5 LinkedIn Funnel Tactics to Convert Profile Views into Leads

Profile views on LinkedIn are an exciting indicator of your page gaining traction. But if they’re not resulting in a higher engagement rate or actual leads you can nurture, you’re going to get bored and frustrated at what’s going wrong. 

There are numerous things that can hinder or slow down lead generation on LinkedIn, but it mainly comes down to forging a sense of connection through your different activities on the platform.

When you have an optimised strategy that connects properly with your target audience, LinkedIn can become a rich source of lead generation.

This article will explore what makes an optimised strategy, helping you to craft the beginning of your sales or marketing funnel and connect B2B. We’ll discuss 5 funnel tactics that encourage viewers to engage and become actual leads you can nurture.

Let’s dive in:

Why Are Your LinkedIn Viewers Not Engaging?

When a high number of views isn’t translating into connection requests, messages, or leads, it’s clear that visibility alone isn’t enough. Sadly, views do not equal qualified leads. Being seen is one thing, but receiving genuine engagement from your target audience is another thing entirely. If people are landing on your profile but not engaging, something is probably missing. 

Often, these problems begin with how you’re presenting yourself, your business, or the value you offer.

Many professionals and businesses fall into the trap of thinking that a high level of reach is a sign of a well-operating LinkedIn strategy. But reach without results means something is breaking down between the moment someone lands on your profile and their decision not to engage. One possible culprit is that your profile could be turning people away. Whether it’s vague positioning, a generic headline, or a lack of clarity about how you solve your target audience’s problems, viewers could leave if they don’t see a reason to stay.

Another potential problem is there being a mismatch between what you’re putting out there and what your target audience actually needs. If your posts, ads, or comments are getting attention but not generating conversations, it might be because you’re highlighting pain points but not offering solutions. 

Positioning your offering as capable of solving the problems you’re pointing out is a key component in demonstrating its value. 

This is especially important when running paid LinkedIn ads. It’s tempting to focus on grabbing attention, but attention without substance doesn’t build trust. Value-driven content must speak to your audience’s struggles but also show that you have something genuinely helpful to offer. 

There are a number of things that could be going wrong, but it boils down to connection: 

• Are you writing and speaking in a way that feels human? 
• Does your profile tell a story that users can relate to and believe in? 
• Does your brand come across as trustworthy and reputable?
• Are you making it easy for people to see how you can help them? 
• Does your content demonstrate wisdom and expertise?
• Are you being seen by the people who are most likely to connect with your offering?
• Is it easy for people to get in touch with you?

In lead generation, your goal is to get noticed by the right people and form connections that have a high potential of going somewhere fruitful. If this isn’t happening, it’s essential to examine how you’re showing up on LinkedIn and adapt your strategy into something that encourages the connection you’re after.

We’ll now explore how you can do so, identifying 5 tactics for optimising this initial stage of your marketing or sales funnel. 

5 LinkedIn Funnel Tactics to Convert Views into Leads

The beginning of your funnel is a precarious stage; it’s full of potential, but easily wasted if your approach lacks strategy. To move viewers from passive onlookers to engaged prospects, you need to guide them with purpose. 

Here are five LinkedIn funnel tactics designed to turn those initial profile views into real leads ready for the next step:

Optimise your LinkedIn profile page

Your profile is like your website’s landing page or a shop’s front window; first impressions are key (pun intended!). 

An effective LinkedIn profile page is clear, relevant, and geared towards viewers taking action. You can cultivate this by writing a headline that says more than just your brand name or job title. It should convey value, for example:

✅ Helping SaaS founders turn LinkedIn into a predictable lead engine 

❌ Business Development Manager at Leads Ltd.

Or

✅ Helping e-commerce brands scale with conversion-focused web design

❌ XYZ Creatives | Web Design Agency

Your profile should also detail how you or your business has solved specific problems, instead of a generalised description of your job role or business purpose. For example:

✅ We helped a B2B SaaS company reduce their sales cycle by 30% through targeted LinkedIn outreach and messaging

❌ We provide LinkedIn marketing services to B2B companies

In addition, don’t forget your call-to-action! Make it clear what viewers’ next step should be, whether it’s filling in a form or sending a message to register their interest. You could also include featured content that viewers can sink their teeth into. For instance, videos or case studies can be very engaging and successfully convey your value in a digestible way.

