How to Market Cybersecurity Services on LinkedIn with Proven Tactics

Introduction

Modern B2B buyers are heavily present on social media, making platforms like LinkedIn critical for outreach. In fact, about 75% of B2B buyers use social media to inform their purchasing decisions. Even top executives are scrolling their feeds – one analysis found 84% of C-level or VP-level executives utilize social media in the buying process. LinkedIn stands out as a trusted network: 50% of B2B buyers specifically turn to LinkedIn as a trusted source when evaluating solutions. The takeaway is clear: if your IT services firm isn’t visible and active on social channels, you’re missing where three-quarters of your potential customers are doing research.

This matters because B2B buyers don’t wait for sales pitches anymore; they self-educate online. By the time a prospect speaks to a vendor, they’ve often completed a majority of their research. According to a recent report, 96% of sales professionals say the buyers they talk to have already researched their product or service. Much of that research happens via social networks and peer discussions. In North America, 42% of buyers will actually look up a seller’s LinkedIn profile after being contacted, essentially vetting your credibility through your social media presence. In short, LinkedIn and other social platforms have become integral to the modern B2B buying process, functioning as channels for buyers to discover thought leadership, see how a company engages publicly, and gauge trustworthiness before ever reaching out.

How LinkedIn Influences the B2B Buying Process

LinkedIn as a Crucial Starting Point in the B2B Buyer’s Journey

LinkedIn isn’t just a recruiting site or networking afterthought – it’s often the first stop in a B2B buyer’s journey. Four out of five LinkedIn members drive business decisions, and 81% of B2B buyers say LinkedIn is a significant source of research prior to a purchase. Buyers routinely consume content on LinkedIn to stay informed. Thought leadership content on their feed, recommendations from industry peers, and company page posts can all shape a buyer’s perception of a service provider long before any direct contact.

The Power of Social Proof and Peer Influence

Social proof carries tremendous weight. Peers and third-party voices are hugely influential – over 90% of B2B buyers fully trust information from industry peers, far more than they trust brand marketing. That means a cybersecurity firm’s LinkedIn strategy should encourage external endorsements and peer engagement (for example, getting clients or employees to share your content). Younger buyers especially put stock in this: half of millennial and Gen Z B2B decision-makers say social media content influences their purchasing decisions. They often turn to LinkedIn not just to research vendors but to experience their expertise – through posts, articles, and community interaction. As one LinkedIn social selling study noted, 75% of B2B buyers are using social media to make decisions today, so an informative LinkedIn presence can directly sway whether your firm makes the shortlist of vendors.

Extending Influence Within the Buying Committee

Another key aspect is that LinkedIn extends your reach into the buying committee. Enterprise purchases typically involve multiple stakeholders, and LinkedIn is a convenient place for them to share content with each other and loop in influencers. One recent B2B survey found half of younger buyers involve 10 or more external influencers (such as industry experts or consultants) in evaluating a purchase. If your LinkedIn content is being cited or shared by those influencers, you gain an edge in the deal. 

Engaging the Next Generation: Gen-Z Buyers on LinkedIn

Digital-Native Buyers Are Reshaping the B2B Landscape

As millennials and Gen Z step into decision-making roles, their digital habits are reshaping B2B buying. Millennials and Gen Z now comprise 71% of the B2B buyer pool, meaning the majority of your target clients grew up in the internet era. Gen Z (approximately ages 25 and under in the workforce) are true digital natives – and they will increasingly expect to find vendors through online channels like LinkedIn. Notably, younger B2B buyers are far more likely to search for brands on social media (e.g. LinkedIn) than via traditional search engines. Over one-third of Gen Z (36%) will look on social first, compared to just 6% of Boomers. For IT service firms, this means your LinkedIn content could be someone’s first impression of your brand, even before they hit your website or see an ad.

