Why and How to Use LinkedIn Smart Links for a Social Selling Edge

With so much focus on LinkedIn algorithms and “hacks”, how many Sales Navigator Team and Enterprise users are missing out on a tool that should be a no-brainer?  

If there’s one LinkedIn Sales Navigator feature that is often met with a slightly blank look (or keyboard vote) in social selling training webinars, it’s Smart Links - a great way to send multiple files within LinkedIn using one trackable link.  Even highly accomplished social sellers sometimes leave this out of their toolbox but it’s a great feature for those who have a Team or Enterprise LinkedIn Sales Navigator licence. 

So why should social sellers use LinkedIn’s Smart Links? And how do you get started? Read on! 

First, what is a LinkedIn Smart Link? 

A Smart Link allows you to bundle up to 15 documents or links into one “packaged link” that you can easily share within LinkedIn Sales Navigator and track incredibly detailed engagement metrics. 

Why use LinkedIn’s Smart Links? 

I’m often surprised by how little people use LinkedIn’s Smart Links because there are plenty of benefits: 

Laser-sharp analytics = more informed social selling 

Perhaps the biggest benefit – and certainly the one that appeals to social sellers and marketers alike  – is the level of analytics that Smart Links provides.  

You can see who’s viewed your Smart Link, what pages they viewed, for how long and when. If they then forward the Smart Link on to someone else, you’ll see the same – and it will give you a firm indication as to who else is involved or influential in the buying decision. 

Presentation format = better impact  

Smart Links offers a clean, visual way to send up to 15 files or links at one time. By thinking carefully about the first file you attach, it can also be an easy way to create an on-brand yet personal first impression - as this example shows. 

Say goodbye to emails flying around = a better customer experience 

We’re living in The Customer Experience Era, where building frictionless experiences for prospects and customers is the key to success.  

Your Smart Links are a living link, which means that if you choose to add something that makes your message more compelling, your recipient won’t have to rifle through emails to find all they need. Everything is in one place. (And it’s accessible quickly on the move.) All of which makes for a better customer experience.  

What files can I add to a LinkedIn Smart Link? 

You can add all major file types via Smart Links but the maximum file size is 200MB  

Viewable and trackable-file types 

• PDF (page limit of 300)  
• Microsoft Word & PowerPoint 
• Images: PNG, JPEG, GIF 
• Video: MP4, QuickTime, WMV, AVI 

Download only types 

• TIFF image file 
• Microsoft Excel 
• Apple: Keynote, Pages and Numbers 
• Zip files 
• CSV 
• TXT 

How to Create a LinkedIn Smart Link 

It’s incredibly easy to create a Smart Link. It can all be done without leaving LinkedIn Sales Navigator. 

1) Head to Smart Links 

2) Click the +New Smart Link in the top right (or select an existing Smart Link and press Copy Link and head to step 4.). 

3) Create your Smart Link 

• Add a title 
• Upload content/add website links. You can select files from your computer or cloud storage. When you add a link, you simply copy and paste the URL but you can give any title you wish. 
• Reorder the files if needed. (Remember that the first file is the image that people will see and that files/links further up are likelier to get more clicks.) 
• Ensure you click the Permissions box to enable the recipient to download the files!
• Click Create.  

4) Preview your Smart Link. Before you send any existing or new Smart Links to anyone, check that you’re happy with it. Are all the files relevant and in the best order for that individual? Is it personalised to their company? 

5) Press Copy Link in the overview section.  

6) Send! You can send the link directly within Sales Navigator or, if you prefer, you can also drop the link into emails, blogs or other communications. This may work better if you’re already liaising with someone outside of LinkedIn but you want to make use of the engagement insights that Smart Links provides. 

How to View Smart Link Analytics 

In the Smart Links overview section, you will see the list of all your Smart Links. Simply click on the Analytics button and you will be able to see a full history of engagement data.  

When to use LinkedIn’s Smart Link Analytics 

By utilising the power of Smart Links in your social selling, you can gain deep insights into who reads your content at your key accounts. 

Here are a few ideas of how to use Smart Links to get you started: 

Pre-sales 

• After your initial call/meeting 

• Case studies 
• Product specifications 
• Pilot resources & materials 
• Webinar & event invites 

Post-sale 

• Kick-off presentation 
• Newsletter/articles 
• Business reviews/meetings 
• Webinar & event invites 
• Extra reading materials 

Just remember to nurture any prospects first, so that your InMail has the best prospect of a warm welcome! (You can read more on the anatomy of a good InMail and how to nurture prospects here: The 5 Best Ways to Get 8x More InMail Responses.) 

As I hope you can see, LinkedIn’s Smart Links really can give your social selling an edge that can help you exceed your KPIs. And what salesperson can say no to that?