Why it matters:
- More than 35 million small businesses use LinkedIn to promote their companies.
- The professional networking platform’s new company pages were designed specifically to meet the needs of SMBs.
- LinkedIn’s new call-to-action buttons on profiles, for example, are driving 2.4 times more customer engagement.
LinkedIn data shows that 42% of the professionals on its business networking platform hope to start their own companies, and become one of the more than 35 million SMBs using LinkedIn to grow their businesses.
LinkedIn recently added new tools to help both kinds of customers – those just starting their businesses, and those who are ready to take their business to the next level.
It has launched Premium Company Pages, which include features such as custom call-to-action buttons, analytics about prospective customers, and AI-powered content creation assistance.
In addition, members with individual Premium Business accounts can showcase their services in new ways, use AI to connect more easily with potential leads, and take advantage of other recent LinkedIn enhancements.
For Premium Business subscribers, “We’ve added over the last 12 months very significant values specifically for small business owners,” Ora Levit, Vice President, Product Management at LinkedIn, told CO—.
“In parallel, we launched a new plan for company pages, so if those business owners start growing and add a company page to represent their growing business, we allow them to find new customers and convert them better as well,” Levit said.
Levit spends much of her time talking with small business owners and looking for solutions to make their lives easier. The new tools were designed to address the types of concerns she typically hears from small businesses.
“What they say is, ‘We want to find new customers that will allow us to [generate] more business that provides more jobs, and we want to do it with minimal time investment from our side, and minimal expertise,’” she said. “Because ultimately, those small businesses don’t have a marketing department, and they have many things that they have to do in parallel at any given point in time,” Levit said. “So we built a program with that in mind.”
How does a small businessperson know whether they should be using an individual profile or a company page?
“Usually if you are a solopreneur – if you provide coaching, classes or certain services and it’s just you, you would use your profile,” Levit explained. “Once you start growing and you hire enough individuals that your company starts being two, three, four people, you want to build a brand around your company, and you would complement that with a company page.”
[Read: 3 Businesses Get Creative to Counter Mounting Customer Acquisition Obstacles—And Win]
Premium Company Pages offer new ways to connect with customers
The Premium Company Pages, launched by LinkedIn in June, provide a number of additional features for small businesses. The company pages, which cost $99 per month, include:
- Custom call-to-action buttons: Businesses can add links such as “book appointment” or “visit website” that appear at the top of the page, to generate leads.
- Companies can auto-invite individuals who engage with their company page content, or with similar pages, to follow the company page.
- Companies can add client testimonials, awards, press mentions, and certifications at the top of their pages, as well as in search results.
- An AI-powered writing assistant can turn content ideas into posts.
- Premium Page subscribers get three months of free access to Dropbox, Office (formerly Microsoft 365), and other business platforms, and $500 in ad credits from LinkedIn.
[Read: Meta, Google, and Shopify Execs on How New AI Tools Will Drive Sales in 2024]
For business owners, the “request services” link is a key way to gain new customers, Levit said. The link, she said, is a lead generator, and it follows you on everything you do on LinkedIn.
Profile Page enhancements for individual business accounts
LinkedIn estimates that more than nine million service providers use LinkedIn to grow their businesses, and it has added tools for them to better showcase their services on its Premium Business profile pages. Premium Business subscriptions cost $69.99 per month.
- Premium Business subscribers can add rich media and reviews directly on their profile.
- They can add a “request services” or “visit my website” link that appears on their profile and in posts, messages, and search results.
- Prospective clients searching for service providers now have the option to share their service request with Premium Business subscribers, giving those additional opportunities to generate leads.
- AI advances can better help subscribers find and connect with leads via custom invites and can assist with messaging and email responses.
For business owners, the “request services” link is a key way to gain new customers, Levit said. The link, she said, is a lead generator, and it follows you on everything you do on LinkedIn.
“Every time you post a feed, that link will show on every post right below your name,” she said “Every time you message with someone it will be there,” as well as when you show up in a search, Levit said. “So it really helps you to get business and get customers to visit your website,” she said.
LinkedIn helps Premium members get more leads by notifying them about prospective clients seeking services.
For example, if someone was seeking a designer for a project on LinkedIn, Levit said, “we now send that request to multiple designers who are part of our Premium Business program, so they all get that lead.”
“Essentially there’s more opportunity for the customer to choose the best provider, and more opportunity for providers to get those leads and get more business,” she said.
“That is something that is ramping now and is really doing well.”
LinkedIn’s new ‘call-to-action’ buttons drive increased customer engagement
For both individual accounts and the Premium Company Pages, LinkedIn has seen the custom call-to-action buttons have driven increased customer engagement. Previously, members only had the option of including a link in their bio. The custom buttons are driving 2.4 times more clicks than the bio links, according to LinkedIn.
Over 1 million users have added the call-to-action buttons since they were rolled out, Levit said.
The additional AI tools being offered are a response to demand from small businesses eager to use AI to be more efficient and effective.
Premium Business members have access to over 22,000 classes, and more than 600 of those courses are focused on AI. Over the past six months the use of those AI courses by non-tech professionals has spiked 160%.
“The landscape is changing,” Levit said. “Individuals who know AI skills and keep themselves up to date will be able to better adjust to the changes in the economy.”
“A lot of our investment now is in allowing members to save even more time, with the AI capabilities helping them find business and grow talent, understanding that as small businesses they don’t have large marketing, sales, or hiring departments,” she said.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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