Adapting Content for Younger Consumption Habits

LinkedIn will play a pivotal role in engaging this next generation of buyers. Gen Z professionals tend to value authenticity, community, and content that educates or entertains. They are the TikTok and Instagram generation, accustomed to dynamic, visually engaging content – and they’re bringing those expectations to LinkedIn. We’re already seeing this influence: B2B social content is becoming less about dense whitepapers and more about snackable insights. For example, short videos and infographic-style carousel posts are on the rise because they align with younger consumption habits. Recent data shows that on LinkedIn, short-form videos and carousel posts significantly outperform traditional text posts in engagement – a reflection of younger users’ preferences. In fact, LinkedIn reports that videos are shared 20 times more than any other post type, and carousel documents (where users can swipe through slides) get 2.5 times more engagement than other formats.

Embracing a More Personable, Interactive Presence

Gen Z will also bring a stronger inclination toward social buying behaviors. They are highly networked and often seek opinions from their network or industry influencers. This generation is likely to check how a cybersecurity provider presents itself on LinkedIn – not just the company page, but also the voices of its leaders and employees. Firms that embrace a personable, knowledge-sharing approach on LinkedIn will resonate better with Gen Z. That might include more candid posts from your founders, interactive content (polls, Q&As, live videos), and a consistent flow of useful tips or industry commentary. As Gen Z’s presence in the workplace grows, LinkedIn will increasingly become a two-way street: a place to broadcast your message and to listen and engage in dialogue.

Company Page vs. Personal Profiles: Who Should Post?

Why Personal Profiles Often Outperform Company Pages

When marketing on LinkedIn, should you focus on your company’s official page or the personal profiles of your leaders and employees? The answer is both – but personal profiles have unique advantages that you shouldn’t ignore. LinkedIn’s algorithm and user behavior often favor content coming from people rather than brands. A recent data study found that posts shared from individual LinkedIn profiles vastly outperform company page posts in terms of reach and engagement. At Refine Labs, for example, employees’ posts averaged 2.75× more impressions and 5× more engagement per post than the same content on the company’s page. This was despite those employees having fewer followers than the company page. It confirms a key principle: people on LinkedIn prefer to interact with other people, not faceless logos.

Employee Advocacy as a Force Multiplier

Employee and executive advocacy can exponentially expand your visibility. LinkedIn’s own research shows that employees collectively have networks 10 times larger than the follower base of their company page on average. When those individuals share company-related content, it not only reaches a wider audience but is also seen as more credible. In fact, people are 3× more likely to trust company information when it’s posted by an employee versus the CEO or the official brand channel. There’s an authenticity factor at play – a cybersecurity tip shared by your CTO or a success story shared by an engineer will often draw more trust (and discussion) than the same message in a polished corporate announcement.

The Continued Importance of the Company Page

That said, company pages still matter. Your LinkedIn company page is your brand’s storefront on the platform – it’s where prospects go for basic information, to see your updates, and it’s necessary for running LinkedIn ads or sponsored content. Consistent posting on the company page keeps your firm on the radar of followers and lends credibility (an inactive or empty company page can be a red flag). LinkedIn itself notes that companies posting at least weekly enjoy 2x higher engagement on their content. The company page is ideal for sharing official news, press releases, job openings, and long-lived content like case studies or blog posts.

A Blended Strategy Yields the Best Results

The optimal strategy is a blend: use the company page for branding and steady content, but amplify that reach through your team’s personal posts. Encourage your founders, executives, and subject-matter experts to be active on LinkedIn – posting insights, engaging in conversations, and sharing the company’s content with their own commentary. This one-two punch ensures you leverage both the broad reach and human touch of personal profiles and the authority of a company page. As one LinkedIn marketing study put it, a CEO’s LinkedIn presence can matter even more than the company’s page for attracting engagement, but the two work best in tandem. In practice, this means an IT services CEO might publish a thought-provoking post about a cybersecurity trend (which builds thought leadership and gets high engagement), while the company page might publish a more detailed report or customer story on the same topic. Both types of posts reinforce each other.

Empowering Employees to Share Your Story

Finally, make it easy for employees to participate. Develop an employee advocacy program where staff are encouraged to share or create content. Provide them with guidelines or even ready-to-share posts (but let them put it in their own voice). The result can be powerful: a coordinated employee-sharing effort not only extends your reach but also creates multiple touchpoints with prospective buyers. As LinkedIn’s data highlights, these personal shares tend to have higher click-through rates (up to 2×) than the original company posts. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t choose between company vs. personal posting – both are needed. However, the human element on LinkedIn is a catalyst for greater engagement, so activate your leadership and team to be vocal on the platform alongside your company page.

