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LinkedIn is a powerhouse in the professional networking world, claiming nearly a billion members across more than 200 countries and territories. The platform isn’t just vast; it’s also highly engaging. Around 40 percent of LinkedIn users access the site daily, resulting in over a billion interactions each month. It also attracts a well-educated audience, with over half of U.S. adults holding a bachelor’s or advanced degree actively using the platform. Given these impressive statistics, LinkedIn offers associations a unique platform to attract new members, retain existing ones, increase member engagement through strategic content and interactions, and provide members with a space to connect and network with one another.
Marketers know how challenging it can be to get their message heard in a crowded space. In fact, we have a whole rule about it: the Marketing Rule of 7, which says that a potential member needs to see your content at least seven times before they take action. An active LinkedIn presence could be the boost your membership organization needs to reach those all-important touchpoints. Used effectively, it offers a low-cost, supplemental tool to drive home the messaging you’re already sharing with members through email, newsletters, your website, and other traditional tactics.
Whether you’ve got an under-utilized page that you’re just not using to its fullest or you’re just not sure where or how to get started, we’ve put together a list of seven relatively simple tactics your association can experiment with now to boost your organization’s LinkedIn engagement:
1. Create Your Association Page
Strategy: If your association doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, it’s high time to create one.
Example: Follow LinkedIn’s setup steps to create a page, including adding a header image, logos, a detailed description of your organization, and links to your website and featured groups. Make sure your branding and voice are consistent with your website and other public-facing content.
Why It Works: A complete and professional page increases visibility and credibility, making it easier for potential members to find and join your association. It’s not uncommon for company pages to rank on search engine results pages, so a frequently updated LinkedIn page can increase your association’s discoverability.
2. Maximize Your Presence
Strategy: Once your page is up and running, take time to invite your individual members to follow your page and, in turn, follow your members’ personal pages (if you’re a professional association) or your member companies pages (for trade associations). This will ensure your members’ news will show up in your feed, which will come in handy when your social media team wants to engage with your audience. While you’re building your audience, take time to enhance your LinkedIn page by promoting your association’s key products and services.
Example: Highlight offerings such as your annual conference, government affairs efforts, training and certification programs, and any other valuable resources you provide. Use LinkedIn’s features to create dedicated sections for each of these services, and include detailed descriptions, images, and links to further information.
Why It Works: Highlighting your key services and getting member recommendations builds credibility and demonstrates the value of your association, attracting new members and engaging current ones.
3. Share Industry News and Insights
Strategy: LinkedIn is a great platform to repurpose content you’ve published elsewhere, including in your magazine or newsletter, or even at conferences and speaking events. Make it a regular practice to post articles and updates about the latest trends and news in your industry. This doesn’t need to be time-consuming for your comms team; reposting your own blog content, content from your members, and re-sharing posts from reputable trade press in your niche is a great way to fill your editorial calendar and keep your organization top-of-mind among your followers.
According to LinkedIn’s own blog, video content is king, with users spending three times longer watching video ads compared to static sponsored content. Use infographics and carousels to make your posts visually appealing and easy to digest.
Example: Sharing the latest industry reports or regulatory updates relevant to your members can keep them informed and engaged. Better yet, take key findings from your content and turn it into short-form video content; it’s easy to do with tools like Canva. LinkedIn is also a good outlet to re-share educational programming content from webinars and conferences. If your organization charges a fee to view past sessions, consider creating brief highlights from your presentations in the form of infographics or carousels, then drive traffic from that content to your events registration page.
Why It Works: Industry news establishes your association as a credible source of information, helping to attract new members who value staying updated. Keep in mind that visual content is more engaging and can help communicate complex information in a digestible format, increasing interaction with your posts.
4. Cultivate a Thought Leadership Reputation
Strategy: More than any other social media channels, LinkedIn offers associations a powerful platform for positioning your leaders—staff, Board, and key members—as subject matter experts in your industry. By sharing their insights and expertise through original content like articles, personal posts, and videos, these individuals can build a reputation as thought leaders in your industry. This not only elevates their personal profiles, it also enhances the perception of your association as a whole.
