LinkedIn is more than just a digital resume platform, it’s a powerhouse for B2B marketing.
With over 900 million users and a strong focus on professional content, it remains the top social network for B2B lead generation.
But simply having a presence isn’t enough.
Here are the top five LinkedIn strategies every B2B company should implement to build brand authority and drive results.
1. Position Your People as Thought Leaders
Employees are the new influencers.
The algorithm favours personal profiles over company pages, making your team your biggest asset.
Encourage executives, sales leads, and client-facing staff to post original insights, comment on industry trends, and share behind-the-scenes content.
Tip: Equip them with a weekly content calendar and pre-written post templates.
2. Optimise Company and Personal Profiles for SEO
Social SEO is a thing.
Your LinkedIn profile and company page are searchable both within LinkedIn and through Google.
Ensure headlines, bios, and job descriptions include relevant keywords, such as "B2B marketing," "SaaS lead generation," or "construction consulting."
Tip: Use tools like Ubersuggest or AnswerThePublic to find relevant phrases your audience is searching for.
3. Use Native Content and Video
LinkedIn prioritises native content (posts, documents, videos uploaded directly) over external links.
Use this to your advantage with slide decks, infographics, 1-minute thought leadership videos, and poll questions.
Tip: Use LinkedIn's document sharing tool to post whitepapers and guides as swipe-through PDFs.
Another Tip: Having LinkedIn caption your video on platform further aids SEO!
4. Engage Consistently with Comments and DMs
You can’t just post and hope.
LinkedIn rewards active, genuine engagement.
When your team regularly comments on other posts, replies to inbound messages, and tags others in relevant discussions, your visibility increases.
Tip: Set aside 15 minutes a day for this, it compounds over time.
5. Run Targeted Ad Campaigns to Amplify Winning Content
Invest into the platform if it’s working for you.
Boost top-performing posts to a highly defined audience.
LinkedIn Ads allow you to target by job title, company size, industry, and more, ideal for lead gen.
Tip: Test ads with multiple creatives, then double down on the highest-converting version. The thought leader ads are worth a look!
Final Thought
When used with a clear strategy, LinkedIn is a lead generation engine for B2B companies.
Start by empowering your team to show up as experts, optimise every touchpoint for search, and keep your engagement consistent.
Need help developing a LinkedIn strategy for your team?
Get in touch with Social Advantage™ today.
In today’s hyper-connected world, people trust people more than logos.
That’s why personal branding has emerged as a powerful growth engine for businesses, especially in B2B industries.
When founders, executives, and client-facing team members actively build their personal brands online, the ripple effect benefits the entire organisation.
1. Personal Branding Builds Trust and Credibility
Potential clients are more likely to trust a human face than a faceless company.
A visible, consistent online presence helps decision-makers feel confident in your expertise and values before the first conversation.
Example: A founder who shares weekly insights on LinkedIn demonstrates thought leadership and approachability, making prospects more likely to engage.
2. Personal Branding Shortens the Sales Cycle
When potential clients already know, like, and trust you through your online presence, the need for heavy selling decreases.
By the time they book a discovery call, they’re often further down the decision-making process.
Tip: Use social proof (testimonials, case studies, interviews) in your personal content to speed up this journey.
3. Personal Branding Attracts Better Clients and Talent
A strong personal brand naturally repels the wrong people and attracts the right ones.
Whether it’s new business or top-tier hires, people want to work with leaders who are clear about who they are and what they stand for.
Example: Executives with a distinct voice and visible values are more likely to attract aligned partners and talent.
4. Personal Branding Drives Website Traffic and Inbound Leads
A compelling personal brand draws traffic back to your company’s website, especially when your content includes clear calls to action.
Over time, this increases organic visibility and lead generation.
Tip: End LinkedIn posts with prompts like "Read more on our blog" or "Book a strategy call here."
5. Personal Branding Future-Proofs Your Business
Market dynamics change, but relationships last.
