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Creating sponsored content posts
that earn engagement
Tips from LinkedIn’s top performing posts in EMEA
January-March 2016

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“What are the best practices for
promoting content on LinkedIn?”
A search for “LinkedIn content best practices” returns over 40 million results on Google.
Promoting content on a social platform does not have to be that complicated. These 5
examples of top-performing sponsored content posts provide tips you can use to earn
engagement in the news feed of a busy, and aspirational, audience.

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Methodology
These sponsored content posts targeted an audience in the EMEA region, served at
least 25,000 impressions, and are ranked by engagement rate. Engagement rate
includes clicks + social actions.

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Key takeaways – A cheat sheet
1. Show, don’t tell. Great storytellers paint
a picture in the mind of a reader.
2. Use social language. Write in the first
person and address your audience
directly, just as you would in a
conversation with a friend or business
partner.
3. “Influencers” aren’t just a marketing
buzzword. Any socially-active subject
matter expert can be leveraged and
promoted to demonstrate a brands’
position on an issue, or level of
expertise within an industry.
4. People like to learn from others. Case
studies don’t have to be lengthy. Or
boring.
5. Make sure that your content is written
for the audience that you are targeting.
It sounds simple but is often a missed
element of a LinkedIn campaign.

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Tip #1: show, don’t tell
Whether it’s Jaguar Land Rover creating a leasing plan for Uber drivers, or Audi
touting their “virtual cockpit,” these brands demonstrate a spirit of innovation
rather than just talking about it.

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Tip #2: use social language
Remember that you are promoting your content on a social platform. Tailor the
copy to the audience, whether that means using “you” language, asking
questions, or using industry-specific language.

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Tip #3: find your own influencers
When you have your own Influencer, leverage them! Political and business
leaders are increasingly active on professional social platforms, and LinkedIn is
the perfect place for policy and business to collide.

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Tip #4: find case studies outside your own
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Let your audience learn from the successes (and challenges) of others.
In this case, Bpifrance shares quick, easy-to-read snippets of success
from 30 companies.

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Tip #5: help your audience be successful
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It’s no surprise, but anything that helps professionals achieve their goals is bound
to be well-received on LinkedIn, especially when those goals are financial. This
content can also be targeted to the banking industry using LinkedIn’s first-party
data, ensuring the highest level of relevancy.

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Education

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Tip #1: repurpose great content from other sources
Most universities’ professors give interviews, write on their own websites or blogs,
or contribute to peer-reviewed papers and journals. This is all great content that
can be shared to show prospects, students and alumni the expertise within a
school
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Tip #2: inspire through video
YouTube plays natively in the LinkedIn feed, allowing companies the opportunity
to tell their story without having to make their audience leave the environment in
which they are already engaged

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Tip #3: spur action using data and insights
You can engage an audience without using list-based headlines or asking “did
you know”… this offer from IMF Business School lets prospects know what’s in it
for them if they pursue this very specialised programme

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Technology

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Tip #1: “B2B” & “Lifestyle” are not mutually exclusive
A highlight reel from your big events can get people excited for future events, and
show your prospects what your brand is all about

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Tip #2: Simple is better than complex
Nanorep’s clear title “Build Your 2016 Customer Experience Strategy”
helps this post stand out in the mobile feed, where a longer description
gets eliminated.

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Whether the topic is coding or financial theory, helping LinkedIn
members understand the basic elements and make the most of the
insights is always a great angle to take. This coding cheat sheet from
ZeroTurnaround is a perfect example.
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Tip #3: simplicity also works for the context of a
topic, not just the copy of the post

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Financial Services

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Tip #1: pay attention to trends
Fintech, or financial services technology, is a big topic in an industry that is as
prime for disruption as travel or transportation. Deloitte capitalizes on this
trending topic with a nice visualization and localization for a specific country.

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When it comes to catching a members’ attention in the LinkedIn feed,
a great, contextual image works just as well as it does on Instagram,
Pinterest, Twitter, etc.
Tip #2: images, images, images

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In fact, it can be a useful tool for communicating a lot of data in a short amount of
space. Both of these examples do a great job of generating interest in, and
conversation around, complex global business issues.
Tip #3: the infographic is not dead

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Retail/consumer goods

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Tip #1: go behind the scenes
Everyone loves an exclusive. An insider look at your company, your offices, your
fashion shows, or your business decisions can generate interest from within your
own industry but also from your customers and prospects.

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According to marketing services company Regalix, LinkedIn is used for product
launches by 81% of B2B marketers. Wine and spirits company Diageo created a
vibrant, exciting post to announce a new Guinness product, appealing to the
consumer side of the working world.
Tip #2: professionals are consumers, too

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If you want to demonstrate that your brand cares about something, enlist the help
of the employees actually supporting the initiative. Personal voices stand out
more on social media, and this post by Unilever promoting an article by an
employee is a nice mix of brand and employee messaging.
Tip #3: corporate social responsibility
is more than just policy

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