As you’re aware, the usage of Social Media platforms has drastically increased in recent years. If you’re a business owner, a marketer, or someone looking to grow awareness you are most likely aware of Instagram and LinkedIn. So, Social Media needs to become your No.1 choice for advertising!
You must’ve heard this at least a thousand times but have you ever wondered why?
Well, let’s put things into perspective. According to DataReportal, there are 5.17 billion Social Media users worldwide as of January 2024. Let that sink in and remember one tiny detail. That’s 63.7% of the total global population. Once again, 63.7% of people worldwide use at least one Social Media platform. In other words, your ideal customer is likely already there, waiting to be introduced to your products or services.
With so many Social Media Platforms to choose from, the possibilities are endless. Yet, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with how each platform operates. Once you get the hang of it, you must determine the to-go platform your target audience uses the most. The final step is to decide which one you should focus your marketing efforts on.
This article aims to cover and compare two of the most important Social Media Platforms of today. Instagram and LinkedIn. Now let’s explore some interesting facts, the pros and cons, and how to make the right choice when choosing the platform for your marketing efforts.
Pros and Cons of using Instagram for business marketing
Let’s start this section with some interesting facts about Instagram. The newest data shows that Instagram’s number of monthly active users grew to around 2.4 billion in 2024. This Social Media Platform is visually oriented. Hence, it is ideal for visual representation, branding, boosting brand awareness, and creating genuine engagement.
When it comes to demographics, Instagram is predominately used by younger audiences (under 30 years of age). It’s not a coincidence it quickly became a valuable platform for influencer marketing.
Don’t get the wrong idea! This platform is not only about ‘A-list’ influencers with thousands or hundreds of thousands of followers. There are plenty of ‘micro-influencers’ within every possible business niche on Instagram. Why is this important? Well, business owners can ‘partner up’ with Instagram influencers to share content and place their products or services in front of an audience likely to show interest or make a purchase.
Pros of using Instagram for business marketing
Benefit No. 1:
As previously covered, influencer marketing has been thriving on Instagram. The ability to successfully raise brand awareness this way has to be our No.1 pick!
Benefit No. 2:
Speaking of benefits, Instagram offers one of the most powerful analytics tools! Instagram users can utilize it to track their posts’ engagement rate and overall reach. In the long run, this helps gain a better understanding of the target demographic and tailor content to their specific needs.
Benefit No. 3:
If you’re an active Instagram user, you know that everything on this social platform revolves around genuine and organic engagement. Compared to LinkedIn, which encourages its users to promote educational or industry-related content, Instagram pushes its users to focus on the more engaging and organic types of content. This leaves room for creative thinking when approaching the content creation process.
Benefit No. 4:
The last, but not least benefit of using Instagram for business marketing is reflected in Instagram’s support of video content. Other than TikTok and YouTube, Instagram is the only Social Media Platform that actively promotes more video content. Instagram reels (especially the ones with viral hooks!) have proven to be an extremely successful tool for marketers, redirection of traffic, and lead generation.
Cons of using Instagram for business marketing
Now that we covered the main pros, let’s discuss the cons or downsides of using Instagram for business marketing.
The biggest downside of using Instagram for business marketing is, well…time. Compared to other social media platforms, Instagram requires much more time to build and reach an ideal audience.
To succeed on Instagram you need to put a lot of time and effort into creating eye-catching content, and engaging with just the right audience. That can be quite time-consuming, assuming you’re not planning on investing extra funds into Instagram ads or collaborations with Instagram influencers.
On an extra note, Instagram’s options for targeting an ideal audience are almost non-existent. This makes the process even more difficult and discouraging for the users trying to maximize the potential of the platform.
Of course, organic growth services like Kicksta are useful for speeding up the whole process. By automating actions on the platform, tools like Kicksta can help target the desired audience and leave you with more time to focus on presenting your brand in the best light.
Pros and Cons of using LinkedIn for business marketing
Before we dive deeper into this Social Media Platform, let’s cover the basics. Compared to Instagram, LinkedIn has around 1.1 billion monthly active users as of July 2024. That’s around 1.3 million users less, but should it scare you? Absolutely not and here’s why.
This platform was initially created to help connect businesses with new audiences and produce more job opportunities. Over time, LinkedIn evolved into a powerful platform for professional networking, sharing industry news, and building a professional online presence.
Demographically speaking, LinkedIn is predominately used by slightly older audiences (over the age of 25) focused on exploring career paths, seeking new job opportunities, and making valuable industry connections. The main type of content on LinkedIn comes in the form of short articles or blog posts which is ideal for presenting case studies & brand expertise!
Pros of using LinkedIn for business marketing
Benefit No. 1:
LinkedIn is without a doubt the best platform for establishing connections with other businesses and professionals in the industry. In other words, LinkedIn is a goldmine for B2B lead generation and sales. This leads us to the No.1 benefit of using this platform for business marketing.
Benefit No. 2:
When you think about it, the second benefit is the content form that LinkedIn is trying to enforce to its users. It essentially allows users to share content that dives deeper into a certain topic, and showcase their expertise as a brand ambassador or as a brand itself.
