12 Alternatives to LinkedIn for B2B Marketing

To explore effective alternatives to LinkedIn for B2B marketing, we asked CEOs and founders this question for their top recommendations. From utilizing YouTube for video marketing to building thought leadership on your website, here are twelve specific alternatives these leaders suggest and why.

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Utilize YouTube for Video Marketing

YouTube is an effective B2B marketing channel that uses video material to promote products, services, and expertise. Enterprises may develop extensive tutorials, product demos, and thought-leadership movies that address the informational requirements of other enterprises. The platform’s broad reach and searchability make it simpler to reach a large audience, while YouTube’s statistics give insights into viewer engagement and activity, allowing for the optimization of marketing tactics based on data.

Rebecca Xing, CEO, Trustana

Leverage AngelList for Targeted Outreach

I’ve found AngelList to be an effective alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing. AngelList is a platform focused specifically on startups, venture capital, and job opportunities in the tech space. Because it’s dedicated to this niche, the site fosters tight-knit communities and allows for highly targeted outreach. 

When Grooveshark was in its early days, AngelList was crucial for connecting with investors and talent. We posted job listings on the site and were able to attract candidates passionate about tech and innovation. We also built relationships with VC firms through AngelList, which ultimately led to funding. 

AngelList provides curated company profiles, detailed info on startup funding and key roles, and a transparent hiring process. For B2B marketers, this means you can identify and reach decision-makers, find potential clients’ business challenges, and connect with those who share your entrepreneurial mindset. Overall, AngelList is a digital hub for the exact audience many B2B companies want to target.

Sam Tarantino, Founder, Harmonic Reach

Engage in Facebook Professional Groups

I agree that LinkedIn has indeed become a crowded marketplace—often filled with individuals who use spammy tactics to connect with businesses. In contrast, Facebook’s professional groups offer a more authentic environment for B2B marketing. Within these groups, participants can create a sense of community by sharing valuable insights and resources rather than pushing sales pitches. 

For instance, if you’re a digital marketing consultant, you might start by posting an informative article about the latest trends in SEO or tips for effective social media advertising. In addition to establishing yourself as an authority, you will also attract like-minded professionals to engage in discussions surrounding your content. 

As members start to appreciate your contributions, they may reach out to you directly or respond to your queries, which can lead to other inquiries or conversations. For me, this approach is better since it encourages relationship-building rather than transactional interactions—making it easier to cultivate trust and ultimately collaborate on business opportunities.

Vikrant Bhalodia, Head of Marketing & People Ops, WeblineIndia

Contribute on Quora for Authority

Quora stands out as an underrated yet powerful alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing. People go to Quora to seek answers and share insights, making it a fertile ground for establishing authority in your industry. By regularly contributing high-quality, informative answers to relevant questions, you can position yourself and your firm as thought leaders. 

Imagine having a potential client searching for legal advice about intellectual property rights. If you’ve consistently provided insightful responses to related queries on Quora, you’re not only attracting attention but also building trust. This platform allows for a genuine connection with your audience through personalized, informative interactions. It’s a simple but effective way to drive traffic to your website and connect with prospects who are already interested in what you offer.

Casey Meraz, Owner & Digital Marketing Expert, Casey Meraz

Connect Locally on Alignable

One alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing is Alignable. This platform targets small-business owners looking to connect with other local businesses. This localized focus allows entrepreneurs to create more meaningful and relevant connections within their communities, thereby helping firms build strong, trust-based relationships that can lead to valuable partnerships and customer referrals. The platform encourages members to engage in community discussions, share advice, and provide recommendations. This collaborative environment helps businesses establish themselves as trusted authorities in their fields. 

By actively participating, brands can enhance their reputation and visibility, making it easier to attract potential clients and partners who value their expertise and local presence. Moreover, Alignable offers unique tools and features tailored to small-business needs. For instance, its referral system allows businesses to endorse each other, providing a credible way to gain new clients through word-of-mouth recommendations. Lastly, these features make Alignable a practical and effective platform for B2B marketing.

Peter Bryla, Senior Community Manager, LiveCareer

Participate in Industry Forums

I’m a big believer in active participation in online industry forums, especially by subject-matter experts from within the business. The audience is clearly well-defined and relevant, and it’s a good way to both show your leadership within an industry or technology space, as well as demonstrate your knowledge. It’s also a great way to secure speaking slots, having already demonstrated domain expertise.

Andrew Moloney, Managing Partner, KickDrum Partners

Engage Real-Time on Twitter

An alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing is Twitter. Twitter is highly effective due to its real-time engagement with industry leaders, potential clients, and partners. The platform’s brevity and fast-paced nature make it ideal for sharing concise updates, thought-leadership content, and industry news. Using relevant hashtags and participating in Twitter chats, I can connect with a broader audience and engage in meaningful conversations, positioning my business as a knowledgeable player. 