How Often Should You Post on LinkedIn?

Finding the Right Posting Frequency on LinkedIn

Consistency is key on LinkedIn, but what is the right posting frequency? While there’s no one-size-fits-all, several guidelines emerge from LinkedIn and social media experts. For company pages, quality trumps sheer quantity. An analysis of 10,000 LinkedIn company posts found that top-performing company pages posted around 15 times per month (roughly 3-4 posts per week) on average. In other words, you don’t necessarily need to post daily on the company page to be successful. LinkedIn’s own recommendation is that companies post at least once per week (to avoid going dormant) and ideally once per business day if possible. In fact, LinkedIn has reported that simply posting weekly can double the engagement with your content. So at minimum, aim for a weekly post on your company page, and if you have enough quality content, ramp up to multiple times per week.

How Often Should Individuals Post?

For individual profiles (founders, employees), more frequent posting can accelerate growth and visibility. Personal profiles benefit from frequent activity – posting several times per week or even daily can help grow your network and influence. Unlike company pages, an individual’s followers might tolerate (and even expect) daily insights or commentary. The LinkedIn feed will distribute personal posts based on engagement, so posting often (as long as it’s valuable content) increases your chances to hit your audience’s feed. Social media managers often suggest that an active personal brand on LinkedIn could aim for 5 posts per week (once every weekday) to maintain a consistent presence. If you have the bandwidth and content, some even post 1–2 times per day. Hootsuite’s social team, for example, sometimes posts up to 2-3 times a day on LinkedIn and finds it does not overwhelm the audience when the content is relevant. LinkedIn’s feed algorithm means not every follower sees every post, so more frequent posting can increase your reach – up to a point. (LinkedIn’s own data suggests that up to 18 posts a week can be acceptable before you risk saturating your followers, but most B2B firms don’t need to go that high.)

A Practical Cadence for IT Services Firms

A practical approach for an IT services firm might be: start with a cadence of 2-3 posts per week on the company page and 3-5 posts per week on personal profiles of key team members. Monitor engagement levels; if you see positive interactions and you have more content to share, you can increase frequency gradually. Importantly, maintain quality. It’s far better to post two high-value LinkedIn posts a week than ten low-value ones. Data confirms this – two strong posts will yield more engagement overall than a flood of mediocre content. Also consider spreading out different formats (mix up text, image, video posts) so you’re not repeating the same type of content back-to-back.

Daily Engagement Beyond Posting

Lastly, don’t forget to engage daily even if you’re not posting daily. LinkedIn’s algorithm also rewards accounts that are active in other ways – commenting on industry discussions, reacting to others’ posts, participating in groups. These activities keep you visible and can be done on days you aren’t publishing new content. In summary, post on LinkedIn with a regular rhythm: at least weekly on your official page, and multiple times a week via personal profiles. Many firms find a sweet spot around 3-5 posts per week, but adjust based on what your audience responds to. Consistency and relevancy are more important than an arbitrary number – set a sustainable schedule that keeps your firm on the radar year-round.

Best-Performing Content Types on LinkedIn

Not all content is equal in the eyes of the LinkedIn feed (or its users). Certain types of posts consistently earn higher engagement, especially for B2B topics like cybersecurity. Here are the content formats and approaches that perform best:

