How Government Organizations Succeed With Marketing on LinkedIn

Social media fundamentally changed how governments and the public interact with one another. Agencies use these platforms to make government more transparent and accessible. They’re even getting creative with their content, putting out engaging and humorous posts that bring awareness to important issues. 

While savvy marketing strategies in government have made a splash in civic engagement, there is still enormous untapped potential on the B2B side. 

Why Government Needs B2B Marketing

If you pair the words “government” and “marketing strategy” in a web search, you’ll find plenty of content advising organizations on marketing to government and a dearth of information about how government can market to business.

It’s time to change that. Government agencies conduct business with private entities across all sectors and play a vital role in promoting economic opportunities within the communities they serve. 

The unique ways in which government and business work together were elevated to greater visibility during the pandemic. Healthcare providers and nonprofits and government agencies worked together to promote public health programs and distribute resources. Restaurants were able to remain open through lockdowns by working with local governments to expand outdoor and curbside service. 

Outside of these extraordinary circumstances, there are countless reasons why businesses from real estate to childcare to industrial enterprises might need to stay informed about what is happening in government at the local, state, and federal levels. 

A strong B2B marketing plan for your government entity can help you gain: 

• Connections to professionals and businesses who will benefit from government programs
• Access to innovators and thought leaders who can bring new solutions to some of government’s biggest challenges
• Exposure to business leaders who are (or could become) key contributors to your economy
• High-profile allies and champions who will amplify your agency messaging
• Networking opportunities to ensure grant money reaches the organizations that need it most
• A broader field of organizations bidding on contracts

Get Started With Government Marketing on LinkedIn

We’ve put together a collection of government marketing best practices to help you get started, with tools and tips to set you off on the right path.

Start With a Foundation of Trust

Trust in government has always been subject to ebbs and flows. Building your digital presence on a platform known for being trustworthy will help you weather these shifts in public opinion.

LinkedIn has been rated the most trusted social media platform for five years in a row, earning the top spot in categories like legitimacy, community, and ad experience. 

This speaks volumes about what you can expect from the LinkedIn community. When users enter into a conversation with an understanding of mutual trust, quality discussion follows. 

The level of engagement with government entities on LinkedIn has remained positive, even through the highs and lows of the past few years. A sentiment analysis of U.S. Federal Government Company Page content on LinkedIn found that, even at the peak of the pandemic, 95% of comments on government content carried sentiment that was either positive (55%) or neutral (40%). 

Build Your Brand Where It Matters

Establishing your brand is the long game of digital marketing. It takes time and consistency, and it pays off with increased visibility and earned credibility.  

According to a DemandGen content study, 51% of B2B buyers prioritize the trustworthiness of the source of content they consume. That means that content you share on LinkedIn has an assumed value simply from being on our trusted platform. 

And LinkedIn is the platform that serves the business world. Seventy-one percent of corporate executives use LinkedIn and four out of five LinkedIn members drive business decisions at their organization. Being active in the LinkedIn community places your agency at the center of business. 

Ready to get started? It’s time to create your Page.

LinkedIn tool to use: LinkedIn Page

Best practices:

• Add your logo and a cover photo to your Page to increase visibility and create interest
• Use the overview section to clearly state your organization’s purpose and mission
• Complete all relevant organizational information fields so you are easy to find when members conduct a search
• Customize your call-to-action button to align with your goals 

Tip: Completed LinkedIn Pages get 30% more weekly views.

Be a Part of the Community

LinkedIn’s member community consists of highly-engaged professionals from across a diverse set of industries and institutions. Engaging with this community is an excellent way to increase your visibility and form a high-value network.

Grow your followers

According to internal LinkedIn data, Pages with over 150 followers grow faster, so making an initial splash when your Page goes live will help your overall visibility and engagement.

Add LinkedIn to your website. Promote your Page in your email signature, newsletters, blog posts, and other digital communications. A call to action that directs people to your LinkedIn Page is a great way to start gaining followers.

Engage with the community

Being active in the community matters just as much on LinkedIn as it does in the real world. Likes and comments let other members know you are interested in what’s happening in business.

Do a little homework by reading content from other parties in your network to gain an understanding of what kind of content makes an impact. While you’re there, react to their content by liking, commenting, or sharing. 

Then start posting to your own feed. Tag LinkedIn members and organizations when you mention them or share their content. 

Use your voice

The final way you can invite community interaction is through publishing articles on your LinkedIn Page. The content of these articles can range from press releases about ongoing projects to blog posts highlighting key programs, projects or community events – any information that is relevant to your mission and your activities. These articles keep your agency top-of-mind for your followers and give them greater insight into the work you do.

LinkedIn tool to use: LinkedIn Publishing - Articles and Posts

Best practices:

• Craft a compelling headline and use a visibly interesting header image.
• Keep it readable by being concise. Bullet lists and breaking copy into sections increase readability. 
• Ask for engagement by ending your posts with a clear call to action.
• Tag the individual and organizational LinkedIn profiles of any members you mention or who contributed to your post. 

Target Your Messaging

All the work you’ve done establishing your brand, increasing your visibility, and earning credibility with stakeholders and allies in your network doesn’t do you any good if your marketing misses the target.

Paid advertising on LinkedIn offers robust targeting based on the first-party data in our members' professional profiles, meaning you’ll find and reach the audiences you’re looking for. 

LinkedIn tool to use: LinkedIn Ad Targeting

Best practices:

• Start with location. This is the only required field and can be as narrow or broad as you want.
• Define your audience based on qualifications such as company, demographics, education, job experience, or interests. 
• Not sure how to define your audience yet? Consider using an audience template. These are prefigured templates that can help you get started with ad targeting.
• A/B test audiences. By testing two similar campaigns with variations in targeting criteria, you can see which combinations are more effective.
• Try Matched Audiences to reach a custom audience made up of individuals and organizations already in your database. You can also target new audiences based on your ideal customer profile. 
• Tailor your content to your audience. For example, if you're targeting small business owners, call that out in your creative.

Launch Your Government's Brand on LinkedIn

Branding isn’t just for the private sector, nor is it simply a matter of creating a logo and color palette for your marketing content. Branding is about finding the voice that amplifies your mission and using that voice to create connections within the community you serve.

Brand voice also bolsters your agency’s presence in the business world. By letting businesses know that your agency mission aligns with their needs and values, they can more easily see themselves doing business with you. 

These tips and tools will get you started with establishing your brand voice on LinkedIn. As you become familiar with the platform, you will gain insight into what constitutes a strong brand presence and start crafting your own government marketing strategy. 

Find more insights into how LinkedIn works for government agencies.