Social media has come a long way in a short time in our industry. LinkedIn, in particular, has become an extension of an advisor’s website that further establishes social proof amongst professionals. It’s also a powerful lead-generation tool that ultimately drives new business.
Of the 850 million users on LinkedIn today,
- 65 million are decision-makers
- 17 million are opinion leaders
- 10 million are C-Level executives
- 59% are between the ages of 25 and 34
These numbers provide advisors with many opportunities to make connections, build brand recognition, and start meaningful dialogue with more of their ideal audience. To dig a little deeper on how sharing quality content on LinkedIn can drive organic growth, we partnered with Tina Powell, CEO of C-Suite Social Media, a marketing agency for financial services that works with large RIAs, hybrid RIAs, fintech, and wealthtech companies. (Tina is also a judge for the InvestmentNews + FiComm Advisor Podcast Awards and a frequent speaker, content creator and contributor for our industry.)
Tina’s most common question from advisors about social media?
“Why do I need LinkedIn? I never meet my clients online.”
We’ve also heard this a few times at FiComm, and we get it. The chances of someone landing on your LinkedIn profile and immediately becoming a client seems far-fetched. But you must consider all of the components that go into a client’s due diligence to becoming your client.
“Consumer buying behavior has changed over the years,” Candice says. “We have an immense amount of information today at our fingertips, and it’s the norm to leverage that data to make informed decisions. Think about the last time you got a referral for a service or even for a restaurant from a friend or colleague. What’s the first thing you do with that information? You go online. You visit a website. You check reviews. You educate yourself before you make a decision.”
The same goes for your prospective clients, Candice says. “They might come into your office from a referral, but then they go home, get online, and do their research about you. Ask yourself this: What would a prospect find if they did a simple Google search on you and your firm? Would they find your website? A bio? If a prospect has invested the time to learn about you from a referral or has even met you, they might subscribe to your blog or download your podcast. Without you knowing it, they’re developing a relationship with you through your digital marketing efforts before they decide to become your client. Advisors today without a digital footprint are losing out to advisors who do.”
Recap: Why Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile is Important
- Your ideal clients on LinkedIn
- People are using social networks as part of the buying process
- It’s an opportunity to add value, build trust, stay top of mind, and generate organic results
- Advisors can highlight core competencies, designations, experience, education, and show their work history
- If you don’t have LinkedIn, you do not exist online beyond your website
So how can you elevate your LinkedIn profile and allow organic social assist in making the right impression and drive business leads? Here are 5 tips for LinkedIn optimization from expert Tina Powell (and some only take a minute to complete!)
Update your custom URL
- LinkedIn automatically gives you a URL associated with your profile. Customize this to have your first and last name and your company (if desired) to make it easier for a potential client to find you.
Keep your profile picture up to date
- Nothing is more cringe-y than a headshot from 20 years ago. You want your pictures to match who they would see in person!
Be consistent with posting
- Like, comment, share and repost your company’s posts.
- Try to post regularly when starting out, twice a week is a good rule of thumb to keep your profile up to date and relevant.
Turn Creator Mode on
- This allows you to showcase your core competencies and allows you to have a “feature” section. It also displays consistency and engagement to the LinkedIn algorithm.
Be personal, be human and be you!
- Let your LinkedIn profile be a scope into your personal and professional life. Your acts of service, the good you or your company is doing, your special interests, unique services, hobbies, passions, etc.
- People want to connect with others who are HUMAN.
“You don’t have to be a rock star content creator on LinkedIn with 4,000+ connections to have a voice,” Tina says. “You also don’t need to use the platform to bang your drum. Just like every other aspect of what you do, you can use social media to serve, not to sell. Yes, it offers you an opportunity to show up in the best way through your experience and your background, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to share helpful, valuable information. What you’re reading, what you find valuable, and the topics you care about are all things you share with your clients.”
Actively engaging online through LinkedIn is just another touch point for you to stay top of mind with clients and make a positive impression on the people who are considering doing business with you.
Ready to learn how to leverage social media and start business leads?