Benefit No. 3:
The most important benefit, as opposed to Instagram, is the ability to target users with specific criteria in mind. Whether is a job title, parent company, country, or city, your options are far more advanced compared to Instagram.
Benefit No. 4:
The last, but not the least benefit coming from this platform is LinkedIn’s built-in post scheduler! Of course, Instagram has Meta Business Suite for the same purposes, but you need to have an active Facebook page to access the scheduler. [benefit no.4]
Cons of using LinkedIn for business marketing
The biggest downside of using LinkedIn for business marketing is, well…personalization. LinkedIn’s outreach strategy requires a personalized touch during networking. To offer your products or services, you need to tailor your outreach strategy to hit just the right spot. Time after time.
Opposed to Instagram users, who tend to make fast purchases based on visual aesthetics or brand appeal, LinkedIn users need more persuasion to become active customers. More persuasion equals more messaging and, yet again, more time!
Although LinkedIn offers far better search results and options for targeting users based on different criteria, the targeting is still a bit limited.
For example, it’s quite hard to target users who have engaged with a certain post or type of content. Your LinkedIn search can be on hold if you’re using it too frequently. You’re not exactly able to reach out to users you’re not sharing at least some type of connection with… You get the idea.
In the same way Kicksta helps users automate their efforts on the Instagram platform, you can find numerous LinkedIn automation tools that are proven to be quite effective for boosting marketing efficiency on LinkedIn. We did our research, and to save you some time, we’ll be introducing our top 5 LinkedIn automation tools picks in the following section.
Kicksta’s top 5 picks for LinkedIn Automation
1. Expandi.io
If you ever looked for LinkedIn Automation Tools the chances of not coming across Expandi are highly unlikely. Expandi went global in the last quarter of 2019 and reached $4 million ARR in just 14 months of its official launch! [speaking of impressive numbers]. In 5 years they’ve been in the game, the brand went through some major changes. Something that started as another LinkedIn automation tool has evolved into one of the most powerful multi-channel outreach platforms and lead generation tools on the market.
Key features include:
- 10 campaign types
- Automated delivery of Connection Requests, Messages & InMails on LinkedIn
- Personalized images and GIFs in cold messages
- A/B testing
- Team management
- Built-in Inbox
- Email outreach
Expandi offers one basic plan [starting at $99 a month] that gets you exclusive access to all available features.
2. CloselyHQ
Following Expandi’s example, CloselyHQ introduced itself to a broader audience in 2019. The brand itself has been built on transparency and hence became one of the most loved LinkedIn Automation Tools.
You can look up many materials before subscribing to one of their plans. [here’s a link to their product tour which lasts nearly 35 minutes: Closely Live Demo]. Before we get into the key features, we need to mention one thing that differentiates CloselyHQ from most other entries on this list. They developed an effective engagement-boosting strategy (aka automated profile viewing, skill endorsing, and post-liking features).
Key features include:
- Automated delivery of Connection Requests, Messages & InMails on LinkedIn
- Automated LinkedIn outreach within the user’s network
- Automated Profile Viewing, Skill Endorsing, and Post Liking features
- Team management
- Built-in Inbox
- Email outreach
CloselyHQ offers 3 basic plans:
- Personal, starting at $99 a month
- Growth, starting at $219 a month (3 LinkedIn accounts included in the price)
- Pro, starting at $339 a month (5 LinkedIn accounts included in the price)
Of course, there’s an option to custom-tailor your plan if there’s any special need.
3. Aimfox
Released in mid-2023, Aimfox is the new kid on the LinkedIn Automation Tools block. Although the feature set in their catalog extends to LinkedIn only, the forever free LinkedIn CRM plan was enough to earn them a spot on the list.
Bonus points for the Social Media efforts and 14-day trial they offer!
Key features include:
- Five campaign types
- Automated delivery of Connection Requests, Messages & InMails
- A/B testing
- Timezone & AI optimization
- Workspaces for managing multiple LinkedIn accounts under one subscription
- Built-in Inbox
Aimfox offers 2 basic plans to choose from and their pricing structure is one more thing that gives them leverage over the competition:
- LinkedIn CRM, free of charge
- Linkedin Outreach, starting at $39 a month
4. Dripify
Okay, you’re seeing the pattern here. Dripify is the third consecutive LinkedIn Automation Tool launched in 2019. High demand for job seeking during and post-Covid had a big impact on the LinkedIn Automation market and Dripify has checked all the right boxes.
They offer a range of features in three available plans, but the main feature Dripify is famous for is, well…drip campaigns. [bonus points for clever wording!]
Key features include:
- Automated delivery of Connection Requests, Messages & InMails on LinkedIn
- Drip campaigns
- A/B testing
- Webhook & Zapier integration
- Basic CRM features
- Team management
Dripify offers 3 plans to choose from:
- Basic, starting at $59 a month
- Pro, starting at $79 a month
- Advanced, starting at $99 a month
5. Meet Alfred
Meet Alfred is one of the oldest Automation Tools in the Industry. The brand was founded in 2017 and immediately became a hit due to its multi-channel purpose. Whether you want to automate your LinkedIn outreach, create & schedule posts on multiple Social Media Platforms, or simply want to focus on email outreach, Meet Alfred got you covered.
