Is LinkedIn currently being used as a marketing channel by brands in Saudi? The short answer is mostly no, but let’s take a deeper dive into the platform, how it is being used and how it should be used in Saudi.
LinkedIn is the go-to platform when it comes to professional content, job hunting, business-to-business (B2B) marketing and much more across the globe, with potential ad reach of more than 800 million people. However, being popular on a global scale doesn’t guarantee success in the Saudi market, given its unique culture and demographics.
Are you ready for Ramadan? Join us at our Ramadan breakfast briefing to find out how old and new technologies and media are helping brands engage and interact better during the Holy Month.
Is LinkedIn meant to be a marketing channel?
LinkedIn pages are set up to position the platform as a marketing channel, allowing companies to post industry updates and job opportunities, showing what it is like to work at the company and much more. LinkedIn pages also offer great organic reach and allow companies to be thought leaders in their field while attracting
top talent.
How do Saudis use LinkedIn?
With a potential audience of more than 5 million LinkedIn users in Saudi, there are a number of ways that Saudis use the platform. These range from consuming work-related content to job hunting, building a personal brand, conducting B2B marketing, expanding their professional network, staying up to date with the latest updates in their respective industries and more.
How are brands using LinkedIn in Saudi?
Most brands underutilise LinkedIn as a marketing channel, whether by only using it for recruitment, occasionally posting corporate updates or not being present on the platform at all.
49 per cent of people asked on LinkedIn whether Saudi brands post enough content on the platform answered with ‘no’, while just above 40 per cent answered that some brands do, and only about 7 per cent said that most brands do (close to 3 per cent had different answers). This shows that there is a need for more LinkedIn content from brands in Saudi.
LinkedIn’s golden era
We are witnessing the golden era of organic reach on LinkedIn. Brands and individuals must take advantage of this organic reach that is not rivalled by most other social media platforms, while keeping in mind that it can’t last forever, as platforms tend to lower organic reach once the ad space gets more and more crowded.
How to build a following on LinkedIn
Building an active community differs from one social media platform to another. When it comes to LinkedIn, understanding the professional nature of the platform is a crucial part of succeeding on the platform.
A successful LinkedIn strategy needs to incorporate the professional nature of the platform by specifying the interests of audience segments and their content consumption habits.
Having understood the nature of the platform, it is time to dive deeper into your audience insights. Staying up to date with the latest trends in your industry, the most influential people and popular job roles that are relevant, while engaging with your community, gives you an indication of what type of content your community wants to engage in. With more than 78 per cent of LinkedIn users in Saudi being male, this may vary from one industry to another, which should also be taken into account when working on a LinkedIn content strategy.
After understanding the platform and the type of content that people want to consume on LinkedIn, it is time to start creating valuable content that either educates, entertains or relates to your audience. Some brands are starting to use a more humorous approach on LinkedIn, with a work-related twist, and users have engaged with it, but the majority of content on LinkedIn still remains purely work-related. Having said that, brands shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content and, while showing the faces behind the brand, adding a personal touch behind just the brand’s name. Different formats of content – ranging from text posts to polls, static images and videos – should all be part of your content strategy.
Once you start publishing content that is relevant to your niche and the local community in Saudi, it is crucial to listen to your audience. Track what worked and what didn’t through LinkedIn analytics and your followers’ feedback but don’t be discouraged if you don’t start as strong as expected. Continue creating, adding value and letting feedback guide you as you proceed.
