Last updated on June 29th, 2023 at 04:50 pm
With 900 million members around the world, LinkedIn is THE sales powerhouse for businesses in the B2B segment. But, how powerful is it exactly? Let’s have a look at 10 LinkedIn stats every B2B executive needs to know
B2B and LinkedIn: A winning combination
As mentioned in my latest post, marketers are increasingly using social media to connect and sell. For example, Regalix’s “State of B2B Social Media Marketing 2015” reveals that LinkedIn is used by 91 percent of respondents, right after Twitter (94 percent). At 60 percent, blogging doesn’t even come close.
There is a logical explanation. Of all the major social platforms currently vying for the top spots, LinkedIn is the most B2B-centric. It is also considered the most effective in the sales cycle. According to Content Marketing Institute’s “2015 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends for North America,” 63 percent of marketers report positive results in that area.
Another report found that 80% of B2B marketers want to increase their LinkedIn use. The same survey said 45 percent of respondents said think their Facebook efforts are ineffective.
LinkedIn: A great launching pad for new products
Ready to release a new product or service? LinkedIn is the right place for that launch. More than 8 in 10 B2B marketers use it for that purpose., as Regalix reports.
Self-promotion without context is not a viable strategy, though. Instead, showing customer-friendly benefits via visual aids will facilitate engagement. Sprout Social reports that images increase the likelihood of comments by 98 percent. And your links to videos could result in a 75-percent higher share rate! That’s because they can be watched directly from a user’s feed.
LinkedIn members are ideal B2B customers
According to “The Sophisticated Marketer’s Guide to LinkedIn,” LinkedIn is excellent for new businesses. For example, half of all users are likely to buy from a company they engage with on the platform.
Also, “a whopping 80 percent of LinkedIn members want to connect with companies because those connections provide them opportunities to enhance their professional decision-making.”
Other social networks may offer great benefits. However, LinkedIn is probably the best starting point to find your ideal B2B customers. After all, 45 percent of its members are in upper management positions and the platform generates more leads for companies than Facebook, Twitter, or blogs. (Source: Kyle Lacy)
“The mindset and intent are naturally more receptive to solving business problems than the kind of socializing and sharing that happens elsewhere.” – Brian Clarke
Increasing visibility on LinkedIn
While LinkedIn does not hide posts from user feeds, you should never expect full visibility. The actual reach of average posts is closer to 20 percent. So, how does one increase that number? LinkedIn advises posting at least 20 times a month. This should ‘up the ante’ and allow you to be seen by 60 percent of the followers of your Company page.
Keep in mind, though, that only 13 percent of LinkedIn users are truly active.
It’s all about timing. “LinkedIn’s busiest hours are morning and midday, Monday through Friday,” says LinkedIn. The best times to post include:
- Tuesdays – 10-11 a.m., 7-8 a.m., and 5-6 p.m.
- Wednesdays and Thursdays – 7-8 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.
- Avoid Mondays and Fridays
A word of caution
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading the 10 LinkedIn stats every B2B executive needs to know but remember, stats and facts are a great starting point to better understand LinkedIn. Yet, they should not replace the traffic and engagement numbers attached to your strategy. Take a weekly look at the analytics tab of your Company page to check if the content you post truly resonates with your followers and customers.
Also be sure to read our primer on how B2B marketers can use LinkedIn effectively
