I interviewed LinkedIn pros and learned 11 things about lead generation on the platform

This story started with a request from our director of marketing, Dave Fallarme: “Yo SQ, let’s try to figure out if we could get traffic from LinkedIn back to the blog.”

This one question led me down the rabbit hole of LinkedIn marketing and how to get traffic, generate leads, and build a brand. This was the result:

Not too shabby, I think. But I didn’t do this alone. My knowledge about LinkedIn and its mysterious algorithm came from reading countless case studies and interviewing experts who’ve figured out the platform.

The result? This list of tips to help you generate more leads. Keep reading.

Optimize your LinkedIn profile

Your LinkedIn profile is like your company homepage. You can have the best content in the world, but if your homepage does not communicate its value proposition, you will lose your customer’s interest. As Josh Fechter, founder of Badass Marketers and Founders puts it, “When people look at your profile, they decide whether you’re worth connecting with in several seconds.”

LinkedIn is still a platform for professionals, which means your pictures must look professional.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be in a suit and tie to convey “professionalism.” As long as the photo is professionally taken and you look good, it’ll work.

Then, you have to optimize your cover photo. According to Fechter, there are three kinds of photos that will increase your add-back percentage:

1. You with a relevant influencer in your industry
2. You speaking in front of prospects
3. You at a local landmark (this only works if you’re connecting with people in your city)

An example of a photo with a relevant influencer:

Speaking in front of prospects:

Get endorsements from your LinkedIn connections

Get more recommendations

Build your connections

Be consistent

Know the formats that work on LinkedIn

How to format a viral LinkedIn post

Engage and interact

Leverage influencers

Use engagement posts to turn followers into emails

Use video

No reason to struggle