• Native Video: Video content is king on LinkedIn right now. LinkedIn’s algorithm heavily favors native videos (videos uploaded directly to LinkedIn, not just YouTube links). A study of company page posts showed that on average native video posts get about 2× the engagement of image posts and 4× that of text-only posts. For B2B marketers, this is a cue to incorporate short videos – think quick security tips, a 1-minute thought-of-the-day from your CTO, or short clips from webinars. These videos don’t need Hollywood production values; authenticity and relevance matter more. Even a simple talking-head commentary on a new cybersecurity threat can perform well if it delivers insight. Given that videos are shared 20x more than other post types on LinkedIn, a compelling video can dramatically expand your reach through re-shares.
• Carousel/Document Posts: LinkedIn allows you to post PDFs or PowerPoint decks that users can swipe through in their feed – these appear as carousel posts. This format has exploded in popularity because it’s interactive and visual. In 2023, carousel (document) posts achieved 2.5× more engagement than other post types on LinkedIn. Cybersecurity marketers can use this format to share things like “Top 5 Cybersecurity Best Practices” with each tip on a separate slide, or a mini case study with charts and graphics. The carousel format encourages longer dwell time (as people scroll through slides) and often leads to saves and shares because it provides value at a glance.
• Informative Text Posts (Thought Leadership): While visuals are powerful, don’t underestimate a well-crafted text post. Bite-sized advice and industry commentary often perform strongly, especially when posted from personal accounts. A concise text post that, say, shares an insight from a recent security incident (“Lesson learned from the latest ransomware attack…”) or debunks a myth can spark conversation. LinkedIn has seen a trend of text-based thought leadership posts going viral, as long as they’re punchy and timely. The key is to format them for easy reading – use spacing, emojis, or minimal bullets – so they don’t appear as a wall of text in the feed.
• Images and Infographics: A striking graphic or infographic can also draw attention. In cybersecurity, consider infographics that visualize data (e.g., a chart of rising phishing attacks, or a checklist graphic of security controls). Image posts get decent engagement on LinkedIn, though not as much as video on average. They work well to simplify complex info. Even a photo from a security conference or a behind-the-scenes shot of your team can humanize your brand (which often leads to more likes). Remember, LinkedIn’s culture is professional but it’s becoming more personal; showing some human element or storytelling with an image can make your content stand out among purely technical posts.
• Polls and Interactive Posts: LinkedIn polls allow you to ask a question with up to four options. These can generate a lot of engagement because voting is easy and people are curious about results. For example, a cybersecurity firm might poll, “What security threat concerns you most for 2025? 💭” with a few options. Polls were very popular for a time, and while their reach has normalized, they still can perform well if the question is interesting to your audience. Interactive content like this not only boosts engagement metrics but also provides insight into your audience’s opinions (which you can even use in follow-up content).
• LinkedIn Articles and Newsletters: For longer-form content, LinkedIn’s article publishing (or the newer newsletter feature) allows you to write blog-style pieces that live on LinkedIn. These won’t typically get as many eyeballs as feed posts due to how the algorithm works, but they serve as valuable resources to establish authority. An in-depth article on (for instance) “The State of Ransomware 2025 – What SMEs Need to Know” can showcase your expertise. You can then share a snippet of it as a feed post to drive readers to the full piece. Articles are especially good for content that you want to be evergreen on your profile (since they are accessible from your profile’s “Activity” section, whereas feed posts disappear over time).

Key Metrics for LinkedIn Marketing Success

How do you know if your LinkedIn efforts are paying off? Like any marketing initiative, you’ll want to track a mix of reach, engagement, and business outcomes. Here are the key metrics to focus on for a LinkedIn strategy:

• Impressions/Reach: This measures how many times your content is seen. On LinkedIn, an impression is counted when your post appears in someone’s feed. Tracking impressions (and unique reach, if available) tells you the raw visibility of your posts. If your impressions are low, you may need to adjust posting times, use more engaging formats, or grow your follower base.
  
