With all the hype over Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn is a powerful social network that seems to be neglected by those looking to increase their customer base. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set up an account and take advantage of all it has to offer.
Of the three social networks just mentioned, LinkedIn provides the most professional user base. There are people there who are looking for your services, and ready to network. It may not always provide as much traffic to your website as the other social networks, but the traffic it does generate tends to be people more likely to use your services.
So what are the best ways to grab someone’s attention using LinkedIn? You have to market yourself. Start by filling out your profile to the fullest extent. LinkedIn gives you the room to talk about your business experience and let people know your skillset. It would be smart to take advantage.
Stop and think about how you want people to find you. If you sell health insurance for example, make sure that the words health insurance agent are in your title. Make sure it’s mentioned in your summary and experience content. What this does is help rank your site higher when potential customers are searching the website for this service.
It is also very important to use a photo in your profile. If people don’t know what you look like, in this day and age, they are likely not to do business with you. A photo is one of the most important parts of marketing your business online. It speaks volumes to those looking to utilize your services.
Once your profile is created, LinkedIn offers several ways to stay active. You can post status updates similar to Facebook. With LinkedIn, you will probably want to keep these updates more professional. Remember that those you want to do business with are the ones who will be seeing them.
Participate in groups. There are groups for any and every purpose. Small business groups will put you in connection with a number of like-minded entrepreneurs. There are also industry-specific groups that will allow you to find those in the same business. Start group discussions, and participate in others’ group discussions. If you like another person’s answer, let them know, and follow them. Keep talking.
The answers forum is also a great place to put your industry knowledge on display. Find a topic that hits close to home and weigh in with your expertise. Again, if you like what you hear from others, let them know.
They also have a spot below your answer for references. This is a great place to fit a backlink to your business.
If you like the work of someone else, recommend them. The recommendations you write, as well as those you receive, go a long way toward helping your visibility and rankings on the site.
Tie your other social media accounts together. Do you have a blog or a Twitter account? Run them through your LinkedIn profile to let your professional-based network know about the work you are doing.
LinkedIn is a great way to engage with others in the business. Put yourself out there a little bit, and you should reap the rewards!
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