As social media began to dominate digital marketing, B2B languished a bit until LinkedIn for businesses filled the void. Now, in another sweeping rescue, they’re customizing a common social media format to tailor it to business use. Stories will soon be a part of LinkedIn.
What should you expect from Stories? Well, the feature is generally used as a way to share content that’s meant to be exactly right for the moment. And maybe not a moment more. Stories content is generally short-lived, so it’s not anything that you’ll want to use for evergreen pieces.
Add Authenticity: More than ever, B2C and B2B companies alike are prioritizing authenticity and transparency. Whether people are making buying decisions for their households or their companies, they are looking to connect and looking to engage.
That means that Stories may offer the perfect opportunity to invite people in to your company. It might be a “hey, I’ve been there…” post about how to solve a tricky situation with your product or service. It may be an inside look at operations, or it might involve a day-in-the-life of one of your employees.
Sharing Too Much? B2B companies are always in a tricky spot with how much they should share. You don’t want to give a sneak peek into your new strategy if it means your competitors might scoop it up. So be cautious about using Stories to announce anything that’s too early in the planning stages. You want to show something off just before it debuts, not when the ideas are percolating.
Think Light: LinkedIn for businesses can take on a bit of a “just between us” feel as users acknowledge that everyone is sort of in this together, especially now. The economy is in a whole new world, and competitors may suddenly be someone you’d readily pass a life jacket to keep them from drowning so you can all emerge from the storm together.
Keep this feel in mind as you create your first Stories. Is your company doing some service to aid the community, or have you and a tough competitor teamed up to set your differences aside and help others? LinkedIn Stories may be a good place for these feel-good messages that communicate your brand values.
As we anticipate LinkedIn for businesses and the addition of Stories, you may be wondering how you can use this feature to connect with more companies. Our team at SJC Marketing would love to help you get started!