Example: Encourage leaders to write articles on current industry challenges, future trends, or innovative solutions. Subject matter experts can provide in-depth analysis on niche topics. For instance, is there new legislation in-the-works that would affect your members? Ask your government affairs team to provide analyses on your LinkedIn page. Highlighting these contributions on LinkedIn positions your association as a hub of knowledge and expertise.
Why It Works: Thought leadership content shows your association’s depth of knowledge and commitment to advancing the industry. It attracts new members who seek to learn from experts and reassures existing members of the value they receive. Additionally, when your leaders are recognized as thought leaders, it can significantly enhance your advocacy efforts. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are more likely to engage with and listen to an organization viewed as an industry leader.
5. Highlight Member Success Stories and Testimonials
Strategy: Share stories and testimonials from satisfied members to build credibility and trust. Choose testimonials that are relevant, specific, and authentic. Highlight how membership has benefited individuals or organizations and incorporate these stories into your association’s broader narrative. A word of advice: Make it as easy as possible for your members to provide testimonials by providing them with a template or a fillable Q&A form. If you’re going to see them in-person, consider recording a quick interview on your smartphone and use the video, audio, and written transcript to create testimonials in multiple formats.
Example: Post success stories that detail specific benefits and results experienced by your members. For instance, share a testimonial from a member who advanced their career through your certification program or from an organization that benefited from your advocacy efforts. Make sure to get permission to use the full name, photo, and website of the testimonial giver to increase credibility. Use LinkedIn’s targeting features to promote these testimonials to your desired audience segments, including job title, company name, industry, and interests.
Why It Works: Testimonials and success stories provide social proof, making your association more attractive to potential members. When testimonials come from reputable sources and include concrete details, they enhance your association’s credibility. Sharing a diverse range of testimonials can appeal to a broader audience and show that your association caters to various member needs. Regularly updating and rotating these testimonials keeps your content fresh and highlights different aspects of your association’s value.
6. Leverage LinkedIn Live Events
Strategy: In addition to providing a space to get more mileage out of your existing written content, LinkedIn also offers associations two new virtual event venues via its LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events tools. First, a quick primer on the difference between the two: LinkedIn Events is available to all users, allowing you to create, join, and promote both in-person and virtual events. LinkedIn Live is a distinct feature that enables users to live-stream their LinkedIn Events directly on the platform without third-party tools. Access to LinkedIn Live is not automatically granted to all members; in addition to having at least 150 followers, your page must submit to a review process and meet the website’s criteria before being given the thumbs-up to host your events on LinkedIn Live.
It’s worth taking the time to apply for access. LinkedIn Live is a powerful tool for real-time engagement, allowing your association to connect with members and industry professionals through live broadcasts. This platform can help humanize your association, convey your organization’s story, and demonstrate thought leadership. Use LinkedIn Live to host a variety of live content, such as interviews, tutorials, presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Example: Host live interviews with association leaders, industry experts, and influencers to discuss current industry trends and challenges. Conduct tutorials or demonstrations of new tools and services your association offers. Broadcast live presentations on important topics during conferences or webinars. Organize Q&A sessions where members can ask questions and get immediate responses from experts. Feature association staff and top members in live ‘Ask Me Anything’ discussions on relevant topics in your industry.
Why It Works: Real-time interaction fosters a sense of community and allows for immediate engagement. Members feel more connected and involved when they can interact directly with association leaders and experts. Live events can significantly boost engagement by providing timely, relevant content that encourages active participation. Additionally, showcasing behind-the-scenes content or live tours can build trust and transparency, making your association more relatable and accessible.
7. Make the Most of LinkedIn Polls
Strategy: LinkedIn polls are a powerful tool for gathering opinions and insights from your audience on relevant topics. They can be used to gather insights for business decisions, understand community trends, or encourage networking and engagement among members. Polls allow you to create questions with up to four answer options and set how long the poll will run, making them quick and easy for your LinkedIn followers to participate. By driving interaction from your followers, polls can also increase traffic to your page, enhancing your opportunities for lead generation, engagement, and potentially making your page go viral. Polls can be shared in LinkedIn groups, on company pages, or personal profiles to reach a wide and targeted audience.