• Engagement & Engagement Rate: Engagement is the sum of interactions – primarily likes (reactions), comments, and shares on your posts. Engagement rate normalizes this against impressions (engagement divided by impressions) to gauge how compelling your content is to those who see it. For example, if a post got 50 engagements and 1,000 impressions, that’s a 5% engagement rate. LinkedIn company pages provide an engagement rate metric in their analytics. Monitoring this helps you understand which posts resonated best. An average company page post might have a single-digit engagement rate (LinkedIn reports a ~4.8% average engagement rate in mid-2024 for page posts) – so anything above that means above-average content. High engagement not only builds community; it also boosts your content in the feed (LinkedIn’s algorithm shows popular posts to more people).
• Clicks and Website Traffic: If your LinkedIn post includes a link (to a blog, white paper, landing page, etc.), track the clicks. LinkedIn’s analytics will show the number of clicks on your content or link. More importantly, use UTM parameters or LinkedIn’s website demographics to see how much traffic and leads are coming to your website from LinkedIn. For instance, if you share a case study link and it gets 100 clicks, what did those 100 visitors do on your site? Monitoring click-through and subsequent web behavior is crucial to tie LinkedIn activity to lead generation. Conversion rate (what percentage of those clicks filled out a form or requested contact) is the ultimate measure of quality traffic.
• Follower Growth and Network Growth: Keep an eye on your follower count for the company page and the network size of key team members. A growing follower base means your content and brand awareness are expanding. LinkedIn pages let you track new followers gained over time. You can also analyze follower demographics (job titles, industries) to see if you’re attracting the right audience. Similarly, if a salesperson or executive at your firm grows their LinkedIn connections from 500 to 5,000 over a year through active posting, that’s a huge increase in reach for future posts. Visitor demographics is a useful metric on the page to ensure you’re reaching roles like CIOs, CISOs, IT directors, etc., if those are your targets.
• Engagement Quality (Comments & Shares): Beyond raw numbers, look qualitatively at engagement. Are you getting comments from your target audience (e.g., IT managers asking follow-up questions)? Are posts being shared by industry influencers or clients? A few thoughtful comments from a CISO may be more valuable than 50 likes from random folks. High-quality engagement indicates your content is sparking the right conversations and that you’re building relationships. It’s a good practice to track and even report notable engagements (e.g., “Our post on zero-trust got 3 CISOs commenting and 10 shares into security groups”). This signals resonance in the community.
• Leads and Pipeline from LinkedIn: Ultimately, for many B2B companies, a key measure of success is how many leads or sales opportunities are attributed to LinkedIn marketing. This can be tracked through several means: LinkedIn’s native Lead Gen Forms (if you use them in ads), or your CRM if you source leads that mention LinkedIn or came via referral traffic. If your firm uses account-based marketing, note any strategic accounts that engaged with your LinkedIn content (did they like a post, or did a connection from that account start following your page?). While LinkedIn is often more of a top-of-funnel channel (awareness and interest), it can directly generate leads – especially if you post offers like webinars or free consultations. Track metrics like conversion rate from LinkedIn traffic, cost per lead (if running paid campaigns on LinkedIn), and influenced revenue (deals where LinkedIn engagement played a role).
• Social Selling Index (SSI): For individuals, LinkedIn offers an SSI score (0-100) that measures how effective you are at establishing your professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships. While not a business KPI per se, a rising SSI for your team can indicate they are getting more adept at LinkedIn networking. High SSI has been correlated with more sales opportunities in some studies. It’s something to consider tracking internally as a way to encourage your sales or consulting team’s LinkedIn activity.

In summary, define what success means for your LinkedIn efforts – it could be growing brand awareness, increasing engagement in the cybersecurity community, or generating X number of leads per quarter. Then monitor the metrics above accordingly. Engagement and reach metrics will tell you if your content strategy is working and hitting the mark with your audience. Lead and conversion metrics will tie those efforts to business outcomes. By keeping an eye on both, you can adjust your LinkedIn content topics, frequency, and tactics to continually improve results.

Content to Prioritize for Cybersecurity Service Providers

When it comes to what content to post on LinkedIn, IT service providers selling cybersecurity need to align topics with what their target audience (CISOs, IT directors, business leaders) finds valuable. Here are the content types you should prioritize on LinkedIn, and why they matter:

