Measuring LinkedIn ROI Without Kidding Yourself

Impressions are the weather

Nice to know, not much use for planning. A post can reach thousands of people and bring in nothing, or reach a few hundred of exactly the right people and start a deal. Measuring LinkedIn honestly means looking further down the chain.

The ladder

Each rung matters more than the one above it.

1. Activity. Did you post every week? If not, nothing below will move.
2. The right attention. Profile views and followers from your target companies and job titles, not just anyone.
3. Conversations. Comments, messages and replies from potential buyers.
4. Meetings. Calls where the other person mentions your posts.
5. Pipeline. Deals where LinkedIn played a part.

If the top rungs look healthy and the bottom ones don't move, the content is reaching the wrong people. If nothing moves, check rung one first.

Where attribution runs out

LinkedIn rarely gets the last click. A buyer reads your posts for months, then searches your name, then books a call from your website. Your analytics will credit the search.

Two simple fixes:

• Ask on every first call: "How did you hear about us?" Write the answer down.
• Add the same question to your forms. Self-reported answers beat any tracking pixel for this.

Report monthly, judge quarterly

Look at the numbers every month to spot problems. Judge the channel every quarter, because trust builds slowly and a single month tells you very little.

Where we come in

Every client gets one weekly report that counts conversations and meetings by channel, not likes. Get 50 free leads to start with the right people.