You’re likely familiar with LinkedIn. But have you heard of Alignable?
If not, this is a post you’ll want to read; especially if you run a B2B business.
Whereas LinkedIn now has more than 875 million users as of November 2022, Alignable is much smaller. Their About page states they have more than 7 million members.
Let’s talk about why as a B2B business, it might be worth your while to spend more time on Alignable.
What is Alignable?
Alignable is a business-to-business social media platform. It’s designed to help foster meaningful business relationships and it’s a great option for lead generation.
You can do a lot with Alignable, including:
Sending connection requests to people you’re interested in networking with.
Adding information about products and services your business offers.
Stating who your ideal customers are.
Joining and participating in groups to add value and find even more networking opportunities.
Alignable is a great place for smaller businesses to network. You can even build your profile by offering and receiving recommendations from other business owners.
Alignable Vs. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great networking tool too, but it’s very different from Alignable. I love this quote, and I think it sums up the difference really well:
“...Alignable is similar to LinkedIn but designed for small businesses. Think of Alignable as being your local coffee shop where you catch up with other small and micro business owners, and think of LinkedIn as a skyscraper where people ride the elevators hoping to meet their next best client or employer.”
Both sites have value, but with Alignable, you have a smaller chance of getting “lost in the shuffle.”
Bigger doesn’t always mean better, and Alignable is definitely better overall for B2B businesses.
The Benefits of Networking on Alignable
Granted, Alignable sends a lot of emails (if you end up getting too many, just adjust your settings). But joining this social media platform has many benefits, including:
Searching for connection opportunities and suggesting them to you.
Encouraging conversations among new connections (which just might be where your newest customers come from).
Alerting you when other businesses have needs you may be able to fill if you join groups.
If you’re used to the way LinkedIn works, it won’t take too long to figure out how to capitalize on everything Alignable has to offer you.
How to Get Started with Alignable
Here are step-by-step instructions to help you get started on Alignable.
Step 1: Create Your Profile
As you get started, you’ll upload your headshot and your business logo.
You’ll have a space to describe your business and choose the appropriate tags for your business and your ideal clients or customers.
Don’t forget to fill out the information about your products and services too.
Once you’ve done all of the above, you’re ready to start sending connection requests.
Step 2: Get to Know the Platform
Alignable has some really cool features. It’s worth taking an hour or so to poke around and get to know how it all works.
We recommend sending some recommendations to people in your network and joining some groups. You’ll probably receive some recommendations back and you never know what business opportunities await you within Alignable’s groups.
Step 3: Commit to Daily Participation
There’s no need to spend hours each day on Alignable. But it’s worth it to commit to at least 15 minutes a day.
As with anything else, networking on Alignable is going to take some work, but before long, you’ll have developed a presence there.
You never know what opportunities you’ll find until you give it a try!
Do You Need to Pay for Alignable?
Alignable does have paid plans, but you don’t have to pay anything to be part of the platform.
In fact, the free version works very well and offers a lot of fantastic features.
LinkedIn will cost you $40 a month for a membership. But there are three levels of paid memberships with Alignable if you choose to upgrade.
Local Membership - This one costs $15 a month (or $12 a month if you pay annually) and it gives you a marketing area of 50 miles, lets you reach up to 5,000 businesses, and allows you to connect with 15 businesses each month.
Regional Membership - This one is $30 a month (or $24 a month if you pay annually) and Alignable says it’s their most popular one. It expands your marketing area to 150 miles, lets you reach up to 50,000 businesses, allows you to connect with 40 businesses each month, and lets you see who visits your page. Also, you can add 2 keyword search terms.
National Membership - This level is $90 (or $72 a month if you pay annually), but you get a lot for that higher price tag. Your market area expands to include all of the United States and Canada. You’ll have access to more than 7 million businesses (literally anyone on the platform). You can connect with up to 105 businesses each month, see who visits your page, and add 6 search keywords.
Have Questions About Marketing with Alignable? Contact Us!
At Colwell Creative Content, Inc., we believe in Alignable and have already made some great connections there. We’ve only been using the platform for a short time, but it has tremendous value for small businesses.
If you’d like some help setting up or managing your account, or if you have other digital marketing questions, contact us!
Let’s Grow Your Business Together!