Example: This interactive feature allows you to ask your page followers about their biggest concerns or challenges, understand where they get their industry news, and even gauge their opinions on future trends. Create a poll asking members, %22What is the biggest challenge you face in your professional role?%22 to help your association address their most pressing issues. Another poll could inquire, %22Which sources do you rely on for industry news?%22 to help your marketing team better target new members. Consider offering incentives like a free e-book, a discount on services, or a chance to win a prize to boost participation. For instance, a thought leadership poll might ask, %22What do you think will be the biggest challenges facing our industry in the next five years?%22 to demonstrate expertise and engage professionals. An engagement poll could ask, %22What cause are you most passionate about in our industry?%22 to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Why It Works: Polls are an excellent way to engage members and collect valuable data. They provide a unique opportunity to tap into the knowledge and opinions of your network. When members see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, it increases their engagement and loyalty. Effective polls help tailor your services to better meet member needs, generate leads, and drive traffic to your website. Additionally, by offering relevant incentives, you can increase participation rates and gather more comprehensive insights. Regularly updating and rotating your polls also keeps your content fresh and continuously engages your audience.
Other Best Practices for LinkedIn Success
Post Regularly: Maintain a consistent posting schedule, such as 3-5 times per week, to keep your audience engaged without overwhelming them.
Plan Ahead: Develop a content calendar that is consistent with your other public-facing communications, ensuring regular updates to maintain visibility.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond promptly to comments, ask questions, and encourage discussions on your posts.
Leverage LinkedIn Analytics: Regularly review your LinkedIn performance data to understand what content resonates most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Experiment: Test LinkedIn’s premium tools, like paid ads, sponsored posts, private groups, and LinkedIn learning to discover which tactics resonate with your target audience.
Association marketers often face the challenge of limited staff and resources, making it crucial to optimize every effort for maximum impact. With its vast network of professionals and dynamic engagement opportunities, LinkedIn offers a cost-effective and efficient platform for reaching and engaging your target audience. By implementing the strategies we’ve discussed—creating a professional association page, maximizing your presence, sharing industry news, cultivating thought leadership, highlighting member success stories, leveraging LinkedIn Live events, and utilizing LinkedIn polls—you can significantly enhance your association’s presence on LinkedIn. Incorporating this platform into your larger marketing and communications strategy broadens your organization’s reach and supports membership renewals and acquisitions.
Join the Conversation How is your organization leveraging LinkedIn to boost member engagement and growth? We’d love to hear your insights and experiences. To stay updated on more strategies, tips, and industry insights, join our mailing list and follow our LinkedIn page. If you’re interested in professional guidance to optimize your LinkedIn strategy, let’s chat! Schedule a meeting with the Vuma Business marketing team today.
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LinkedIn is a powerhouse in the professional networking world, claiming nearly a billion members across more than 200 countries and territories. The platform isn’t just vast; it’s also highly engaging. Around 40 percent of LinkedIn users access the site daily, resulting in over a billion interactions each month. It also attracts a well-educated audience, with over half of U.S. adults holding a bachelor’s or advanced degree actively using the platform. Given these impressive statistics, LinkedIn offers associations a unique platform to attract new members, retain existing ones, increase member engagement through strategic content and interactions, and provide members with a space to connect and network with one another.
Marketers know how challenging it can be to get their message heard in a crowded space. In fact, we have a whole rule about it: the Marketing Rule of 7, which says that a potential member needs to see your content at least seven times before they take action. An active LinkedIn presence could be the boost your membership organization needs to reach those all-important touchpoints. Used effectively, it offers a low-cost, supplemental tool to drive home the messaging you’re already sharing with members through email, newsletters, your website, and other traditional tactics.
Whether you’ve got an under-utilized page that you’re just not using to its fullest or you’re just not sure where or how to get started, we’ve put together a list of seven relatively simple tactics your association can experiment with now to boost your organization’s LinkedIn engagement:
1. Create Your Association Page
Strategy: If your association doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, it’s high time to create one.
