If you haven’t created a LinkedIn profile then you should get on it. There are 50 million users on LinkedIn who may looking for what you are doing or have the answers to your questions. LinkedIn is a free, powerful social media site that can connect you to many people and open doors for many opportunities. Like every social media site time management is key but to fully optimize your experience here are some useful tips.
Lewis Howes (co-author of “LinkedWorking”) has some great insight on how to optimize your profile on LinkedIn. We’ve all heard of SEO? If not, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which allows for a greater presence on the internent to increase traffic to your website. In order to ensure that your profile is in the top ranking when being searched on LinkedIn do the following:
1. Define what/who you are in one or two keywords (e.x. business coach)
2. Take that keyword(s) and place them strategically in 5 places on your profile:Headline, Current and Past Work Experiences, Summary and Specialties
3. Within minutes (of doing this) you can SEO your profile. Seriously, try it!
Other ways to ensure greater success on LinkedIn is through groups, conversations and connections. LinkedIn provides opportunities for all of these thing to happen as long as you know how to add the most value to your profile.
1. Create groups. Groups equal contacts which create a frenzy of networking opportunities.
2. Ask questions.
3. Focus on one aspect. If have found your LinkedIn niche then focus on that and do it well. For instance, if you are good at connecting with the members of a group (you created) then interact with them, send messages, start discussions, ask questions etc…
4. Be consistent. Follow through with what you have set out to do. Whether that’s making connections or creating a group.
5. Add Value. Link up your blog, twitter, website whatever gives insight into who are you as a professional.
LinkedIn is easy to use so the more you give the more you will receive. It always feels better to give anyway.
Get started… Get going… Get searched… Do whatever…
Just do it the best way possible.
So many people undervalue the role LinkedIn plays in both search and personal branding. I like the author's idea of using the right key words (wrote that one down to check on my own account), but I completely disagree with creating groups (especially not just because you can) and asking questions.
So many times the same people who ask questions on LinkedIn already know the answer. They were the kids in class who asked the question with the answer embedded within, just to show everybody else that they knew it.
Integrating a personal blog and other tools, like Twitter and Slideshare, provide tremendous benefits and exposure for not just the LinkedIn profile, but the embedded content. Events is the one area of LinkedIn that people just haven't grabbed on to yet, and I'm not 100% sure why.
Kyle, I agree with your wise direction to optimize a LinkedIn profile. Unfortunately, most LinkedIn members opt to simply upload their website or blog link and never click the edit button to add the actual name of their website/blog. It's a mistake and missed opportunity to leave the default setting "My Website" or "My Blog". How compelling is that? Why not have the link say "Dakno Real Estate Marketing Blog". Plus, who knows "what lies beyond the link" if the website link? The question of the unknown might sway members from clicking the "unlabeled" link.
By the way, LinkedIn members are given 3 links. I suggest you use them all! You might say, "But Bobby, I only have one site." If that is the case, link beyond your homepage. Link deeper into your site. Maybe link to your client testimonial page or your contact page, a engagement page or other high value content page. The point being, use all 3 link opportunities!!!
When you do add your website or blog link, be sure to copy and paste the "full-path" link from your address bar to avoid typos and thus creating a "dead" link which is useless. Remember, the ultimate goal of your social media profiles is to guide visitors back to your online "hub" which is your website/blog.
One last point. To really maximize your LinkedIn profile, be a giver!! Give honest, praise-worthy "Recommendations". When it comes to giving Recommendations, the law of reciprocity truly works. Not that LinkedIn members should be motivated to "give to get", but I have found when you do provide a genuine recommendation chances are the receiver of the recommendation will reciprocate! I suggest you give it a try. It will make you feel good about yourself when you do give. And if you don't get a recommendation in return, no big deal!
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