• Timely Threat Updates & Security News: Sharing updates about the latest cyber threats, breaches, or vulnerabilities is a great way to showcase expertise. Security leaders are always trying to stay current on the threat landscape. By posting timely insights – for example, a summary of a newly disclosed critical vulnerability or your analysis of a high-profile data breach – you position your company as on the ball. Thought leadership posts about new threats or attacks are highly sought after by CISOs; in fact, 53% of CISOs in one survey said they often look for thought leadership content discussing new threats and attacks. Even a brief LinkedIn post like “We’re tracking a new ransomware variant targeting healthcare – here’s what you need to know” can gain traction with your audience and be shared around as useful information.
• How-To Guides and Best Practices: Cybersecurity can be complex, so decision-makers appreciate content that educates. Prioritize posts that offer practical tips, checklists, or best practices. For example, “5 Steps to Improve Your Cloud Security Posture” or “Checklist: Incident Response Plan Essentials.” This kind of content addresses common pain points and demonstrates your consultancy value. It tends to get saved and shared by readers. It also caters to the many B2B buyers who prefer to do research independently; giving them guidance content builds goodwill and trust. As a bonus, you can often repurpose snippets from your longer whitepapers or webinars into bite-sized LinkedIn tips.
• Case Studies & Success Stories: Social proof is critical in B2B marketing. Use LinkedIn to highlight case studies of how you helped a client solve a cybersecurity challenge. Focus on the problem-solution-result, and whenever possible, quantify the results (“reduced incident response time by 50%” etc.). Even if you can’t name the client publicly, you can describe the scenario in general terms. B2B buyers respond strongly to real-world examples – in fact, 79% say they are encouraged to purchase after reading peer reviews or case studies. On LinkedIn, a case study could be shared as a short video testimonial, a PDF download (white paper), or a series of posts (each detailing part of the story). This content not only attracts prospects but can also catch the eye of others in your clients’ networks when those clients engage with or share the story.
• Research Reports and White Papers: If your firm produces any original research (for example, an annual cybersecurity trends report or survey findings), promote it on LinkedIn. Original data and insights are extremely valuable in establishing thought leadership. According to B2B content studies, research reports are often seen as the most valuable content format for decision-makers. You can share key findings as an infographic or a carousel, and invite readers to download the full white paper. This positions your company as a knowledge leader. Even curated research (like summarizing a relevant industry report) can be useful content, as it shows you stay on top of industry knowledge.
• Webinars, Events, and Podcasts: If you host webinars or speak at events, use LinkedIn to promote and recap these. A webinar on “Emerging Threats Q2 2025” can be promoted through an event post, and afterwards you can post a highlight reel or key takeaways. This does two things: drives attendance (lead generation) and creates content out of the event itself. Similarly, if you run a cybersecurity podcast or appear on one, share those episodes. It’s a way to put faces and voices to your expertise, making the content feel more personal and engaging.
• Opinion Pieces on Industry Developments: As a security service provider, you likely have opinions on things like new regulations (e.g., an update to data privacy laws) or industry shifts (like the move to zero-trust security). LinkedIn is an excellent place to post short op-eds or commentary on such topics. It shows you’re not just reporting news, but also interpreting what it means for businesses. For instance, posting your perspective on how a new compliance requirement will impact mid-size companies and what to do about it can position you as a strategic advisor. Content that helps buyers understand their business challenges in new ways is the hallmark of effective thought leadership, according to research.

In prioritizing content, always think from the CISO or IT manager’s perspective: Will this help me do my job better or manage my risk better? If the answer is yes, it’s likely good content for LinkedIn. Pure product pitches or bragging about awards won’t gain much traction. But content that either informs (threat intel, research), educates (best practices, how-tos), or proves value (case studies, results) will build an audience over time. Also, try to maintain a consistent voice – whether it’s your company page or your team members posting – that balances technical credibility with accessibility. Cybersecurity can get very technical; LinkedIn readers appreciate when you can distill insights in clear, relatable language (without too much jargon). A notable stat from Gartner: 86% of CISOs will dismiss a generic or jargon-filled pitch within seconds – the same applies to content. Make it specific, valuable, and tailored to what your buyers care about.

CISOs and LinkedIn: What the Data Shows

CISOs Are Highly Active on LinkedIn

Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are a prime target audience for cybersecurity service providers. Understanding their behavior on LinkedIn can help tailor your approach. The good news is that CISOs are overwhelmingly present on LinkedIn. According to a 2025 cybersecurity marketing report, 94% of CISOs are active on LinkedIn. In other words, virtually every CISO or senior security executive you might want to reach has a presence on this network (and likely checks it, even if infrequently). Another industry survey found a bit lower but still significant usage – about 66% of CISOs reported using LinkedIn regularly to network and gather information. This usage has likely trended upwards in recent years, especially as in-person events took a hit during 2020-2021 and online networking became more important.

