How You Should Be Using LinkedIn’s Newest Features to Boost Engagement

Posted by Sam Cabot

Sam runs Inbound Marketing for Fable Heart Media. She creates content, strategies, and campaigns that speak to the heart of a potential customer and drive measurable action.

If you're using LinkedIn solely as an online resume, you're doing it wrong. Gone are the days where people browsed LinkedIn only for job opportunities. People want more from social media. They want vulnerability and transparency. LinkedIn is following the lead of its cohorts, Instagram and Facebook, and adding interactive features that invite followers to engage with accounts like they never have before. Companies are using these features as a springboard into building a trusted following. Let’s take a deep dive into how LinkedIn’s newest features can be used to boost genuine engagement on your account.

Importance of Engagement

Engagement with an audience is vital to an account’s success. It is more than a like or comment; it is the direct result of content output. Important information can be gained from analyzing page interaction. On a platform like LinkedIn, the outcome of post engagement can take on many forms:

Users become more informed about a subject
Increase in sales
Finding future employees
Establishing a connection with an audience

The outcomes for the general network consist of:

Opportunity for networking
Build your personal brand

LinkedIn’s newest features have made the idea of interacting with your customers easier. Engaging with followers doesn't have to be difficult. Look at engagement as you would an in-person networking event. You can be professional and vulnerable at the same time. Be genuine and conversational and you're sure to surround yourself with people who want to continue conversations week over week.

New Features

LinkedIn Stories

Following Instagram and Facebook’s lead, LinkedIn has rolled out a new story feature. Stories, if utilized correctly, can be an excellent tool for companies to connect with their audience. Here are some example story posts:

Behind the scenes footage
A promo video
Explaining how to use a product or service
Employee highlights
Company achievements
Story takeovers, where employees can show what they do every day

The opportunities this feature presents are endless; get creative!

We predict that implementing the stories on the app will alter the platform from a professional perspective to a place where users may feel more inclined to share more personal stories and ideas. The stories will become a unique way to engage with other users on a new level.

When Instagram introduced their stories feature, it gave users the ability to show more highlight clips of their lives in a new spot on the platform. When the feature was released it changed the tone of the application. We expect a similar shift for LinkedIn.

Here is a quick how-to for using LinkedIn Live:

Open the LinkedIn mobile app.
Tap your profile photo with the plus icon in the upper left corner.
A camera view will open to record a video or take a photo directly through the app. You can also upload a video or image.
Add a sticker and text, if needed.
Mention users with the @ symbol.

Live Streams

LinkedIn Live is a new feature that allows the audience to have a more intimate experience with those hosting the stream. It is a way for companies to take on a more personal and transparent approach with users. Here are a few ways companies can utilize live streams:

New product reveals
Big company announcements
Expert panel discussions
Q&A following a new product or service release

Before getting started on LinkedIn Livestream, you will need to apply for the feature. Once you are approved to use this feature, follow the instructions below to get started!

Use two devices to stream on one and monitor comments from viewers on the other.
Sign up for a third-party broadcasting site to stream from.
Authenticate your LinkedIn account by logging in.
Double-check to make sure your wifi is stable.
Test run the stream by having someone join the live stream from their device.
Ensure that you have good lighting, audio, and camera quality.
Happy streaming!

Polls

We have all hit a point where we question, “What does my consumer really want?”. LinkedIn’s polls can move companies one step closer to answering that question. Polls are a great way to boost engagement and gain constructive feedback. It's a win-win!

We recommend setting up the poll and also encouraging your viewers to explain their reasoning in the comments section. The poll provides a direct answer, but the comments section is critical! You'll learn more about why your customers feel the way they do and how they view the topic. It is a glimpse into their mind, so engage in their conversations. Don’t leave their comment untouched. Respond to them or send them a direct message to continue the conversation and learn more from them.

Follow these steps to create a poll on LinkedIn:

Create a post.
Click “create a poll”.
Type your question and fill in the options.
- There is a minimum of two options and a maximum of four options on a poll, but you can click to add another option if needed.
Select the duration for the poll from the dropdown.
Click Next.
Click the “Edit” icon to edit the post.
- Here is where you can determine whom to share the post with.
An additional option is that you can add more to the post in the “What do you want to talk about?” field
Click “Post,” and you’re good to go!

If these features haven’t been incorporated into your marketing strategy or you are struggling to figure out the best way to go about using them, shoot us a message! We would love the opportunity to help you with your marketing needs!