Example: Follow LinkedIn’s setup steps to create a page, including adding a header image, logos, a detailed description of your organization, and links to your website and featured groups. Make sure your branding and voice are consistent with your website and other public-facing content.
Why It Works: A complete and professional page increases visibility and credibility, making it easier for potential members to find and join your association. It’s not uncommon for company pages to rank on search engine results pages, so a frequently updated LinkedIn page can increase your association’s discoverability.
2. Maximize Your Presence
Strategy: Once your page is up and running, take time to invite your individual members to follow your page and, in turn, follow your members’ personal pages (if you’re a professional association) or your member companies pages (for trade associations). This will ensure your members’ news will show up in your feed, which will come in handy when your social media team wants to engage with your audience. While you’re building your audience, take time to enhance your LinkedIn page by promoting your association’s key products and services.
Example: Highlight offerings such as your annual conference, government affairs efforts, training and certification programs, and any other valuable resources you provide. Use LinkedIn’s features to create dedicated sections for each of these services, and include detailed descriptions, images, and links to further information.
Why It Works: Highlighting your key services and getting member recommendations builds credibility and demonstrates the value of your association, attracting new members and engaging current ones.
3. Share Industry News and Insights
Strategy: LinkedIn is a great platform to repurpose content you’ve published elsewhere, including in your magazine or newsletter, or even at conferences and speaking events. Make it a regular practice to post articles and updates about the latest trends and news in your industry. This doesn’t need to be time-consuming for your comms team; reposting your own blog content, content from your members, and re-sharing posts from reputable trade press in your niche is a great way to fill your editorial calendar and keep your organization top-of-mind among your followers.
According to LinkedIn’s own blog, video content is king, with users spending three times longer watching video ads compared to static sponsored content. Use infographics and carousels to make your posts visually appealing and easy to digest.
Example: Sharing the latest industry reports or regulatory updates relevant to your members can keep them informed and engaged. Better yet, take key findings from your content and turn it into short-form video content; it’s easy to do with tools like Canva. LinkedIn is also a good outlet to re-share educational programming content from webinars and conferences. If your organization charges a fee to view past sessions, consider creating brief highlights from your presentations in the form of infographics or carousels, then drive traffic from that content to your events registration page.
Why It Works: Industry news establishes your association as a credible source of information, helping to attract new members who value staying updated. Keep in mind that visual content is more engaging and can help communicate complex information in a digestible format, increasing interaction with your posts.
4. Cultivate a Thought Leadership Reputation
Strategy: More than any other social media channels, LinkedIn offers associations a powerful platform for positioning your leaders—staff, Board, and key members—as subject matter experts in your industry. By sharing their insights and expertise through original content like articles, personal posts, and videos, these individuals can build a reputation as thought leaders in your industry. This not only elevates their personal profiles, it also enhances the perception of your association as a whole.
Example: Encourage leaders to write articles on current industry challenges, future trends, or innovative solutions. Subject matter experts can provide in-depth analysis on niche topics. For instance, is there new legislation in-the-works that would affect your members? Ask your government affairs team to provide analyses on your LinkedIn page. Highlighting these contributions on LinkedIn positions your association as a hub of knowledge and expertise.
Why It Works: Thought leadership content shows your association’s depth of knowledge and commitment to advancing the industry. It attracts new members who seek to learn from experts and reassures existing members of the value they receive. Additionally, when your leaders are recognized as thought leaders, it can significantly enhance your advocacy efforts. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are more likely to engage with and listen to an organization viewed as an industry leader.
5. Highlight Member Success Stories and Testimonials
Strategy: Share stories and testimonials from satisfied members to build credibility and trust. Choose testimonials that are relevant, specific, and authentic. Highlight how membership has benefited individuals or organizations and incorporate these stories into your association’s broader narrative. A word of advice: Make it as easy as possible for your members to provide testimonials by providing them with a template or a fillable Q&A form. If you’re going to see them in-person, consider recording a quick interview on your smartphone and use the video, audio, and written transcript to create testimonials in multiple formats.