Peer Networking and Credibility Drive Engagement

What do CISOs do on LinkedIn? They aren’t usually browsing the feed for fun; they’re there with intent. Peer networking is one major activity – CISOs trust recommendations and insights from fellow CISOs more than any marketing material. LinkedIn facilitates those peer connections (for example, through private groups or just by following each other’s posts). So, a smart tactic is to engage CISOs by fostering peer-style discussions on your content. If a CISO comments on your post, engage back thoughtfully – that dialogue can attract others. Some vendors host CISO roundtable webinars or panel discussions and then share the highlights on LinkedIn, effectively turning peer knowledge into content.

CISOs Research Vendors and Evaluate Credibility on LinkedIn

CISOs also use LinkedIn to research vendors (yes, they are checking you out). They might look at a company page to see your updates and thought leadership, or even scan the profiles of your leadership team to gauge credibility. If a CISO is evaluating your firm, you can bet they will see what kind of content you post on LinkedIn. Are you merely pushing sales pitches, or are you providing useful insights to the community? That impression can influence their willingness to engage. It’s telling that only 12% of cybersecurity vendors manage to successfully connect and engage with key decision-makers on LinkedIn – many fail because their approach is too generic or self-serving. CISOs are inundated with connection requests and messages, so they will filter out anything that looks like spam. In fact, 86% of CISOs say they ignore or delete unsolicited messages that aren’t personalized within seconds. The implication: if you reach out to CISOs on LinkedIn (be it via direct message or by tagging them in posts), make it personalized and valuable. Referencing a specific interest or need, or sharing a piece of content highly relevant to them, is far more likely to get a response than a boilerplate pitch.

Content Preferences: Concise, Valuable, and Community-Driven

Another angle is how CISOs might engage with content. They tend to be extremely busy (and often understaffed), so they appreciate concise content. Many CISOs will lurk (read without actively engaging), but if you consistently put out high-quality content, you may find they start to recognize your name or your company’s reputation. Some data suggests CISOs also value community forums and groups for information sharing. On LinkedIn, this could translate to participating in cybersecurity-focused LinkedIn Groups or commenting in threads where CISOs are active (for example, discussions started by popular CISO thought leaders). By contributing to those conversations (with no sales agenda, just insight), you build rapport and visibility among that crowd.

Building Trust Is the Path to CISO Engagement

In summary, CISOs are on LinkedIn and open to engaging, but on their terms. They seek trustworthy information, peer interactions, and solutions to their problems, not sales fluff. They will notice if your firm consistently provides thought leadership that speaks to their challenges (and conversely, they’ll tune you out if you only talk about how great your product is). The data is encouraging: LinkedIn can be a viable channel to reach CISOs – given that nearly all are active there – but remember that trust is paramount. One marketing agency put it aptly: “It’s about us, it’s about trust” when selling to CISOs. Your LinkedIn presence must therefore exude credibility, from the content you share to the way you engage others. Over time, a strong LinkedIn reputation can lead CISOs to proactively reach out to you when a need arises, effectively shortening the sales cycle because you’ve pre-earned their trust online.

LinkedIn Best Practices for B2B Cybersecurity Marketing

Bringing it all together, here are general guidelines and best practices to help IT service firms succeed on LinkedIn with their cybersecurity marketing:

