Published on: 03/03/2025
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For early-stage startups, growth depends on visibility, networking, and lead generation, and LinkedIn and Twitter are two of the most powerful platforms for achieving this. While LinkedIn dominates B2B marketing and professional networking, Twitter is the go-to platform for real-time engagement, thought leadership, and viral content strategies.
According to HubSpot, 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn, making it a goldmine for startup founders, investors, and decision-makers. Meanwhile, Twitter is used by 67% of startups to engage with early adopters, investors, and industry influencers. The challenge, however, is knowing how to leverage each platform strategically to drive meaningful growth.
In this guide, we’ll explore how you can leverage both these platforms to their respective strengths. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to turn LinkedIn and Twitter into startup growth engines, building brand awareness, credibility, and traction from day one.
For early-stage startups, social media isn’t just about posting content- it’s about networking, attracting investors, building credibility, and acquiring customers. While Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are great for B2C marketing, LinkedIn and Twitter excel in startup and B2B growth for the following reasons:
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for startups looking to establish credibility, build professional connections, and generate B2B leads. With over 930 million users worldwide and 80% of B2B leads originating from the platform, LinkedIn is a powerhouse for startup growth, investor networking, and customer acquisition (HubSpot).
Startups can leverage LinkedIn B2B marketing in the following ways:
Related: Key Metrics and Valuation Insights for Pre-Seed Startup Success
Twitter excels at facilitating real-time conversations, increasing visibility, and engaging with industry influencers. With over 556 million active users, Twitter provides a direct avenue for startups to communicate with their audience, share updates, and build relationships with investors, journalists, and customers.
While organic growth strategies help build brand credibility and establish a strong presence, paid advertising on LinkedIn and Twitter can accelerate reach, enhance lead generation, and drive targeted engagement. For early-stage startups, leveraging paid social media campaigns strategically can be the difference between slow organic growth and rapid audience acquisition.
LinkedIn Ads are known for their precision targeting and high conversion rates, making them particularly effective for B2B startups looking to generate leads and build professional connections. Since LinkedIn’s business-focused user base consists largely of decision-makers and industry leaders, advertising on the platform gives startups direct access to potential customers, investors, and corporate partners.
One of the most effective forms of LinkedIn advertising is Sponsored Content, which allows startups to promote insightful content, case studies, and whitepapers directly into the feeds of industry professionals actively searching for solutions. Unlike traditional ads, these native-style promotions blend seamlessly with organic content, resulting in higher engagement rates.
For a more interactive approach, Carousel Ads let startups showcase multiple product features, company success stories, or testimonials in one campaign—making them particularly effective for demonstrating product value to a professional audience. This format encourages user interaction while highlighting different aspects of the brand in a structured, engaging way.
For startups focusing on B2B lead generation, LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms provide a seamless way to capture high-quality leads without forcing users to leave the platform. Since users’ profile data is pre-filled into the form, conversion rates tend to be significantly higher compared to traditional landing pages. This tool is especially useful for startups offering free trials, whitepapers, or demo sign-ups, ensuring that they can nurture potential clients with minimal friction.
Beyond acquiring new leads, LinkedIn Ads also enable retargeting campaigns, ensuring that previous website visitors, profile viewers, or engaged users continue seeing the startup’s content. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) takes this further by specifically targeting high-value potential clients, making outreach efforts personalized and effective.
Given that LinkedIn Ads have a higher cost-per-click (CPC) than most social platforms, startups need to carefully allocate budgets to ensure maximum return on investment (ROI). Best practices include:
By combining organic content with strategic advertising, startups can scale lead generation while maintaining credibility and industry relevance.
While LinkedIn is perfect for professional networking, Twitter excels in real-time engagement, brand awareness, and direct interactions. With Twitter’s lower advertising costs and high engagement potential, it’s an excellent platform for startups looking to generate buzz, engage investors, and reach broader audiences.
Related: How to Find Pre-Seed Investors That Fit Your Startup
Promoted Tweets ensure that high-performing content reaches a wider, targeted audience, allowing startups to expand their visibility, attract engagement, and increase website traffic. Since Twitter thrives on discussions, Promoted Twitter Threads are particularly effective for storytelling, breaking down complex insights, and sparking conversations around industry trends.
Unlike standalone tweets, Twitter threads allow startups to structure content into multiple, digestible parts, making it easier to capture audience interest and encourage interactions. Startups that successfully use promoted threads often see higher engagement rates and organic shares, leading to long-term brand awareness.
Video ads on Twitter generate 50% lower cost-per-engagement compared to static image ads, making them one of the most effective ad formats for startups. Video content is highly effective for:
Additionally, Twitter’s Fleets (temporary, story-style content) provide an opportunity for startups to share exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes content, and limited-time offers, further humanizing the brand and fostering trust.
For startups looking to build credibility quickly, Twitter influencer marketing is a game-changer. Partnering with tech influencers, startup VCs, and industry thought leaders helps startups tap into pre-existing communities and gain exposure.
Sponsored mentions, where influencers or industry professionals endorse a startup through organic-seeming engagement, are particularly effective for driving conversations and increasing brand trust. Startups can use Twitter Ads to retarget engaged audiences, ensuring that potential customers and investors continue seeing their brand in their feed.
Twitter Ads tend to have a lower CPC compared to LinkedIn, making them a cost-effective option for startups with limited budgets. To maximize effectiveness, startups should:
By combining paid promotions with organic engagement, startups can maintain authenticity while increasing their reach on Twitter.
By strategically using both LinkedIn and Twitter ads, startups can effectively position themselves for rapid growth, ensuring they connect with the right audience while maintaining an active brand presence. By aligning ad campaigns with organic engagement efforts, startups can maximize visibility, attract high-quality leads, and establish a competitive edge in their industry. With strategic targeting, continuous optimization, and performance tracking, paid advertising on LinkedIn and Twitter can be one of the most impactful marketing investments a startup makes.
Startups should optimize their LinkedIn profile and company page, actively post thought leadership content, engage with industry groups, and use LinkedIn Sales Navigator for B2B lead generation.
It depends on the goal. Twitter is ideal for real-time conversations, brand visibility, and engaging with investors, while LinkedIn excels at B2B networking, professional credibility, and lead generation. Using both platforms strategically provides the best growth outcomes.
Startups should track metrics such as engagement rate, follower growth, lead conversions, and profile visits using LinkedIn Analytics and Twitter Analytics. Regular performance reviews help optimize marketing strategies for better results.
Eximius Capital Ventures Private Limited is the investment manager of the funds licensed by SEBI under AIF categories CAT I – Eximius Trust I (IN/AIF1/20-21/0855) and CAT II – Eximius Fund (IN/AIF2/24-25/1566).
Eximius Capital Ventures Private Limited is the investment manager of the funds licensed by SEBI under AIF categories CAT I – Eximius Trust I (IN/AIF1/20-21/0855) and CAT II – Eximius Fund (IN/AIF2/24-25/1566).
