LinkedIn, the social network specifically designed for professionals; are you on it; have you discovered the power on Linkedin? If you are, how do you use it? Did you sign up years ago because someone in your address book sent you an invite and now your account is gathering dust? Do you check it every now and then? Or are you a prolific LinkedIn-er regularly posting, liking, and sharing content?
For those of you whose LinkedIn is a sad and unused icon on your phone screen, you’re really missing a trick. It is an amazing opportunity not only for B2B networking, but also for recruitment. A way of staying connected to business contacts old and new. For the rest of us who range from dipping a toe to diving headfirst into the platform, there are still some handy rules for marketing yourself and your business effectively.
Harness the power of Linkedin, but use it professionally.
A good social media presence requires consistency and commitment. If you are going to post and connect on LinkedIn, you have to make sure that it isn’t in sporadic bursts. Set aside regular time to read and share articles and to post. While we’re on the subject of posting, it’s worth repeating that LinkedIn is a professional network, so keep your content workplace-friendly. That includes using hashtags professionally!
Use and appreciate the stats.
One of the best things about the LinkedIn platform is the stats. There are stats about who searched for you and what industries they work in, stats about people visiting your business pages; they’re insightful and tell you a lot about the value of the content you’re sharing. Additionally, they also show how findable you are across the platform.
People will spam you.
As with any inbox, you’re going to get spam. It’s just an unfortunate side effect of being out there. Don’t let it annoy you, delete it, and treat it with a smile. And, if all else fails, think of a connection of mine who is a copywriter and keeps receiving spam messages about automated content creation apps (although they did muse that if they could set one up and just drink cocktails all day, that would be a win).
You don’t have to accept every invitation to connect.
One of the main points of LinkedIn is about building a trusted network of people you are happy to do business and connect with. While at first, you may find yourself accepting every connection request just so your profile doesn’t look odd, there will come a time to be more selective. It’s ok to say, “no thanks”, particularly if you don’t know someone or have no legitimate business connection. Building a high-quality LinkedIn network creates the opportunity to open doors to businesses and individuals on the same wavelength. So, just take a moment before you click ‘accept’ on any request.
If you need help or advice on your LinkedIn profile and how to use it as a standalone tool or part of an integrated strategy, feel free to look me up and send me a message. Aside from using LinkedIn as part of your marketing strategy, have you considered using Pinterest or Instagram?
