Most people write well enough to convey interesting ideas. You probably do.
And, this is a bit of a problem for you when you compete for attention on Linkedin.
You could spend time creating your own LinkedIn network, one quality connection at a time. Since 2005, I have grown my LinkedIn networks to over 6,000 connections. So, I can get a bit of attention for my ideas or you ideas when I share them.
But, now with the LinkedIn Sponsored Update advertising program, I could have an audience as big as Sir Richard Branson. All I would have to do is pay for LinkedIn to sponsor my updates.
How does the LinkedIn Sponsored Update program work?
Here is an overview of how Linkedin thinks you should be marketing on its platform. (You might have to refresh your screen, Slideshare is a bit wonky.)
Ok, but let's dive into the details a bit more.
Once you share an update into the LinkedIn update stream of news, it is seen by some of your first connections.
LinkedIn says that you can expect that 20% of your first connections will get your article in their stream of news or updates. These are impressions.
Fewer than 20% will actually click on the headline and view it. These are views.
Even fewer will view the headline, and then read your article to the end. These are readers.
Finally, some of these readers will actually do what you want them to do - follow your call to action at the end of the article. These are leads.
For example, my call to action at the end of this article will be to ask people to sign up for our newsletter on LinkedIn Tips for Authors. And this article will have to get quite a few impressions from the Franchise-Info network to get a few leads. We estimate that you need around 10,000 impressions to get 20-40 readers. That is a lot of impresions, especially when the average impression for an update is below 50 views.
But, the Sponsored Update program allows you to buy those impressions, instead of only earning attention from your network of 1st connections.
Think of Sponsored Updates as a PR program for the LinkedIn platform. Instead of getting your article placed in a magazine, newspaper or press release, a Sponsored Update gets your message directly to a decision-maker.
If you are interested in knowing more about the basics of setting up a Sponsored Update advertising program, Jeff Haden has a good review of the Sponsored Update Program.
And, If you thought this was useful or interesting, then you should sign up for the Franchise Info Newsletter on Tips for LinkedIn Authors. Just click here and Mail Chimp will take over. Thanks.
Oh, and we never give out your email.
Franchise Info Newsletter on Tips for LinkedIn Authors have a competitive advantage in getting read and in developing new commercial relationships.
Our free newsletter is better than most paid training. Linkedin is a fast moving platform, and is not stable enough to train people on how to use it. Next month, it changes.
True...but what is the cost or better asked ROI.
Advertising results are such an elusive metric to measure. I know you stated the 20%...
I know I used Google Ad Words for a long while and had not seen any return.
I know perhaps my message was not potent enough etc...or the service wasn't economical feasible with budgets being slashed for the services I was promoting.
Just saying.
Not suggesting anyone should give up but be prepared to "lose" money experimenting with the messaging. It goes with the territory.
Bob, nobody really knows how to measure the ROI of a single ad.
And the reason why Google Adwords fails you like every other professional is simple: nobody who can use your services is searching on keywords that make sense. You would have to educate them first.
LinkedIn is different. It is not keyword based.
Here is you can measure: the cost of getting 1,000 impressions versus the cost of getting a click through - for the same ad, same targeted audience.
LinkedIn makes this easy to calculate; Google makes it much harder to evaluate.
Of course, if you don't have a budget for PR, then you just have to spend your time until you get it right.
Joe and I spent almost 13 years, so far!