Example: Post success stories that detail specific benefits and results experienced by your members. For instance, share a testimonial from a member who advanced their career through your certification program or from an organization that benefited from your advocacy efforts. Make sure to get permission to use the full name, photo, and website of the testimonial giver to increase credibility. Use LinkedIn’s targeting features to promote these testimonials to your desired audience segments, including job title, company name, industry, and interests.
Why It Works: Testimonials and success stories provide social proof, making your association more attractive to potential members. When testimonials come from reputable sources and include concrete details, they enhance your association’s credibility. Sharing a diverse range of testimonials can appeal to a broader audience and show that your association caters to various member needs. Regularly updating and rotating these testimonials keeps your content fresh and highlights different aspects of your association’s value.
6. Leverage LinkedIn Live Events
Strategy: In addition to providing a space to get more mileage out of your existing written content, LinkedIn also offers associations two new virtual event venues via its LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events tools. First, a quick primer on the difference between the two: LinkedIn Events is available to all users, allowing you to create, join, and promote both in-person and virtual events. LinkedIn Live is a distinct feature that enables users to live-stream their LinkedIn Events directly on the platform without third-party tools. Access to LinkedIn Live is not automatically granted to all members; in addition to having at least 150 followers, your page must submit to a review process and meet the website’s criteria before being given the thumbs-up to host your events on LinkedIn Live.
It’s worth taking the time to apply for access. LinkedIn Live is a powerful tool for real-time engagement, allowing your association to connect with members and industry professionals through live broadcasts. This platform can help humanize your association, convey your organization’s story, and demonstrate thought leadership. Use LinkedIn Live to host a variety of live content, such as interviews, tutorials, presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Example: Host live interviews with association leaders, industry experts, and influencers to discuss current industry trends and challenges. Conduct tutorials or demonstrations of new tools and services your association offers. Broadcast live presentations on important topics during conferences or webinars. Organize Q&A sessions where members can ask questions and get immediate responses from experts. Feature association staff and top members in live ‘Ask Me Anything’ discussions on relevant topics in your industry.
Why It Works: Real-time interaction fosters a sense of community and allows for immediate engagement. Members feel more connected and involved when they can interact directly with association leaders and experts. Live events can significantly boost engagement by providing timely, relevant content that encourages active participation. Additionally, showcasing behind-the-scenes content or live tours can build trust and transparency, making your association more relatable and accessible.
7. Make the Most of LinkedIn Polls
Strategy: LinkedIn polls are a powerful tool for gathering opinions and insights from your audience on relevant topics. They can be used to gather insights for business decisions, understand community trends, or encourage networking and engagement among members. Polls allow you to create questions with up to four answer options and set how long the poll will run, making them quick and easy for your LinkedIn followers to participate. By driving interaction from your followers, polls can also increase traffic to your page, enhancing your opportunities for lead generation, engagement, and potentially making your page go viral. Polls can be shared in LinkedIn groups, on company pages, or personal profiles to reach a wide and targeted audience.
Example: This interactive feature allows you to ask your page followers about their biggest concerns or challenges, understand where they get their industry news, and even gauge their opinions on future trends. Create a poll asking members, %22What is the biggest challenge you face in your professional role?%22 to help your association address their most pressing issues. Another poll could inquire, %22Which sources do you rely on for industry news?%22 to help your marketing team better target new members. Consider offering incentives like a free e-book, a discount on services, or a chance to win a prize to boost participation. For instance, a thought leadership poll might ask, %22What do you think will be the biggest challenges facing our industry in the next five years?%22 to demonstrate expertise and engage professionals. An engagement poll could ask, %22What cause are you most passionate about in our industry?%22 to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Why It Works: Polls are an excellent way to engage members and collect valuable data. They provide a unique opportunity to tap into the knowledge and opinions of your network. When members see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, it increases their engagement and loyalty. Effective polls help tailor your services to better meet member needs, generate leads, and drive traffic to your website. Additionally, by offering relevant incentives, you can increase participation rates and gather more comprehensive insights. Regularly updating and rotating your polls also keeps your content fresh and continuously engages your audience.
Other Best Practices for LinkedIn Success
Post Regularly: Maintain a consistent posting schedule, such as 3-5 times per week, to keep your audience engaged without overwhelming them.
