As the GRM Community Manager, I’ve been spending some time digging into LinkedIn and what will help our small businesses thrive. I was struggling to build communities on behalf of our clients and did some exploring to find the best ways to boost engagement and how to interact with other pages.
To be honest? There wasn’t a lot of information out there on how to work best as a business page so it took a lot of trial and error. However, this is what we did find to be important (today):
Hashtags. Hashtags. Hashtags.
If I could have a soapbox, I’d stand on it and preach to all of you about the benefit of using smart strategic hashtags on any platform, it would be LinkedIn.
Hashtags are markers that link pieces of content together by aggregating them in one feed. Business pages and personal accounts can follow hashtags on Instagram and LinkedIn (LI) as a strategic way to keep a track of content about a similar topic.
The difference between LI and other platforms is this: other platforms don't restrict business pages so much in their ability to interact and engage with their community.
LinkedIn business accounts can only follow 3 hashtags and they can only engage directly onto content that either mentions them directly or includes hashtags that they follow. With such a limited number that a business page can interact with it is important that they are the strongest and most effective. With that in mind, you want to think about your audience and what hashtags you might find them and their content under.
THIS DOESN’T MEAN IT’S NOT WORTH YOUR EFFORT!
For example, we currently follow #nzfarming #agvocate & #socialmediamarketing.
We regularly update and check that these hashtags to make sure we’ve got it right. If you’re not sure if you’re following the correct ones, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I seeing the best content that matches our brand when we search the feed that is attached to this hashtag?
- Are we reaching the right audience with the hashtags that we are using?
- Is community being built outside of the people I already know?
We say this is our biggest tip today, because we know social media is a moving beast. Right now, the LinkedIn Beast loves hashtags. Let us know what you are following so we can check that out and let you know what we think!
MEET OUR COMMUNITY CHATTER
Anna is a passionate member of the rural community. She is not only our Community Chatter but super Mum.
Anna grew up on sheep and beef farm at the top of the South Island, and in later years in the Wairarapa. She loves making the most of every opportunity, which allows her to swap her city shoes for boots and get back out into the country. Anna also loves getting her camera out to capture those special moments.