Key features include:
- Automated delivery of Connection Requests, Messages & InMails on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter integrations, post scheduling and creation
- Team management
- CRM features
- Email automation
- Built-in Inbox
Meet Alfred offers 2 basic plans to choose from:
- Basic, starting at $59 a month
- Pro, starting at $99 a month
There’s a Teams plan starting at $79 a month for larger teams needing exclusive features.
Summary
Social Media Platforms have become a great asset in the marketing realm. Each Social Media Platform brings different things to the table. Each Social Media Platform has its advantages. And every Social Media Platform has its cons.
To determine which one is the right choice for your marketing strategy you need to ask yourself all THE RIGHT questions.
Which type of content you’ll be producing?
For starters, stop and think about the type of content you want to create and present to a broader audience. This is a crucial step and something you need to cover thoroughly.
If you’re planning on creating eye-catching content or focusing on any type of video content creation…then Instagram is likely the right platform for your business. If you want to focus your attention on educating users about your products/services or industry-related topics, LinkedIn is definitely the platform to turn to.
Which type of audience you’ll be targeting?
Once you’ve determined which type of content you’ll be presenting to potential customers, you need a better understanding of where your target audience can be found.
As previously covered, Gen Z and Millennials are the main audience on Instagram. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is commonly used by business professionals and users in search of new business opportunities.
Depending on the type of product or services you’re offering, research the demographics. Figure out who your ideal buyer persona is and determine your target audience. Once you have that under your belt, it will be easy to decide which platform should become your main focus.
What is your end goal?
Ultimately, ask yourself what your initial and long-term goals are. In most instances, businesses tend to have one long-term goal. Driving sales. Remember, ALL Social Media Platforms can be used as a sales funnel. The real struggle is deciding the initial goal of your social media marketing strategy. Is it brand awareness? Is it lead generation? Or is it market expansion and research?
As you know by now, Instagram is one of the best social platforms for raising brand awareness and visibility. If you’re just starting your business or looking to gain momentum on social media, the answer is obvious.
Although Instagram can be used for lead generation as well, LinkedIn has far better potential for these purposes. Of course, LinkedIn is also quite an effective social platform for establishing a brand’s status in the business world. Think about LinkedIn as a great B2B platform, and refer to Instagram as a B2C platform with a twist.
Once you’ve set your initial and long-term goals, determined the type of content you’ll be presenting to the public, and found your ideal target audience, there’s nothing stopping you from taking your business marketing to the next level.
Pro-tip for better impact:
Try incorporating a cross-platform marketing strategy for a better overall impact on your marketing efforts! Keep in mind that, if done right, this strategy can yield top-notch results. It has been used by many businesses and marketers over the years and it still works to this day!
After finalizing your research, decide which social platform will be your primary focus. For the sake of the argument, let’s say you want to stick with Instagram since your initial goal is spreading the word about your business.
While your primary focus is Instagram, aim to build your LinkedIn page simultaneously. Do your best to connect with industry leaders. Share industry insights and case studies about your products or services. Present yourself as an industry expert and gain recognition in the LinkedIn business world.
Start your Instagram campaign by posting content that will resonate well with your target audience. Find the competitors in your business niche and try obtaining their followers. How can you do it? By engaging with their content, of course!
If aiming for a less aggressive approach, start by viewing their stories. That should be enough to put you on the radar. If the approach is too slow for your taste, start liking their stories or posts every now and then. Remember, the goal is to make them notice you! Once you get their attention (in any form), carefully slide into their DMs. Create a template message thanking them for support, then invite them to check your LinkedIn page.
SKIP SALES AT THIS STAGE!
If users show some interest, they’re pretty much susceptible to becoming a customer, but buyer intent has a few cycles before an actual purchase occurs. By redirecting them to your LinkedIn page, users can familiarize themselves with your products or services without feeling forced to buy. This approach gives the illusion of choice.
Once the users are engaged on both of your social media platforms you can declare one as your sales funnel and use the other exclusively for brand awareness and visibility. In this example, Instagram will be your brand awareness platform. LinkedIn will be the sales funnel that helps you close deals.
Bonus tip: Leveraging Instagram and LinkedIn automation can create a seamless cross-platform funnel. Kicksta can automatically perform follows, unfollows, story viewing, post liking, and DM-ing based on the preferred target type. Any of the LinkedIn Automation Tools from our list can assist with generating potential leads and help you connect with relevant users. Some of them even have email outreach, which can be used at later stages of your marketing campaigns.
Author
Kaye Sitchon is all about Instagram tools and services that help brands level up their game. She’s got a knack for finding the best resources to make Instagram marketing easier and more effective. When Kaye’s not exploring new tools, she’s likely planning her next travel adventure or diving into a great book!
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