Plan Ahead: Develop a content calendar that is consistent with your other public-facing communications, ensuring regular updates to maintain visibility.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond promptly to comments, ask questions, and encourage discussions on your posts.
Leverage LinkedIn Analytics: Regularly review your LinkedIn performance data to understand what content resonates most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Experiment: Test LinkedIn’s premium tools, like paid ads, sponsored posts, private groups, and LinkedIn learning to discover which tactics resonate with your target audience.
Association marketers often face the challenge of limited staff and resources, making it crucial to optimize every effort for maximum impact. With its vast network of professionals and dynamic engagement opportunities, LinkedIn offers a cost-effective and efficient platform for reaching and engaging your target audience. By implementing the strategies we’ve discussed—creating a professional association page, maximizing your presence, sharing industry news, cultivating thought leadership, highlighting member success stories, leveraging LinkedIn Live events, and utilizing LinkedIn polls—you can significantly enhance your association’s presence on LinkedIn. Incorporating this platform into your larger marketing and communications strategy broadens your organization’s reach and supports membership renewals and acquisitions.
Join the Conversation How is your organization leveraging LinkedIn to boost member engagement and growth? We’d love to hear your insights and experiences. To stay updated on more strategies, tips, and industry insights, join our mailing list and follow our LinkedIn page. If you’re interested in professional guidance to optimize your LinkedIn strategy, let’s chat! Schedule a meeting with the Vuma Business marketing team today.
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LinkedIn is a powerhouse in the professional networking world, claiming nearly a billion members across more than 200 countries and territories. The platform isn’t just vast; it’s also highly engaging. Around 40 percent of LinkedIn users access the site daily, resulting in over a billion interactions each month. It also attracts a well-educated audience, with over half of U.S. adults holding a bachelor’s or advanced degree actively using the platform. Given these impressive statistics, LinkedIn offers associations a unique platform to attract new members, retain existing ones, increase member engagement through strategic content and interactions, and provide members with a space to connect and network with one another.
Marketers know how challenging it can be to get their message heard in a crowded space. In fact, we have a whole rule about it: the Marketing Rule of 7, which says that a potential member needs to see your content at least seven times before they take action. An active LinkedIn presence could be the boost your membership organization needs to reach those all-important touchpoints. Used effectively, it offers a low-cost, supplemental tool to drive home the messaging you’re already sharing with members through email, newsletters, your website, and other traditional tactics.
Whether you’ve got an under-utilized page that you’re just not using to its fullest or you’re just not sure where or how to get started, we’ve put together a list of seven relatively simple tactics your association can experiment with now to boost your organization’s LinkedIn engagement:
1. Create Your Association Page
Strategy: If your association doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, it’s high time to create one.
Example: Follow LinkedIn’s setup steps to create a page, including adding a header image, logos, a detailed description of your organization, and links to your website and featured groups. Make sure your branding and voice are consistent with your website and other public-facing content.
Why It Works: A complete and professional page increases visibility and credibility, making it easier for potential members to find and join your association. It’s not uncommon for company pages to rank on search engine results pages, so a frequently updated LinkedIn page can increase your association’s discoverability.
2. Maximize Your Presence
Strategy: Once your page is up and running, take time to invite your individual members to follow your page and, in turn, follow your members’ personal pages (if you’re a professional association) or your member companies pages (for trade associations). This will ensure your members’ news will show up in your feed, which will come in handy when your social media team wants to engage with your audience. While you’re building your audience, take time to enhance your LinkedIn page by promoting your association’s key products and services.
Example: Highlight offerings such as your annual conference, government affairs efforts, training and certification programs, and any other valuable resources you provide. Use LinkedIn’s features to create dedicated sections for each of these services, and include detailed descriptions, images, and links to further information.
Why It Works: Highlighting your key services and getting member recommendations builds credibility and demonstrates the value of your association, attracting new members and engaging current ones.
3. Share Industry News and Insights
Strategy: LinkedIn is a great platform to repurpose content you’ve published elsewhere, including in your magazine or newsletter, or even at conferences and speaking events. Make it a regular practice to post articles and updates about the latest trends and news in your industry. This doesn’t need to be time-consuming for your comms team; reposting your own blog content, content from your members, and re-sharing posts from reputable trade press in your niche is a great way to fill your editorial calendar and keep your organization top-of-mind among your followers.