A well-built personal brand creates long-term visibility, opens up speaking opportunities, and insulates your business from platform changes or marketing budget cuts.
Final Thoughts
Investing in personal branding isn’t just about ego or attention, it’s a strategic move to grow your business.
If you want to build a brand that opens doors, earns trust, and drives real growth, start with the people behind the logo.
Want help developing a personal branding strategy for your team?
Social Advantage™ specialises in helping founders and executives grow online authority that converts.
Reach out to us today.
We’re thrilled to announce that the Social Advantage™ team has officially welcomed Darren Gosling as our new Account and Project Manager.
Darren’s appointment marks an exciting milestone for Social Advantage™ as we continue to strengthen our account management capabilities and expand our offering as a leading B2B social media marketing agency.
For many of our clients and partners, Darren will be a familiar face. He has supported Social Advantage™ behind the scenes for several years, working closely with us on a freelance basis in project management and client delivery roles. His deep understanding of our business, clients, and ways of working makes him the perfect addition to our full-time team.
Founder and Managing Director Jack Longman commented:
“Darren has been with us ‘in the trenches’ for quite some time now. When we began looking for an Account Manager to bring on board, I was over the moon when Darren applied. For him to show so much faith in what we’re building, so much so that he was prepared to give up his freelance commitments and join us full-time, it blew me away.”
With a proven track record of delivering high-quality work and maintaining exceptional client relationships, Darren will play a central role in managing Social Advantage™’s client accounts, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to an exceptional standard. His focus on client service excellence aligns perfectly with the values that have helped Social Advantage™ become one of the UK’s most trusted social media agencies for B2B brands.
As Account and Project Manager, Darren will work alongside Founder Jack Longman and the wider Social Advantage™ team to:
✅ Oversee client relationships and project delivery
✅ Coordinate internal teams and creative workflows
✅ Ensure that all client work aligns with their commercial goals
✅ Drive continuous improvement in client satisfaction and agency processes
Jack adds:
“Darren is an incredible asset to the Social Advantage™ team. He’s dedicated to providing the best possible service to our clients, and I’m looking forward to having him as my right-hand man as we continue to grow.”
This appointment comes at a pivotal time for Social Advantage™, as we continue to expand our portfolio of social media management, personal branding, and content creation services for B2B businesses across sectors such as technology, property, events, and creative industries.
We’re proud to welcome Darren on board and can’t wait to see the positive impact he’ll have on both our clients and our team.
Stay connected
To keep up with the latest news from Social Advantage™, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter, The Social Advantage™.
Welcome to the April edition of The Social Advantage™ – your monthly insight into the latest social platform experiments, feature rollouts, and algorithm winks that matter for B2B brands and marketers.
This month: LinkedIn doubles down on creators, Instagram gets smarter with insights and editing tools, and there’s a cheeky new lockable post test. Let’s dive in 👇
LinkedIn has unveiled a shiny new mini-site packed with creator tips, designed to help professionals build better content and grow their audience. Think of it like Instagram’s creator guides – but tailored for the B2B crowd.
This move reinforces LinkedIn’s mission to nurture a creator class on the platform, and if they get it right, we could see more engaging, high-value content (and fewer boring pitch posts).
Why it matters: LinkedIn is actively investing in its creator ecosystem, following in the footsteps of Instagram and TikTok. That means better content, more competition, and new tools to help standout voices rise to the top.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’ve been on the fence about building a personal brand on LinkedIn – this is your nudge. LinkedIn wants creators. They’re supporting them. And the earlier you start, the easier it’ll be to stand out.
Source: Andy Lambert
Instagram is testing a new monthly performance summary designed to help creators stay in tune with what’s working on their profiles. Think of it like Spotify Wrapped, but for your Reels and posts.
