How do brands use LinkedIn’s content marketing services to more effectively reach their target markets? We spoke to Jason Miller, head of Global Content Marketing for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, for his tips.

1. Find Quality Content. Social media is fueled by content, Miller says, so you need to find a steady supply of high quality, relevant content to engage your audience. “Whether you’re repurposing existing content or creating new content, this is what will lead your content strategy on LinkedIn,” he says.

2. Use Sponsored Updates. This service appears in a native format as part of the target audience’s newsfeed—not outside of it like a display ad. This means brands can use them as they would any company update—to generate leads, promote thought leadership content or as a PR tool. “It’s the best way to make sure your reach extends beyond your group of company followers,” says Miller. 

3. Measure Meaningfully. LinkedIn’s Content Marketing Score measures member engagement with sponsored updates, company updates, employee updates, LinkedIn Groups and influencer posts. It then gives a single score ranked against a brand’s competitive set and recommends improvements. Brands can also filter scores by region, company size, industry, job function and seniority. “By tracking performance on a monthly basis, you get a powerful snapshot of how well you are engaging with your audience over time,” says Miller. “With this knowledge, you’ll be empowered to upgrade your strategy to optimize engagement with your target.”

4. Feed Their Interests. Use Trending Content to find out which topics resonate with LinkedIn members—from cloud computing, to mobile, to leadership—and let that guide the type of content you create for your target audience. “We created these resources with our customers in mind, who we know are looking for ever more actionable insights into their performance,” says Miller. “They want to understand how the reach, frequency and engagement of their content performs with their desired audience, how it compares with their competitors, and how it’s changing over time.”