The document provides guidance on creating engaging content on LinkedIn. It discusses key tenants of content success including providing context, focusing on helping readers rather than selling, understanding native formats, and being mobile-first. Examples are given of top performing sponsored updates on LinkedIn, analyzing what makes them engaging. Effective content is said to match the context, solve problems for readers, and create memorable experiences.

1. #linkedindaba2015

2. Native Content, Not Just Native
Advertising
​Sam Parker
Partner Account Director
LinkedIn

3. Which of these is NOT content marketing?
1 2 3

4. Native Advertising not content marketing

5. Why content marketing?
5

6. Attention is a Currency
Two-thirds of us get our news on Twitter and Facebook
In the last 30 years, we have produced more information than
since the beginning of time.
At the same time, attention spans are down to 8 seconds and
falling.
We suffer from Infobesity: 4.6bn pieces of content are
produced daily

7. The new buyers’ journey

8. 8
Helping Professionals Be More Productive And
Successful
Jobs
Content
7X
Content pages
receive 7X more
page views than
job pages on LinkedIn.

9. 9
Why content on LinkedIn?

10. Connect the world’s professionals
to make them more productive
and successful
Mission

11. 11
How do we do this?

12. For members
stay informedstay connected get hired

13. Spend TimeInvest Time
The manifestation of the “professional
mindset”…
LinkedIn Trending Facebook Trending Twitter
Trending
Recruiting Kristen Stewart #RachelDolezal
Social Media Marketing Khloe and Lamar #XboxE3
Employee Engagement Family Guy #MondayMotivation
Self-Esteem Farrah Abraham #NationalExDay
Student Financial Aid NAACP Jurassic World
Lean Manufacturing Will Ferrell Tom Brady
Cloud Computing Oak Island, NC #liamdefensesquad
Integrated Marketing Mykki Blanco Smash Mouth
Sales Game of Thrones Plants vs
Zombies

14. The Professional Mindset
14
4
The Aspirational Mindset

15. Helpful content works

16. But people still want to be inspired

17. And entertained. Even on LinkedIn.

18. 4 Key Tenants to Content Success
1. Content
Context is
King

19. 19
As John Le Carré once put it: "the cat sat on the mat" is
not a story….
But….
"the cat sat on the dog's mat” is
– (or could be!)

20. SOCIAL NETWORK ASSOCIATION WITH, “A TRUSTWORTHY
SOURCE OF PROFESSIONAL CONTENT”
(AMONG FREQUENT / OCCASIONAL PROFESSIONAL USERS)
40%
71%
31%
Professional context= trust

21. 4 Key Tenants to Content Success
2. Always be
helping, not
always be
closing

22. 22
Leverage data
What my audience cares about What my company has to say

23. 4 Key Tenants to Content Success
3.
Understand
“Native”

24. Native is more than just an ad format. It
goes back to matching context- being
helpful, inspirational, and aspirational.

25. 25
Leveraging LinkedIn’s data
Profile data drives relevancy
Early start-up exec
Finance exec VS.

26. 4 Key Tenants to Content Success
4. Mobile
First

27. 27
Mobile First
We check our phones 110 times a day?
Employees check email 30 times every hour.
Social media has overtaken everything online as the #1 activity
on the web.
In 2 years, online video will make up 70% of consumer internet
traffic

28. More than 70% of engagement
with sponsored updates comes
from mobile

29. 29
Take Advantage of Native Publishing
Opportunities
Influencers
The New Publishing
Platform
SlideShare

30. 30
When a piece of content works, repurpose into
multiple native formats
195,000Views!
15,000Views

31. Updates to followers, Sponsored Updates, Employee Shares, Pulse
And Native goes beyond sponsored: 4 ways to get
your content in the mobile feed

32. Remarkable Content is the
Answer
Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and
generates about 3 times as many leads.
B2B companies that blog generate 67% more leads per month
than those who do not blog.
37% of marketers say blogs are the most valuable type of content
marketing.

33. Remarkable Content is the
Answer
72% of marketers think that branded content is more effective
than magazine advertisements and 69% say it’s superior to direct
mail and PR.
“We can do a lot better business if we don’t try to fit in. If we’re
where we fit, we belong.” Chris Brogan

34. Effective content can have a low barrier to entry

35. In A Nutshell

36. Spend TimeInvest Time
Mindset matters. Match the content to the
context, not just the ad format
LinkedIn Trending Facebook Trending Twitter
Trending
Recruiting Kristen Stewart #RachelDolezal
Social Media Marketing Khloe and Lamar #XboxE3
Employee Engagement Family Guy #MondayMotivation
Self-Esteem Farrah Abraham #NationalExDay
Student Financial Aid NAACP Jurassic World
Lean Manufacturing Will Ferrell Tom Brady
Cloud Computing Oak Island, NC #liamdefensesquad
Integrated Marketing Mykki Blanco Smash Mouth
Sales Game of Thrones Plants vs
Zombies

37. Attention is a Gift
We think of our work as just “content”.
We think of “marketing” as the publishing of said content.
We MUST think about the human aspects of engagement.
Most consumers are vaccinated against mediocre content.

38. Success Starts with Intent
1. Be impartial.
2. Answer questions and solve problems.
3. Listen, respond and be helpful.
4. Make people smile, laugh and sometimes give them pause.
5. Design engagement and customer journeys across screens,
platforms and networks so they are seamless.
6. Create experiences that are delightful, memorable and
shareable.

39. ©2014 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.©2014 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 39

40. Top Sponsored Updates
​ Q3 2015

41. ​ Top sponsored updates for EMEA, served at least 25,000 impressions, and are ranked
by engagement rate. Engagement rate includes clicks + social actions.
Methodology
41

42. Top Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Uses list format, which clearly
articulates the value exchange
• Publishes into the cultural
conversation around gender equality
42

43. Top Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Provides useful and actionable advice
in-feed
• Strong custom image – people
process images 60,000x faster
43

44. Top Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Address the reader directly with a
question
• Stays focused on reader benefit –
uses you/your three times
• Excellent, attention arresting,
custom image
44

45. Top Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Irresistible creative brought to life
with compelling image / headline
• Strong call-to-action
45

46. Top EDU Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Simplifies complex story by using an
infographic
• Focuses on topic – management –
that appeals to potential applicants
46

47. Top Tech Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Excellent, attention arresting image
• Addresses the member directly and
explains how SAP can help s/he
47

48. Top Tech Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Employs curated content to engage
reader and build brand
• Capitalizes on reader interest in
professional productivity
48

49. Top Finance Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Plays on human interest in
understand what is new and ‘first’
• Rewards reader by making s/he
smarter about emerging opportunities
49

50. Top Business Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
​Uses 3 best practices for generating
engagement:
• Infographics
• Statistics in the intro copy
• Short intro copy with a clear link or CTA
50

51. Top Business Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• Provides an industry perspective
directly from a top industry expert
• Draws attention with a visual
quotation that invites further reading
51

52. Top Business Updates - Q3 2015
​WHAT MAKES IT ENGAGING?
• The title appeals to a common
experience
• The intro copy is short and engages
with a question
• The visual adds context to the post
52