Some users are now seeing a prompt to view their monthly recap, which opens up into a Story-style, full-screen carousel showing:
Why it matters: Sure, most of this info already lives in the Insights tab, but let’s be honest – hardly anyone checks it regularly. By turning it into a visual, mobile-friendly monthly moment, Instagram is making it easier for creators to track progress and adjust their strategy on the go.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’re using Instagram for employer branding, customer storytelling, or culture content – this is a helpful prompt to keep performance top of mind. The addition of active times and tailored tips could be especially handy for fine-tuning your posting schedule.
Source: Social Media Today
Instagram is trialling a new format called “locked posts” – and it’s exactly what it sounds like. To view the content, followers need to enter a secret code.
This is part of Meta’s push toward more private, engaged interactions on the platform – similar to the “Reveal” sticker for Stories, where users had to DM the creator to unlock content.
But this new format encourages a different behaviour: the code must be sourced externally (via email, DM, event, website, etc.), giving creators and brands a powerful way to gate content for specific audiences.
Why it matters: This could open up a whole new style of Instagram engagement. Imagine using it to share discount codes with VIP customers, exclusive behind-the-scenes content with email subscribers, or sneak peeks of product launches for community members.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: This is a big opportunity for segmentation. If it rolls out widely, it could become a smart way to reward loyal followers, tease gated content, or drive newsletter signups directly from Instagram. Definitely one to watch.
Source: Social Media Today
New data from LinkedIn shows that all post types are seeing more impressions, but some are pulling more weight than others:
Why it matters: Engagement isn’t just a vanity metric. It affects reach, relevance, and long-term visibility. And now we know which formats actually move the needle.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’re in content planning mode, this is gold. Want engagement? Try a quick poll. Need shares? Turn your blog into a document post. The key is to mix up your formats to match your goal – and test what works for your audience.
Source: Andy Lambert
Instagram just launched Edits, a free video editing app designed to go toe-to-toe with TikTok’s CapCut.
The app includes project management tools, advanced editing features, and AI-powered effects, such as:
It’s designed with creators in mind – not casual video editors – and allows for more polished storytelling that goes beyond Instagram’s in-app capabilities.
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has acknowledged the similarities with CapCut but said Edits will focus on offering a broader range of tools for a smaller, more serious creator base. Future updates promise even more pro-level functionality, including keyframe control.
Why it matters: The short-form video arms race is heating up. With TikTok and CapCut dominating the editing scene, Meta is betting big on giving creators better tools within its own ecosystem. Expect a lot more high-quality Reels – and fewer grainy, over-filtered reposts.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’re producing educational or promotional videos for Reels, Edits could help you do more without outsourcing or juggling third-party tools. Keep an eye out as collaboration tools roll out – it could even make client testimonials or team-produced content easier to manage.
Source: The Verge
If you’re feeling slightly overwhelmed but also quietly excited, you’re not alone. The platforms keep evolving, and we’ll keep decoding it for you.
Got a question, comment, or panic moment about anything you read? You know where to find us.
Until next time 👋
— Team Social Advantage™
Welcome to the March edition of The Social Advantage™ – my monthly round-up of the biggest social media shifts, experiments and curveballs (because let’s be honest, there’s always something going on).
This month, I’m talking longer TikToks, some subtle-but-important changes on LinkedIn, and Instagram’s slightly odd foray into AI-generated comments.
Let’s dive in 👇
86% of videos posted to TikTok are still under the 60-second mark – but it turns out longer content is doing the heavy lifting.
According to Buffer, TikToks over 60 seconds get 43.2% more reach and 63.8% more watch time on average.
That’s a pretty clear sign that users are sticking around for longer content, and TikTok’s algorithm is rewarding it.
🧠 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’re using TikTok for brand storytelling or value-packed content, consider going longer. Test out 90-second explainers, behind-the-scenes series or customer case study clips.
Source: Buffer
If you’ve noticed the Video tab has vanished from your LinkedIn app recently, it’s not a glitch – it’s part of a wider test.
