ArticleOctober 27, 2011

LinkedIn To Marketers: Gather Ye Followers Now

Now that LinkedIn has achieved brand-friendly status with 120 million professional members worldwide, the social network for professionals is now focused on pursuing advertising partners and promoting its new “Follow Company” feature that allows members to follow specific brands. Adweek.com reported on the details of this social-media marketing move.

According to LinkedIn, now is the time for brands worldwide to invest in their follower and fan bases. Those that don’t will be at a major competitive disadvantage in the coming years. LinkedIn advised advertisers that attracting followers now will cost much less than courting them down the road, when they may have to be lured away from rival brands they had already chosen to follow.

While sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer similar features, LinkedIn realized that its audience of well-educated and more affluent business professionals was the coveted target of companies promoting financial services, business travel, small business products and other professional resources. This was the rationale that led to the development of the social network’s “Follow Company” feature.

Now LinkedIn is focused on increasing member engagement and encouraging use of its follow feature in an effort to attract advertisers to the platform. Recent efforts have included the introduction of new member features such as LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Today, which spotlight member activity and relevant business content on a regular basis. With its new brand-centric feature and push to increase engagement, LinkedIn is striving to establish itself as a smart advertising alternative for brands seeking to reach a more specialized, professional audience.

If you’re interested in learning how social media can expand your brand following, contact MDG Advertising.

MDG Advertising, a full-service Florida advertising agency with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, specializes in developing targeted Internet marketing solutions, exceptional creative executions and solid branding and media buying strategies that give clients a competitive advantage. Our core capabilities include print advertising, branding, logo design, creative, digital marketing, media planning and buying, TV and radio advertising, customer relationship management, inbound marketing programs, public relations, Web design and development, email marketing, social media marketing and SEO. View MDG Advertising’s creative marketing portfolio.