Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn: How B2B Brands Succeed on Social Media

Engaging with social media content is like striking up a conversation with a stranger at a party – it’s all about making a connection. On LinkedIn, engagement is all about the ways users interact with content, such as clicking to read more, swiping through carousels, watching videos, and liking, commenting on, and sharing posts.

When it comes to engagement, LinkedIn is a standout platform. In fact, our research showed that LinkedIn had the most likes and comments per post compared to all other businesses we studied.

However, LinkedIn also has an advantage because it can prioritise its own content in algorithms that determine when, where, and to whom content is shown. This means that LinkedIn’s own content statistics may not be the most useful for your business.

But don’t despair! By analysing the data, we discovered that certain types of content generate the majority of engagement across all industries. Content related to equal opportunities, social responsibility, and technological advancement were the top performers.

Digging deeper, we found that SaaS companies had the highest engagement rates compared to professional services companies. This is likely due to the industry insights and trending topics like artificial intelligence that SaaS companies often share. Shopify, for example, provides valuable content for its millions of e-commerce users.

On the other hand, companies in the lower engagement verticals did not see the same level of interaction, even when their most popular content was related to equity and social responsibility.

So how can you ensure your content is engaging? It’s all about creating a connection with your audience:

1. Share valuable insights
2. Highlight your company’s social responsibility efforts, and
3. Showcase the latest advancements in your industry.

And remember, likes and comments are important, but they’re not the only metrics that matter. Focus on meaningful engagement with your target audience, and you’ll see your social media presence grow.

Consistency is key on LinkedIn, and it’s not just about having a presence on the platform, but also posting regularly to ensure your content is seen by users.

In our study, we analysed the post frequency of 31 companies across various verticals and found that Professional Services had the highest frequency of posts, averaging 34 per week, followed by SaaS with 12 and Finance & Insurance with 9.

However, it’s important to note that posting more frequently doesn’t necessarily lead to more engagement. In fact, when we normalise the data based on account follower numbers, we found that the most frequent poster, McKinsey, did not perform well in terms of comments or likes. On the other hand, Allianz, which posted less frequently, performed best.

Finding the right balance between posting too frequently and too infrequently can be tricky, and it varies across different industries. However, brands can benchmark their posting frequency against others in their market to find the sweet spot.

Remember, just like in real life, showing up consistently is key to building relationships and staying top of mind. So, make sure to keep your LinkedIn page regularly updated with engaging content.

Professional services companies face a unique challenge on LinkedIn. With large followings and frequent posts, their ratio of followers to engagement tends to be lower than other verticals.

However, we found that the most engaging posts in this vertical were static images or short videos, with a focus on events, industry insights, and product benefits.

Tableau was the standout performer in this vertical, with an impressive average of 62 likes and 1 comment per post. They achieved this by sharing content about events and industry insights, as well as highlighting the benefits of their product. Other companies in this vertical can learn from Tableau’s success.

• The average number of likes per post in this vertical is 22 per 100k followers, and the average number of comments is 0.77 per 100k followers.
• One of the key findings we discovered among professional services companies is the importance of relatable content. Sharing quotes about work or general thoughts is a great way to generate engagement, as is content about equity and social responsibility.

As the table shows, AON and Mercer have the highest engagement rates, while Mercer has the highest post frequency. Overall, the companies in this vertical prioritise thought leadership, insights, and events in their content. They also recognize the importance of social responsibility and equity in generating engagement.

In the world of telecom, where connectivity is key, social media plays a crucial role in keeping customers informed about the latest news, updates, and products. But with so much competition, what sets apart the best performers from the rest?

According to our analysis, GoDaddy is the clear winner in this vertical. They use more video content than their competitors, with all videos being exclusively under one minute. Their top-performing post is about creating branding that truly connects with customers. However, their posting frequency is not consistent, and they often go through periods of no activity.

Vodafone, on the other hand, is the most active in the vertical, posting an average of 15 times per week. While they also use a wide range of video content, their mix includes both videos under and over one minute in length. However, their performance in terms of comments is lacking, making them the worst performer in that category.

AT&T falls in the middle of the pack with an average of 10 posts per week. Their content focuses on employees’ milestones, equity, company updates, and events, but their performance in both likes and comments is the lowest among the three companies.

When it comes to engagement on social media, it’s not just about the number of posts.

• Our analysis found that the average likes per post for 100k followers is 18.
• While the average comments per post for 100k followers is 0.6.

One interesting trend we noticed across all companies in this vertical is that they avoid creating commercial content. Instead, they focus on developing content about their workforce, equity support, and events that may help other members on their projects with a different perspective that can be very useful. This approach exemplifies their corporate culture and values.

As we delve into the world of fintech, we can see that Monzo and AmEx (even though America Express is an established brand, their alliances with tech qualify them as a fintech pioneer in many ways) stand out as the top performers, with their well-known brand images and easy-to-digest content. Both companies have an impressive number of likes per 100k followers, with Monzo leading the pack at 309.33 and AmEx following closely behind at 54.33.

Interestingly, neither company posts video content, but this hasn’t hindered their success. However, when we look at the worst-performing company in this vertical, Revolut, we see that they also don’t use video content, but their engagement rates are significantly lower.

• On average, the number of likes per post for a 100k follower is 67.2.
• The average number of comments per post is 1.78.

This indicates that engagement rates in the fintech industry are relatively low, but Monzo and AmEx have managed to defy the odds and achieve high levels of engagement.

When we look at the types of content used by companies in this vertical, we can see that they tend to use content created by others, such as reposts, company updates, and insights. However, the frequency and style of these posts vary among the different companies. Wise, for example, posts about their products, while Revolut focuses on events and company milestones.

Let’s take a closer look at the key stats of the companies we’ve discussed in the table below:

The FinTech industry is evolving rapidly, and companies need to be strategic in their approach to engage their audience. Monzo and AmEx have shown that a strong brand image and easy-to-digest content can lead to high levels of engagement. However, it’s also important to experiment with different types of content and posting frequency to find what works best for your audience.