LinkedIn is rolling out a full-screen video experience globally and trialling different video placements. In some countries, this means temporarily removing the dedicated Video tab and replacing it with tweaks to the mobile navigation (e.g., moving the My Network tab and adding a central Post button).
Video views on LinkedIn are up 36% in the past year, and new features like immersive video playback and enhanced follow/discover tools are rolling out too.
🎯 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: LinkedIn is clearly still investing in video, even if the tab itself is disappearing for now. Keep creating scroll-stopping video content with strong openers, because it’s being baked more deeply into the main feed. Don’t expect a TikTok clone – but do expect more dynamic video experiences across desktop and mobile.
Source: Lindsey Gamble
Two popular sales engagement platforms – Apollo.io and Seamless.ai – disappeared from LinkedIn earlier this month.
Both platforms rely on Chrome extensions that help users pull data directly from LinkedIn – something that violates LinkedIn’s terms of service, which prohibit third-party scraping tools. And it looks like LinkedIn is cracking down.
On March 6th, both Apollo and Seamless were removed from the platform. Their company pages became inaccessible, although Apollo still appears in search. Click through, and… poof. Page not found.
Apollo has since confirmed it's “actively working with LinkedIn” to resolve the issue, stating the restriction doesn’t impact their core platform. Meanwhile, a G2 article covering the ban was mysteriously published, edited, and then removed – adding a bit of drama to the mix.
Why it matters: LinkedIn doesn’t make money by giving away access to its data—quite the opposite. It earns billions through Sales Navigator, Recruiter, and ad tools. So any automation platform that skirts around its data rules is likely to come under fire.
🎯 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you're using Chrome extensions or scraping tools to supercharge your lead gen – especially unapproved ones – it's time to reassess. LinkedIn is serious about protecting its ecosystem, and this latest move is a not-so-subtle warning. Play by the rules or risk losing access.
Source: Martech
According to Hootsuite, LinkedIn’s organic engagement is now outperforming every other major social platform.
That’s right – it’s beating Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
And to sweeten the deal, LinkedIn has just made it easier to grow your audience by improving its newsletter functionality. Expect better visibility, improved notifications for new issues, and more seamless subscriber growth.
🚀 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: If you’re not running a newsletter or regular thought-leadership series on LinkedIn yet… now’s the time. The reach is real, and the competition is still relatively low compared to email or Substack.
Source: Andy Lambert
Instagram is now experimenting with a feature that suggests AI-generated comments for users to post under Reels and images. So kind of the same way Gmail suggests email replies, but for your public personality.
A small group of users have spotted a new “pencil with a star” icon next to the comment field. Tap it, and you’ll get a list of auto-generated responses based on the content of the post, no brain power required.
Meta says the goal is to increase engagement by reducing friction. But there’s more: they’re also testing AI bot versions of users that can engage on your behalf, based on pre-set personality traits.
Why it matters: The idea is that more responses (even if AI-generated) could trigger real conversations. You get a dopamine hit, the algorithm sees activity, and the platform wins. But it begs the question – if no one’s actually talking, are we still being social?
🎯 Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: This is another step in the broader trend of AI-assisted interaction. It may feel unnatural now, but if comment suggestions become the norm (like they have on LinkedIn), don’t be surprised to see more people and brands using them to boost activity and stay visible. Just remember: your real voice still matters most.
Source: Social Media Today
That’s a wrap for March! As always, I’m keeping a close eye on what’s changing across the platforms so you don’t have to.
If anything here raised questions, sparked ideas, or made you panic just a little, drop me a message.
Always happy to chat.
Until next time 👋 – Jack
Growing a business is exciting, but let’s face it, marketing can sometimes feel like a bit of a maze.
Knowing the right strategies to drive growth, engage customers, and scale sustainably often requires more expertise than your in-house team may have.
Much like outsourcing your social media management, hiring a Fractional CMO can help bridge that gap.