1. Lead with Value and Thought Leadership: Make educating the market your primary goal. Share insights that help your audience solve problems or understand trends. Avoid overt sales pitches. Establishing your firm as a thought leader through quality content will indirectly drive sales. Remember that effective thought leadership content often has research, a fresh perspective on challenges, and actionable guidance. By consistently posting this kind of content, you “market” your expertise rather than just your services, which is far more engaging for B2B buyers.
2. Be Consistent and Timely: Post regularly (as discussed, at least weekly on the company page and multiple times a week via personal profiles) to stay visible. Consistency builds familiarity. Also, capitalize on timing – weigh in on news or emerging threats quickly to ride the wave of what’s top-of-mind in the community. If there’s a major cybersecurity incident in the news, a timely LinkedIn post from your team analyzing it can draw in a large audience and new followers.
3. Use a Human Voice: Even though you’re marketing B2B services, humanize your LinkedIn content. Showcase your team’s faces and voices. Encourage your people to post their own stories or commentary (employee spotlights, “day in the life of a security analyst”, etc.). Employee-centric content can boost engagement while also showing the approachable side of your brand. People do business with people – especially true in a trust-based field like cybersecurity. So let your company’s personality show. Whether it’s the CEO posting a personal anecdote about overcoming a cyber crisis, or a security engineer sharing a useful script they wrote, that authenticity differentiates you from competitors who only post bland corporate messages.
4. Engage with the Community: LinkedIn is not a one-way broadcast. To really gain traction, interact. Join relevant LinkedIn Groups (e.g., groups for CISOs or cybersecurity professionals) and contribute to discussions. Respond to comments on your posts – every comment is an opportunity to deepen a relationship or demonstrate expertise. Also, proactively comment on others’ posts: congratulate a CIO on a new role, add your perspective to a trending topic someone else raised, etc. This kind of social listening and engagement shows that your brand is more than just marketing – it’s an active participant in the industry dialogue. It can significantly increase your visibility among target clients. In fact, IT decision-makers spend considerable time in online communities and value those interactions highly, so be present where those conversations are happening.
5. Empower Your Advocates: Leverage the networks of your employees, partners, and satisfied clients. As discussed, employees have networks 10× larger than company pages on average. Develop an employee advocacy program to encourage and equip your team to share content. Provide them with shareable assets or key talking points, but allow them to add their personal spin. Similarly, if you have clients who are happy with your work, see if they might engage with your LinkedIn content (perhaps co-author a case study post or give a recommendation on LinkedIn). Third-party voices carry weight – peer influence drives 91% of B2B sales either directly or indirectly. So the more you can have others talking about your value, the better.
6. Diversify Content Formats: Use the full range of LinkedIn post types to keep things fresh. Mix videos, documents, images, polls, and text updates. LinkedIn’s algorithm often rewards trying new features (for example, early adopters of LinkedIn Live or Newsletters have seen good reach). Experiment and see what resonates with your audience. Over time, focus on the formats that work best, but don’t let your content get stale by doing the exact same thing every time.
7. Optimize Profiles and Pages: Before ramping up posting, ensure your company page and key employee profiles are fully filled out and professional. Company page should have a clear description of your cybersecurity services, a banner image, and contact info. Employee profiles (especially in sales or leadership) should be polished and speak to the problems you solve (not just an online resume). A strong LinkedIn profile builds credibility if a prospect clicks on it. LinkedIn data shows that profiles with a good photo, headline, and summary get far more views – which could translate into more connection requests and conversations.
8. Use Analytics to Refine Strategy: Track the performance of your content and adjust accordingly. If certain topics get more engagement (say, posts about cloud security get 3× the clicks of those about endpoint protection), lean into that interest. Monitor which days/times yield the best engagement for your audience. Pay attention to the job titles of people interacting – are you reaching the mid-level manager but missing the CISO? If so, maybe the content is too tactical and you need more strategic pieces for the exec level. By reviewing LinkedIn’s analytics and your own CRM data, you can continuously refine what content you produce and how you distribute it.
9. Stay Professional, but Keep It Accessible: LinkedIn is a professional network, and for cybersecurity topics you want to maintain credibility. But that doesn’t mean being overly formal or dry. Aim for a tone that is knowledgeable yet conversational. Use plain language wherever possible (save the deep technical jargon for whitepapers or specific inquiries). If discussing something highly technical, consider using an analogy or visual aid to get the point across. The goal is to be seen as both an expert and an approachable advisor.
10. Respect the Audience’s Time: Lastly, remember that IT leaders like CISOs are extremely busy. Be concise in your posts – if you can deliver an insight in 100 words instead of 300, do it. Use formatting that makes content easy to skim (bullet points, numbered tips, line breaks). Also, don’t post just to hit a quota; make sure you have something meaningful to say. It’s better to skip a week than to force a post that doesn’t add value. Over time, your audience will come to recognize that when your company or team members post on LinkedIn, it’s worth paying attention to.

By following these best practices, IT Service Providers can build a strong LinkedIn presence that attracts and engages the right audience. To learn more about how to build a marketing plan specific for cybersecurity read our guide How to Develop a Cybersecurity Marketing Plan.