According to LinkedIn’s own blog, video content is king, with users spending three times longer watching video ads compared to static sponsored content. Use infographics and carousels to make your posts visually appealing and easy to digest.
Example: Sharing the latest industry reports or regulatory updates relevant to your members can keep them informed and engaged. Better yet, take key findings from your content and turn it into short-form video content; it’s easy to do with tools like Canva. LinkedIn is also a good outlet to re-share educational programming content from webinars and conferences. If your organization charges a fee to view past sessions, consider creating brief highlights from your presentations in the form of infographics or carousels, then drive traffic from that content to your events registration page.
Why It Works: Industry news establishes your association as a credible source of information, helping to attract new members who value staying updated. Keep in mind that visual content is more engaging and can help communicate complex information in a digestible format, increasing interaction with your posts.
4. Cultivate a Thought Leadership Reputation
Strategy: More than any other social media channels, LinkedIn offers associations a powerful platform for positioning your leaders—staff, Board, and key members—as subject matter experts in your industry. By sharing their insights and expertise through original content like articles, personal posts, and videos, these individuals can build a reputation as thought leaders in your industry. This not only elevates their personal profiles, it also enhances the perception of your association as a whole.
Example: Encourage leaders to write articles on current industry challenges, future trends, or innovative solutions. Subject matter experts can provide in-depth analysis on niche topics. For instance, is there new legislation in-the-works that would affect your members? Ask your government affairs team to provide analyses on your LinkedIn page. Highlighting these contributions on LinkedIn positions your association as a hub of knowledge and expertise.
Why It Works: Thought leadership content shows your association’s depth of knowledge and commitment to advancing the industry. It attracts new members who seek to learn from experts and reassures existing members of the value they receive. Additionally, when your leaders are recognized as thought leaders, it can significantly enhance your advocacy efforts. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are more likely to engage with and listen to an organization viewed as an industry leader.
5. Highlight Member Success Stories and Testimonials
Strategy: Share stories and testimonials from satisfied members to build credibility and trust. Choose testimonials that are relevant, specific, and authentic. Highlight how membership has benefited individuals or organizations and incorporate these stories into your association’s broader narrative. A word of advice: Make it as easy as possible for your members to provide testimonials by providing them with a template or a fillable Q&A form. If you’re going to see them in-person, consider recording a quick interview on your smartphone and use the video, audio, and written transcript to create testimonials in multiple formats.
Example: Post success stories that detail specific benefits and results experienced by your members. For instance, share a testimonial from a member who advanced their career through your certification program or from an organization that benefited from your advocacy efforts. Make sure to get permission to use the full name, photo, and website of the testimonial giver to increase credibility. Use LinkedIn’s targeting features to promote these testimonials to your desired audience segments, including job title, company name, industry, and interests.
Why It Works: Testimonials and success stories provide social proof, making your association more attractive to potential members. When testimonials come from reputable sources and include concrete details, they enhance your association’s credibility. Sharing a diverse range of testimonials can appeal to a broader audience and show that your association caters to various member needs. Regularly updating and rotating these testimonials keeps your content fresh and highlights different aspects of your association’s value.
6. Leverage LinkedIn Live Events
Strategy: In addition to providing a space to get more mileage out of your existing written content, LinkedIn also offers associations two new virtual event venues via its LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events tools. First, a quick primer on the difference between the two: LinkedIn Events is available to all users, allowing you to create, join, and promote both in-person and virtual events. LinkedIn Live is a distinct feature that enables users to live-stream their LinkedIn Events directly on the platform without third-party tools. Access to LinkedIn Live is not automatically granted to all members; in addition to having at least 150 followers, your page must submit to a review process and meet the website’s criteria before being given the thumbs-up to host your events on LinkedIn Live.