A Fractional CMO is a part-time Chief Marketing Officer who brings senior-level expertise to your business without the full-time commitment.
They’re a great fit for businesses that need strategic leadership but aren’t quite ready to bring on an executive full-time.
I recently sat down with Natalie Binns , Growth Advisor and Fractional CMO at HeyGabbi , to talk about the benefits of hiring a Fractional CMO for your business.
Here’s what Natalie had to say about how bringing one on board can make a real impact:
The main benefit is flexibility.
A Fractional CMO gives businesses access to experienced marketing leadership without the cost of hiring someone full-time.
This is especially helpful for startups and SMEs that need guidance but don’t have the budget or workload for a permanent hire.
Another big advantage is perspective.
When you bring in a Fractional CMO, you get an outsider’s view. We’re not tied to the day-to-day operations, so we can offer fresh ideas and identify opportunities that might have been overlooked.
Typically, I see businesses that are scaling quickly or pivoting to a new product or new market, gain the most value.
They might’ve outgrown the capacity of their current team, but they’re not quite ready for a fully-fledged marketing department.
A Fractional CMO bridges that gap, helping them define their strategy, build processes and systems, align their marketing with business goals, and even mentor their small marketing team.
It really depends on the client’s needs, but I often start with:
The key is not just coming in to “fix” things but leaving the business stronger and more self-sufficient than before.
A successful social media campaign needs to have a long-term strategy that keeps your audience engaged.
Social media should be a conversation, not just a one-way broadcast.
Humour can be a great tool, but it needs to align with your brand’s values and your audience's expectations.
For example, while humour might work well on TikTok, LinkedIn audiences often prefer a more professional yet approachable tone. "Talk to your audience, not at them," Natalie explained, emphasising that engagement is key.
It’s also important to avoid overcomplicating messaging with buzzwords. Simplifying content helps break through the noise and grab attention in a fast-scrolling environment. “Educate don’t lecture”, Natalie added, highlighting that brands should offer valuable insights that respect their audience’s level of expertise rather than telling them their problems in a condescending way.
Social media should never be dismissed as just a “colouring in department” for flashy posts without substance.
Natalie pointed out that whilst some companies still view marketing as a cost centre, the right strategic approach can demonstrate the real value social media brings.
For early-stage businesses, starting lean with data-driven strategies can deliver measurable results without requiring a massive budget.
“It’s not about making pretty pictures; it’s about showing real results and growing a community,” Natalie explained.
Social media plays a central role in today’s marketing landscape, but for many businesses, it can feel overwhelming.
A Fractional CMO can help businesses refine their social media strategy by making sure it aligns with the broader marketing and business goals. In B2B, you need to engage with your audience in meaningful ways and generate leads.
By auditing current social media activities, identifying gaps, and implementing systems to ensure long-term growth, a Fractional CMO helps businesses stay consistent, create valuable content, and effectively measure results.
This is key to positioning the business as a trusted thought leader and building strong relationships with decision-makers.
I’d say think about your goals and challenges. If you’re struggling to grow, feeling like your marketing isn’t aligned with your business objectives, or simply need a more strategic approach, then a Fractional CMO can be a game-changer.
It’s also worth considering the cost-effectiveness. Hiring a full-time CMO can be expensive, but a fractional model allows you to access top-tier expertise without breaking the bank.
If you’d like to learn more about working with a Fractional CMO, you can connect with Natalie via LinkedIn or reach out directly through her website.
_________________________________________________________________
If social media feels like that one project you keep putting off, don’t stress. My agency, Social Advantage™, is here to help you turn those untapped platforms into powerful tools for growth.
📞 Book a call 🌐 Visit our website
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Welcome back to the first edition of The Social Advantage™ in 2025!
We thought we’d kick off the year with some key updates and discussions about social media that we've been keeping an eye on over the festive period:
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has teased a new AI-powered video editing feature on his profile called "Movie Gen", that will let users create dynamic and creative AI video content.
