How to Get B2B Leads Organically from LinkedIn

LinkedIn has played a vital role in marketing for B2B companies. It has evolved from a resume and job search platform to one that connects businesses with target audiences.

If B2B leads have become a top priority, LinkedIn is where you should be.

Why B2B LinkedIn Leads Should Be Part of Your Strategy

Generating organic leads in any channel has its advantages over paid ones. Paid ads help you reach an intended group, but those visitors may not always qualify as an MQL (marketing-qualified lead).

Those you attract with organic posts on LinkedIn have the potential to become your next customers. They found you, which signals awareness and intention.

Organic posts can share gated content, webinar registrations and bottom-funnel CTAs. A click and conversion moves them into your sales cycle.

With over one billion members and 30% of U.S. adults using it, the site gets plenty of traffic. Many in this group have ownership over business decisions, with 80% of people on the site in this position.

40% of LinkedIn visitors use the site to engage with content organically.

All these data points have equated to acquiring more B2B leads.

6 Strategies to Generate Organic B2B Leads

As with any marketing initiative, you should develop a strategy for B2B leads on LinkedIn. The following are proven ways to grow organic reach and performance.

1. Optimize Your Profile For More LinkedIn Leads

The first place to start is your profile. A complete, optimized profile becomes a pipeline for B2B leads.

Enhance your profile for lead generation by working on these areas.

Headline

It’s a short sentence that appears right under your company name. It should be much more than a title.

Make it clear, concise and benefit-driven. Hook visitors with how you help them and why you’re a great choice for their needs.

Here’s an example:

• Standard: Sales Engineer at ABC Company
• Optimized: Delivering innovative solutions and technology expertise to companies seeking seamless operations

Profile and Banner Photos

It’s crucial to upload high-quality images on your LinkedIn profile. The absence of these may make people skeptical about following your content. Your headshot should be professional and clear.

Banner images are another opportunity to tell a quick story with business-related imagery or catchy taglines.

About

This section is your summary. You can expand on the value proposition created in your headline. Get specific about how you help customers by detailing solutions, addressing challenges and telling a story with data.

Business Information

Connect your profile to your business by adding it to the Experience section. This content can include the company’s elevator pitch and how you deliver solutions to your industry.

2. Upload Videos

Video has the power to engage watchers and tell a story. Adding one to your profile may be a catalyst for more B2B leads.

LinkedIn has stated that videos get five times more engagement. Including one on your profile can get the attention of your intended audience.

There are lots of types of videos you could add, including:

• A video featuring you talking about a product, solution or challenge
• Animated explainer videos that simplify a complex topic
• Product demos

To translate video views into B2B leads, make sure it’s high-quality and includes a CTA to capture the person’s information.

3. Grow Your Network

A growing LinkedIn network ensures that more people see your posts. There are several ways to expand your connections.

Some tips include the following:

• Request to connect with anyone you have a professional interaction with; add an introductory note and be sure to include how you met.
• Use search to find people within the industry and with titles most aligned with your target audience. Once you identify them, send them a personalized note explaining why you want to connect.
• Look for people who are a second connection, meaning you have connections in common. They may be familiar to you and vice versa.

4. Join Groups

Joining groups has also been a proven way to increase B2B LinkedIn leads. The only drawback is that you can only be a member of 50, so choose wisely.

Seek out those groups where your target market spends time. They should also be relevant to what you represent.

For example, as a sales engineer, you’d look for groups related to your software category.

Once you become a group member, be active in the group, but not in a salesy way. Instead, monitor for questions people ask. You may have some insight to share. If your company has specific content on the discussion point, share it.

Another way to engage in groups is by asking questions about pain points or other problems common among your B2B customers. It can start a dialogue that interests them more in what you do and how you can help.

5. Ask for Recommendations

Recommendations have the power to give you legitimacy and credibility. It’s an area that many people visiting your profile will review. They represent social proof that you have the knowledge and expertise to become their partner.

You can solicit recommendations from former and current customers, colleagues and peers. Use the “Ask for Recommendations” feature.

6. Post Content

Lastly, you’ll generate more LinkedIn leads by consistently sharing content. Put to use all the great content your organization develops. Select content that will deliver value to potential B2B leads and be highly engaging.

Don’t just post the link. Add some commentary about why someone should check out this resource.

If they click and move to your website, they can now convert.

While original content is the quickest way to a conversion, post other content from publications, associations, and thought leaders that are important to your audience. Doing so demonstrates that you’re keeping a pulse on what’s happening.