LinkedIn is moving! A new interface, new tools to measure, smart improvements of the Sales Navigator, and much more. Lately we have seen many companies making a substantial investment in their Linkedin-activity. The result, however, is that it is becoming increasingly harder for companies to distinguish themselves with LinkedIn campaigns.
LinkedIn ads that DO work
The question regularly asked on the platform is whether campaigns are ‘business enough’. As a result, the ads we see are often ‘coloured within the lines’. Or we could just say utterly boring, not conversing..rubbish! Fortunately, some companies succeed in making contact with their target group in an innovative, creative way. In this article, we show 4 good examples. Moreover, we share three tips to prevent your company (again) from setting up a colourless campaign.
1. Sun farmers?
Promoting Solar energy in a LinkedIn campaign, with a tight budget? E.On in Sweden succeeded and won the LinkedIn Marketing Award in 2017 for the most innovative corporate campaign. The idea? Simple but brilliant. Do you want to be able to trigger homeowners and entrepreneurs to switch to sustainable energy? In ‘The Great LinkedIn Sunfarmer Stunt’ all E.On employees in Sweden were asked update to update their LinkedIn to: Solfarmare (literally translated: solar farmer). Can you imagine how much attention and questions that have been called upon? All those changes to functions in your timeline? We do! LinkedIn indicated that all tens of thousands of members were reached within a few hours. Never shown before, as far as we know. And because good money is better than bad thinking … Who picks up the glove in the Netherlands, Spain and the UK? Come on guys!!
2. KFC – The Personal approach
Although it does not strictly meet the terms of use of LinkedIn, we think KFC has found a great way to generate brand awareness. We strongly believe in the personal approach (human to human). That is why we were pleasantly surprised that KFC (or a fellow fan!) Had created a LinkedIn profile for the now-deceased founder of the company, Colonel Harland Sanders.
And they did not finish it off quickly! The LinkedIn profile contains contact details, a (striking) summary and a complete CV. He also completed 50 (they would have looked after skills) skills. What an original way to highlight the heart and the history of the company!
Although we are extremely enthusiastic, there is still room for improvement. For example, the profile is not yet linked to the official LinkedIn Company Page of KFC. In addition, we miss a header on the profile and we would find it logical if some historical photos were added here and there. But the most important loss is the updates and the lack of interaction. The introduction of KFC in another country? More about KFC as an employer? Or a spicy chicken recipe for the barbecue? It may all be slightly less static. Nevertheless, a big compliment for the KFC social media team, which is brilliant anyway. Have you ever wondered why the company exactly follows 11 accounts on Twitter? This, of course, was the perfect opportunity for Albert Heijn (Dutch supermarket chain) to use the brand on LinkedIn with supermarket manager Harry Piekema. Do you work for a company with a beautiful, rich history and a special founder? Then this is your chance!
3. Undies or INdies?
This campaign by Fruit of the Loom blew us away. What did they do on LinkedIn to trigger their target audience? The company, known by many of its underwear and socks, launched a campaign where it sent a LinkedIn message to members who just had a new job. They offered free underwear under the motto “great-fitting underwear can help you start your workday in a great mood”. A fantastic example of being relevant at the right time, in a fun way too!
4. Bikinis on LinkedIn?
Let’s remain in the fashion corner … What do you think? Do bikinis belong on LinkedIn? With exactly this question and a stimulating photo below, Candice Galek unleashed a huge discussion on the platform. People fell over each other to give their opinion on this subject. A Smart thought of this entrepreneur … Because she owns a manufacturer of designer swimwear! It resulted in 250,000 profile views in the 90 consecutive days, receiving more than 7,000 invitations during the same period and also traffic to the website went through the roof. Due to all (over)heated reactions, her post was removed by LinkedIn and her account temporarily blocked. But the ‘damage’ was already done. For example, as a result of this one post, she received several interesting business proposals, she was in The Huffington Post and now has almost 70,000 followers on LinkedIn. What one single update can do…
3 tips for your business
But now back to the daily practice. What can your company do now to really stand out on LinkedIn? This depends to a large extent of course on the market you are in, the vision of your company and your proposition. But these three things ensure that your next campaign on LinkedIn does not become the thirteenth in a dozen.
1. Look over the wall of your industry and the countries in which you are active. Get inspired! It is still better to steel well that invent something that is utter shite.
2. Do you have a brilliant idea for a campaign on LinkedIn, but do you doubt it is suitable for the platform? Discuss the idea with colleagues. And we do not only mean your hip fellow marketers, but also think about your colleagues who answer the phone when angry customers are reporting, the recruiters or, for example, your IT administrator. And introduce it to an outsider, which can lead to confirmation or surprising new insights.
3. Last but not least, show guts! We can all colour within the lines. Dare to do differently. Remeber that the most beautiful flowers always grow on the edge of the clough…
Social Media Support | FML Marketing Estepona
Thank you for reading our blog here at FML Marketing. We are a marketing agency located in Estepona on the Costa del Sol. Please contact us in case you need support with LinkedIn ads, social media, social advertisement or other digital challenges. We are happy to support. Contact us for a chat to discuss your digital challenges!