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. This week I want to discuss one of the important marketing tools that is available on your company page -- company status updates. . In a nutshell, LinkedIn company status updates are messages (up to 500 characters) you can send to everyone who has chosen to follow your company page. Notice I said "chosen." These individuals have decided your company is worthy of their attention, and they have given you permission to communicate with them on an ongoing basis. I am simply amazed at how few people have taken advantage of this great targeted marketing channel. . Here are some FAQs about company pages and additional resources to help you take advantage of this great marketing feature.
Frequently Asked Questions About LinkedIn Company Status Updates ... . Q: I don't have a company page yet. How do I get started? . A: LinkedIn has given you all the steps to get rolling at the LinkedIn Learning Center. . . Q: What am I supposed to say in my status updates? . A: Your followers are waiting to hear about all the great things happening in your industry, your products and services, your employees, and, of course, special promotions going on, maybe even some that are just for them. . I have attached a great resource from LinkedIn called "Engage Your Followers With Company Status Updates" to give you some additional thought starters. . Always include a link(s) to various web pages (which should include your own site) when making comments or sharing information. A status update with a link and photo gets a much higher open rate than one with no link.
. Q: I heard I can segment my status update messages to followers with certain characteristics. Is that true? . A: That is true, and it works great, but the disappointing part is the segment(s) you choose much include at least 100 followers. The criteria available for segmentation are: .
. This is great for larger companies, like Hewlett Packard and IBM (both with around 700,000 followers), but it doesn't work so well for those of us with only a couple hundred followers. Stay tuned. I hope they change this sometime soon. LinkedIn has prepared a great tip sheet called "LinkedIn Best Practices-Targeted Status Updates."
. Q: How do I get followers?
. A: Just like all the other social media sites, you have to make it easy to find and follow you (add a widget or button to your website, remind people in your emails, etc.) and then consistently share great information that establishes you as a thought leader. Also, be sure to remind individuals in your organization to "Like" or "Share" your company status updates with their network, groups, Twitter, etc. This will attract more people who may turn into followers. Speaking of adding followers, I would be honored to have you join my group of followers and begin receiving my latest thoughts and tips relating to your company presence on LinkedIn. Click the big blue "Follow Company" button on my Power Formula Company Page to become one of my followers.
. Q: Who could or should post my company status updates? . A: You assign administrator(s) to your company page. They then have the ability to post an update. In general, your followers would love to hear from the various experts in your company and not just from the "unknown status update marketing person." . . Q: How often should I post company status updates? . A: This is new territory for all of us, so there are no hard and fast rules yet, but I think you should start with a couple posts each week. LinkedIn shares several company posts each day, and I personally don't think that is too much because the information they share is highly educational and rarely promotional. Each audience is different, and you need to decide what is best for your followers. . . Q: When should I post a company status update? . A: I would recommend Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. That being said, the weekend audience might be smaller, but they may have more time to read it, and there is definitely less "traffic," so you may want to give that a try once in a while. Also, keep in mind that your last five or so status updates will stay in the Overview section of your company page; so they have a longer shelf life than you might think. . . Q: Can I post the same information more than once? . A: Sure. Your best information should be shared more than once, but I would recommend you vary the time and/or day along with the comment or observation you are making in your update. . If you are promoting an event, posting several times during the weeks leading up to the event is okay. Just keep in mind your audience's limited attention span, and you don't want them to "unfollow" because you are way too promotional. This is the critical balance we all have to figure out on our own. . So, what are you waiting for? Post your first status update, and let your company marketing voice be heard.
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