales cycle?
- What does a quality lead mean to you?
- Are you using marketing automation tools?
- What is your sales teams’ lead response time?
- How are leads nurtured?
10. Integrate with your CRM
Why do it the hard way when it can be done the easy way? Fortunately, the days of manually entering data from leads are well behind us. When creating a LinkedIn Lead Gen campaign, you want all leads automatically uploaded into your CRM or mail program.
LinkedIn offers standard integration with a large number of well-known platforms. They allow you to use hidden fields in Lead Gen forms (without breaching privacy). These hidden fields allow you to enter data into your CRM which is not directly available in the form, a fantastic option if you also want to track things like sources and targeting (as you would for traffic to your landing page). There is a maximum of 20 hidden fields, so you can use the option liberally: it will provide valuable insights! – Pipit, Orange Bird Agency
11. Track results for LinkedIn lead generation
Lead generation is a marathon and not a sprint. This is especially true on LinkedIn, where your results tend to improve as you make more connections and build credibility. It’s important to develop a strategy and stick with it. If you don’t have sufficient time to devote to lead generation, look for a reliable agency to outsource some of the more time-consuming tasks.
Track your results with each tactic you employ so you’re aware of your ROI. At the same time, remember that certain actions (such as making new connections and posting content) are long-term measures to build your personal brand and may not yield instant results. When you’re focused and consistent with your efforts, LinkedIn can be one of the most cost-effective sources for B2B leads. – Kalin Kassobov
All eleven experts agree LinkedIn lead generation takes dedication and hard work. But, If you’re willing to put in the effort and time to follow through, they’ll tell you it yields exceptional results that leaves your competition in the dust.
Do these tips help you see success with LinkedIn lead generation?