"I’m super excited about Movie Gen, our early AI research model that will let you change nearly any aspect of your videos with a simple text prompt. Hoping to bring this to Instagram next year. Let me know what you think."
This feature lets you add cool effects like changing backgrounds and outfits or even turning yourself into a Muppet...
Because... Of course! 😂
Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: The question here is: how will this trend evolve? Sure, it will enhance creativity, but will it lessen the human connection that social media once prided itself on? As AI features get more and more advanced on each platform, will users disengage or delve further? We’ll be keeping an eye on how the audience responds as these features develop.
Source: Adam Mosseri's Instagram
We've been keeping a close eye on the difference that hashtags make to content on multiple platforms, both through the work that we do for our clients at Social Advantage™, the performance of our own content and our research.
Basically... They don't seem to be making any difference any more.
(Disclaimer: We’re referring to hashtag performance on Instagram and LinkedIn here.)
Top experts are backing this up too:
"According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, while hashtags can help to align your posts with certain communities, which can have some discovery benefits, overall, the reach benefit of hashtags is virtually none, while LinkedIn expert Richard van der Blom has found, in his research, that hashtags also no longer help to expand post reach in that app either." (Social Media Today)
For the most part, hashtags on these platforms seem to now be a way of training AI on content posted on a particular topic, rather than increasing reach or engagement.
Hashtags no longer autofill as you type them on LinkedIn either, which I see as another sign of the platform deprioritising them.
As a matter of failsafe, we’re still using 3-5 broad, industry-relevant hashtags for clients on both platforms, but we’re regularly testing cutting them from posts completely, with little difference in the results.
Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: Focus on creating engaging, relevant content that speaks to your audience rather than relying solely on hashtags to drive engagement. Also, be sure to include keywords in your captions.
This is key as all social platforms move towards a "Social SEO" model with the rise of TikTok style "For You" search pages.
Let your content do the talking (#RIP).
Source: Social Media Today
With time seemingly running out for TikTok in the US, Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to prevent it from being banned in the country continues to keep the platform in the headlines.
While we await any definitive conclusions, the uncertainty around TikTok’s US future could have far-reaching implications on both short-form video content, career creators and global brand strategies.
Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: As the situation remains in flux, you might want to consider diversifying your short-form video strategy across multiple platforms, and don't put all your eggs in the TikTok basket just yet.
Source: Social Media Today
LinkedIn is testing a new feature that allows users to pay to 'boost' their personal posts, similar to the consumer-friendly version of Facebook.
This will provide another opportunity for professionals to extend their reach beyond organic engagement and directly influence their visibility on the platform.
Whilst LinkedIn's advertising platform is more costly than that of Meta and the other platforms, it has great targeting capabilities that are tailored to B2B.
This could be a great way to increase visibility for your personal brand, especially if you’re sharing insights, thought leadership, or personal experiences that align with your business objectives.
Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers:
Where we also feel like this will be used a lot will be with the rise of B2B influencers. Brands could sponsor content from influencers' personal LinkedIn pages that advocate for their product, service or brand.
Source: Social Media Today
"Comment "FREE GUIDE" below and I'll send it to you!"
Sound familiar?
It's a rising trend with many creators posting content on social media.
These posts are designed to spark interaction and gather leads.
There are even Chat Automation software companies like ManyChat, an official Meta partner that allows you to build sophisticated AI chatbots that allow you to take advantage of this style of engagement.
Why does it work?
Well, there are several reasons:
Takeaway for B2B Founders & Marketers: Whilst these tactics seem to be working for many creators on LinkedIn at present, as far as LinkedIn is concerned there's a fine balance between sparking interaction and "hidden selling".
If the algorithm catches what it believes to be "selling in disguise" it will deprioritise the offending content.
Make sure you're always leading with value and not coming across as too 'salesy.