Additionally, Twitter’s advertising options, such as Promoted Tweets and Twitter Ads, enable targeted outreach to specific demographics and professional groups, enhancing the visibility of my brand to the right audience. Unlike LinkedIn, Twitter’s informal environment fosters more direct and personal interactions, helping build stronger relationships and trust. Twitter’s combination of immediacy, engagement opportunities, and targeted advertising makes it a powerful tool for B2B marketing.

Tammy Sons, Founder/CEO, TN Nursery

Target High-Intent Keywords on Google Ads

A great alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing is using Google Ads focused on high-intent keywords. This strategy utilizes target keywords that indicate when a potential customer is searching for a solution our business provides. Our marketing efforts reach people and businesses with a higher propensity to convert. These tailored ads that appear in search results help us connect and generate sales.

Daniel Kroytor, Founder and Director, Tailored Pay

Network Subtly on Reddit

Reddit is a good alternative to LinkedIn because it has industry-specific subreddits that are easy to access. You can join one of these communities and make connections with business owners who may benefit from the solutions you provide. However, you cannot be as direct in your marketing efforts on Reddit as you can be on LinkedIn. You need to join relevant communities, provide value by offering your commentary on different subjects, and then look to connect with your fellow Redditors. 

Also, make sure to read the community rules in the subreddits you join. It’s important to remember that since Reddit is not specifically a forum for business professionals, you will find many users who aren’t going to mince words while rejecting pitches. However, don’t let that discourage you from using Reddit as a networking and B2B marketing tool. You just need to be subtle, strategic, and patient while using this forum.

Farhan Siraj, Chief Executive Officer, OSHA Outreach Courses

Attend Trade Shows for Direct Engagement

Trade shows are an alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing. They are highly targeted commercial environments that allow face-to-face engagement with colleagues, potential clients, and industry leaders. 

Attending trade shows has been critical in my work at JDM. We’ve established direct relationships with property managers and contractors, which has greatly impacted our outreach and customer base expansion.

Statistics support the success of trade fairs; for example, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research reports that 81% of trade show attendees have purchasing power.

This suggests that the people you encounter are potential business clients who are probably ready to decide.

From personal experience, I recall a trade exhibition last year where we displayed a newly-built sliding door mechanism. It was a hit, resulting in a 30% rise in contractor-related queries during the next quarter.

Trade exhibitions provide such fast and powerful interactions by offering a dynamic venue for demos and debates, which can be challenging to create on online platforms such as LinkedIn.

To summarize, trade fairs are a valuable, dynamic, and potentially more impactful alternative to LinkedIn for B2B marketing, particularly for businesses wishing to make real-time connections and present their products or services to potential clients.

Gal Cohen, Field Area Manager, JDM Sliding Doors

Use Xing for the European Market

Xing is a professional social media platform similar to LinkedIn but with a focus on the European market. It has over 19 million members worldwide and caters specifically to B2B marketing through its various features and tools.

A distinct feature that differentiates Xing from LinkedIn is its capability to filter and target audiences according to industry, job title, company size, and location. This allows for more targeted and precise marketing efforts, making it an attractive alternative for businesses looking to reach a specific niche audience.

Moreover, Xing offers multiple advertising options such as sponsored posts, display ads, and event sponsorships that can help businesses increase their brand visibility and generate leads. It also has a robust content-marketing platform where businesses can share their expertise and engage with potential customers.

In addition, Xing offers in-depth analytics and tracking tools to measure the success of marketing campaigns, allowing businesses to adjust their strategies accordingly. This level of data-driven insights is crucial for B2B marketers looking to maximize their ROI.

Evan Tunis, President, Florida Healthcare Insurance

Build Thought Leadership on Your Website

Lately, LinkedIn has been feeling less professional, with more noise and less of the focused networking it was once known for. As a result, many professionals are exploring better ways to manage their B2B marketing. One effective alternative is to shift your focus to building thought leadership directly on your website and leveraging niche or local SEO strategies to drive relevant traffic.

By consistently publishing high-quality, insightful content on your website, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry, attracting the right audience without the distractions LinkedIn often brings. Targeting specific, high-value segments of your market through carefully chosen niche-related keywords can significantly enhance your reach. When executed properly, these strategies position you in a less-congested space compared to LinkedIn, giving your B2B marketing efforts a clearer shot at resonating with your target audience.

Through SEO, you reach decision-makers right where they’re actively searching for solutions. This means the leads you generate will likely have stronger intent than those you might find on LinkedIn, making your efforts more impactful and efficient.

Jonathan Buffard, Digital Marketing Director, Bottom Line Marketing Agency

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