Microsoft Reaches IT Decision Makers with LinkedIn Content Marketing Campaign

Brand name

LinkedIn

As an industry leader, Microsoft was seeking to engage with senior IT and business decision makers to consolidate its position as a thought leader in the field. To achieve this, Microsoft collaborated with LinkedIn and leveraged the breath of LinkedIn’s marketing solutions portfolio to build a sustained content marketing campaign.

Objective

To create a targeted and comprehensive format to drive better engagement metrics with IT decision makers using content marketing.

Execution

Microsoft began by creating  an exclusive by invitation only community – ‘Be Future Ready’. This served as a vibrant hub for information sharing, engagement and dialogue between Microsoft and senior decision makers. They  launched a Slideshare channel and leveraged slideshare content ads to enable their community and consumers to engage with content while still on LinkedIn. In addition to these, they also set up the Microsoft company page to evangelize the wide Microsoft portfolio.

With an all-round approach encompassing groups, organic as well as sponsored updates, Slideshare content ads and the influencer program, Microsoft benefited greatly from the campaign and now has the highest reach and engagement metrics amongst its competitive set.  These results has made Microsoft believe that a comprehensive approach to content marketing has greatly helped them drive engagement with a very filtered and highly relevant audience that the LinkedIn platform provided them with.

Products used

LinkedIn’s marketing solutions portfolio - sponsored updates, Slideshare content ads and the influencer program along with a company page.

Results

• Microsoft’s Brand Familiarity score grew 68%.
• Likelihood to purchase went up by 43%.
• Be Future Ready group has over 7140 members, 1/3 who are opinion leaders and influencers.
• Company Pages has 250,000 followers.
• LinkedIn’s Content Marketing Score is also the highest amongst it’s competitive set.