It’s worth taking the time to apply for access. LinkedIn Live is a powerful tool for real-time engagement, allowing your association to connect with members and industry professionals through live broadcasts. This platform can help humanize your association, convey your organization’s story, and demonstrate thought leadership. Use LinkedIn Live to host a variety of live content, such as interviews, tutorials, presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Example: Host live interviews with association leaders, industry experts, and influencers to discuss current industry trends and challenges. Conduct tutorials or demonstrations of new tools and services your association offers. Broadcast live presentations on important topics during conferences or webinars. Organize Q&A sessions where members can ask questions and get immediate responses from experts. Feature association staff and top members in live ‘Ask Me Anything’ discussions on relevant topics in your industry.
Why It Works: Real-time interaction fosters a sense of community and allows for immediate engagement. Members feel more connected and involved when they can interact directly with association leaders and experts. Live events can significantly boost engagement by providing timely, relevant content that encourages active participation. Additionally, showcasing behind-the-scenes content or live tours can build trust and transparency, making your association more relatable and accessible.
7. Make the Most of LinkedIn Polls
Strategy: LinkedIn polls are a powerful tool for gathering opinions and insights from your audience on relevant topics. They can be used to gather insights for business decisions, understand community trends, or encourage networking and engagement among members. Polls allow you to create questions with up to four answer options and set how long the poll will run, making them quick and easy for your LinkedIn followers to participate. By driving interaction from your followers, polls can also increase traffic to your page, enhancing your opportunities for lead generation, engagement, and potentially making your page go viral. Polls can be shared in LinkedIn groups, on company pages, or personal profiles to reach a wide and targeted audience.
Example: This interactive feature allows you to ask your page followers about their biggest concerns or challenges, understand where they get their industry news, and even gauge their opinions on future trends. Create a poll asking members, “What is the biggest challenge you face in your professional role?” to help your association address their most pressing issues. Another poll could inquire, “Which sources do you rely on for industry news?” to help your marketing team better target new members. Consider offering incentives like a free e-book, a discount on services, or a chance to win a prize to boost participation. For instance, a thought leadership poll might ask, “What do you think will be the biggest challenges facing our industry in the next five years?” to demonstrate expertise and engage professionals. An engagement poll could ask, “What cause are you most passionate about in our industry?” to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Why It Works: Polls are an excellent way to engage members and collect valuable data. They provide a unique opportunity to tap into the knowledge and opinions of your network. When members see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, it increases their engagement and loyalty. Effective polls help tailor your services to better meet member needs, generate leads, and drive traffic to your website. Additionally, by offering relevant incentives, you can increase participation rates and gather more comprehensive insights. Regularly updating and rotating your polls also keeps your content fresh and continuously engages your audience.
Other Best Practices for LinkedIn Success
Post Regularly: Maintain a consistent posting schedule, such as 3-5 times per week, to keep your audience engaged without overwhelming them.
Plan Ahead: Develop a content calendar that is consistent with your other public-facing communications, ensuring regular updates to maintain visibility.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond promptly to comments, ask questions, and encourage discussions on your posts.
Leverage LinkedIn Analytics: Regularly review your LinkedIn performance data to understand what content resonates most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Experiment: Test LinkedIn’s premium tools, like paid ads, sponsored posts, private groups, and LinkedIn learning to discover which tactics resonate with your target audience.
Association marketers often face the challenge of limited staff and resources, making it crucial to optimize every effort for maximum impact. With its vast network of professionals and dynamic engagement opportunities, LinkedIn offers a cost-effective and efficient platform for reaching and engaging your target audience. By implementing the strategies we’ve discussed—creating a professional association page, maximizing your presence, sharing industry news, cultivating thought leadership, highlighting member success stories, leveraging LinkedIn Live events, and utilizing LinkedIn polls—you can significantly enhance your association’s presence on LinkedIn. Incorporating this platform into your larger marketing and communications strategy broadens your organization’s reach and supports membership renewals and acquisitions.
Join the Conversation How is your organization leveraging LinkedIn to boost member engagement and growth? We’d love to hear your insights and experiences. To stay updated on more strategies, tips, and industry insights, join our mailing list and follow our LinkedIn page. If you’re interested in professional guidance to optimize your LinkedIn strategy, let’s chat! Schedule a meeting with the Vuma Business marketing team today.
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