One needn’t look too far to dig up global stats and analyses to best exemplify the unprecedented growth of LinkedIn and its benefits as a social media platform. Here in Australia,  its user base skyrocketed from 1 million in 2010 to 10 million in 2018. Of this, about 42% of the users access the platform multiple times daily and weekly. Until recently, perceived as a little expensive for a businesses venture, LinkedIn has become indispensable to any successful organisation’s digital arsenal.

Over the last two years, the platform has had revamps like videos (native and sponsored), QR code integration, voice messaging and company pages and groups. As well as technical upgrades like analytics, security and data protections, search functionalities to name a few.

LinkedIn has, in many ways, redefined content and engagement strategy, giving it a 360-degree perspective for B2B and B2C verticals. But what really sets apart the platform from the rest? We explore the benefits of LinkedIn looking at lead generation, recruitment and the connection with higher education and education institutions.

Lead Generation

In today’s dynamic business scenario 65% of top businesses, according to reports, claimed generating leads are their biggest marketing challenge. However, the power of LinkedIn in driving leads is noteworthy.

A recent report also concluded that over 80% of leads from social media were generated from LinkedIn. The platform lets businesses and users target their decision-makers optimally. Whats more is that it utilises automated content marketing tools to sustain the process. Using filters, keywords, connections of, profile languages, locations, your leads may be lesser in quantity – but ensures a significantly greater quality.

While the non-paid version of LinkedIn does give you basic access to features and general information about people visiting your profile, upgrading to premium is a smart move too. More advanced searches can be executed and can help gather information about everyone who has visited your profile. Additionally you’re able to message people who are not in your network via the InMail feature.

Recruitment

A recent study revealed that only 30% of the global pool are active job seekers, the remaining being passive talent. Moreover, new employees sourced through LinkedIn were less likely to leave the company within 6 months of hiring.

In a digital era where referrals are the number one manner via which people discover jobs, the benefits of LinkedIn are more pertinent than ever before. Joining groups on the platform that your connections are part of to derive insights about them, as well as proactively leveraging employee networks are both easy and essential for any business on LinkedIn.

With the platform dynamically upgrading its features for user profiles, the processes of both scouting for professional talent as well as extensively understanding your industry and its members are more effective than ever before. Interestingly, a recent trend on LinkedIn identified that over 75% of professionals use the platform to reveal to their network about their career decision while changing jobs. There really is no end to the power of the platform for recruitment.

Higher Education & Educational Institutions

When it comes to higher education, LinkedIn is probably your best friend, mentor and platform rolled into one. What started off as targeting traditional prospects by reaching out to their inner circles, has rapidly expanded. The platform now has the ability to target prospective graduate schools and other non-traditional groups or institutions. Ultimately developing new channels of revenue for them.

Apart from just enabling connections with alumni, employer partners and advisory boards, the platform excels in extensive community building. In other words, we’re looking at a remarkable return on investment for educational institutions. LinkedIn seamlessly compliments other organisational objectives and strategies of the same.

There is a myriad of content verticals to explore across podcasts, videos, images, blogs, downloadable documents and the like. Most importantly, measuring the effectiveness of LinkedIn campaigns are perhaps what makes the platform truly invaluable. Detailed campaign reports and cost per acquisition make the overall process an effortless, enriching experience for educational institutions. Additionally, both LinkedIn Learning and LinkedIn for Students have a growing range of extensive resources such as career guides, tips, DIY videos and the like to prepare them for their professional futures – thus making it a full circle for educational landscapes world over.

Having seen the benefits of LinkedIn why not check out the platform for yourself? Or in the meantime you can hear more from us about other great tools and strategies to promote your business. Subscribe to our updates.