Tips and Techniques for LinkedIn Marketing
LinkedIn, the largest business-to-business only social media network in the world, provides huge opportunities for business people and companies who want to connect. Sometimes called “the best kept secret in social media marketing,” most people who have a profile on LinkedIn don’t know how to use it effectively. Following are some key tips for using LinkedIn:
Building a Profile
The first and most important place to start on LinkedIn is building a profile. A profile presents you and your background. Without an effective profile, much of the time spent on LInkedIn will be wasted.
First, make sure you have a good photo of yourself loaded into the profile. The absence of a photo will dramatically reduce the effectiveness of your marketing. Second, use the right keywords in your profile. Keywords help determine how and if people will find you if they are searching for people.
Communicate your story and what is unique and interesting about you to make people want to engage with you. When you create a presence on LinkedIn, you will receive a profile – the web address where people will find you. Use that profile in all of your marketing, such as putting it on your web page.
Make Connections
Actively reach out and connect with people you know. One fast way to add connections is through your email account, such as Gmail. LinkedIn has a feature where it reads and loads in email addresses telling you who is on LinkedIn. You can quickly and easily invite people to connect from your email address.
Think of people you have interacted within your career and invite them. One great place to start is all the people you have worked with.
Website Links
Add links within your LinkedIn presence to your websites. This provides people with additional information they can use to learn more about you.
Add Your Company Profile
Besides searching for you by your profile, people can search by company and find you that way. To enhance your presence within the company, the search function can make sure you create a page about your company with compelling information.
Use Groups
LinkedIn has a feature called “groups” that allows people with similar interests to communicate with each other. LinkedIn lets you join up to 50 groups. Use the group search function to find groups you might be interested in joining. Once you join a group, there is a feature within groups where you can communicate directly with any group member. Use groups as a way to connect with others.
Recommendations
Ask for people you know to recommend you. Those who recommend you will have their written recommendation displayed in your LinkedIn profile. In turn, recommend others who recommend you. Besides promoting you and your background, the number of recommendations you have attached to your profile is one determinant in how easily you can be found in LinkedIn search results.
Get Others to Introduce You
Use the LinkedIn feature which allows others to introduce people you want to meet who are not directly connected to you. This powerful feature is underutilized by many.
Provide Updates
LinkedIn provides the ability to write updates about what you are doing and useful information you can share. When you provide updates, it can be seen across your network, providing additional visibility and exposure.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile and presence, create one today and become part of this large online business-to-business community. If you are already on LinkedIn, apply any of the tips provided here and continually work to optimize your profile as you actively engage in the LinkedIn community.