And lastly, make your business easily contactable. Your page should link to your website without any snags, present relevant team members, and appear to be active and responsive.

These best practices will elevate your profile page to one that your target viewers can’t help but engage with. 

Utilise sponsored content

Sponsoring content on LinkedIn is a powerful way for businesses to stay in the minds of their target audience, especially during the early stage of the funnel. 

One strategic use of sponsored content is retargeting users who have previously visited your company page or engaged with your posts. LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences feature allows you to create a custom audience based on website visitors or company page interactions. This allows you to serve content to those who are already familiar with your brand and maintain visibility with them.

However, as we’ve established, visibility isn’t the only important thing. Even if your reach increases with sponsored content, that reach won’t be useful unless it connects with users and converts their views into something more valuable.

At this early stage, your goal is to nurture interest and build credibility. Whether you want your viewers’ next steps to be following your page, visiting your website again, or reaching out, it can be secured by optimising your content. Sponsored or not, your content should be relevant, engaging, and focused on the problems your audience is trying to solve. 

Things like insights and facts, case studies, or downloadable resources can make your content stand out from the rest and position you or your business as a helpful authority figure.

Engage with LinkedIn viewers

Engaging on LinkedIn is a simple way to turn passive viewers into active leads. If someone has taken the time to look at your profile, not reaching out is letting that potential lead go cold.

It can be useful to reach out with a friendly and low-pressure message. Instead of going straight into a high-pressure pitch, thank them for visiting your profile and offer something useful (e.g., a short guide, checklist, or blog post) that aligns with their interests. This demonstrates your value in an immediate way.

You can also engage more subtly by interacting with their content. Liking or commenting on their recent posts helps keep you visible and positions you as someone genuinely interested in what they have to say. If your business is hosting a relevant webinar, workshop, or event, inviting them to attend can be another non-salesy way to build the relationship further.

Simply being responsive on LinkedIn is very effective. Replying to comments on your own posts and answering questions helps establish you as approachable and credible. 

Send viewers to a specific destination

Rather than settling for nebulous connections, a direct approach would lead viewers to a specific destination that aligns with your funnel’s broader goal. What action do you want a viewer to take? Let’s make it easy for them to take it.

For example, a hiring manager might include a direct link to the company’s careers page in their profile or posts, guiding potential applicants straight to open roles. In e-commerce, the destination could be a featured product page, a seasonal promotion, or a limited-time offer. 

If your goal is lead generation, link to a landing page with a valuable download, consultation booking form, or webinar registration. These links can live in your profile’s featured section, in sponsored content, or even as a soft CTA within organic posts. Doing so ensures your activity is intentional and gives viewers an easy opportunity to take the next step in your funnel.

Make outreach and interactions intentional and targeted

 If your goal is to generate leads, you need to be strategic about who you’re reaching out to and why. Instead of casting a wide net, focus on building relationships with people in your target audience. Intentional, targeted outreach is far more effective than relying on random profile visits or mass requests to connect.

Start by using LinkedIn’s advanced search filters or Sales Navigator to identify individuals based on criteria like job title, industry, company size, or location. This ensures your outreach is relevant from the outset. 

When sending connection requests, always include a short, personalised message that gives the other person a clear reason to accept (something thoughtful and authentic, not a copy-paste pitch). Once you’re connected, continue to engage in a meaningful way. Comment on their content, share insights, or offer resources that align with their role or business needs. 

Final thoughts

The tips in this article will put you in a great position for nurturing leads in your target audience. Ideally, your new strategy won’t be about pushing harder but just aligning more accurately. 

If you’d like some assistance with your approach, you might be interested in either purpletarget, our paid advertising service, or purplewave, our social media management service. Here at purpleplanet, we’re celebrating twenty years of helping businesses grow with personalised digital services. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.