LinkedIn is the most popular social media channel for business users. It is the marketing heart of many B2B businesses, especially popular with head hunters, executives and solopreneurs. According to a 2014 Wall Street Journal study, 41% of small businesses believe that LinkedIn has the most potential for them to generate business.
But, as with every other social media platform, it can get a bit confusing knowing where to start. It’s also difficult to find out how to get the most of the platform to help improve your business.
We’ll look today at 7 of the most useful tips for using LinkedIn for your small business.
Tip #1: Optimize your profile
One of the most important things to do on LinkedIn is to get your profile up to scratch. You should fill in all the sections (or as many as you possibly can) and include keywords that will help others find you.
Check to make sure your links are all working. Beyond that, you need to make sure your profile picture and cover image are:
- both high quality, with high pixel dimensions
- related to your brand
Your whole profile is the first image that anyone will see of you and/or your business, so make sure the image is top notch.
Tip #2: Get everything on LinkedIn
Just because you are new on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you have to start fresh. The platform makes it easy for you to add in all your other content to give your profile some weight.
For example, you can upload your Youtube videos on the platform. You can also upload any presentations (the ones you are particularly proud of) on SlideShare. This can help you show off your valuable content to new eyes and gain a reputation.
Tip #3: Find and join LinkedIn groups
This is pretty much networking, seeing as most LinkedIners are there for professional reasons. For this reason, there are thousands upon thousands of groups dedicated to different niches, professions, products, etc.
You can join these groups to gain new insights but also to find new connections. It is also quite important to find local groups to join, so that they may lead you to your next sales lead.
Tip #4: Get LinkedIn recommendations
One great use for LinkedIn is the number of recommendations you can get from business partners or customers.
Once you get a recommendation from someone, it will show up on your profile. That way, anyone in your network can see what the recommendations are. Even better than that, when your client or business associate makes a recommendation, anyone in their network will be able to see it as well. This can help increase your reach and put you in front of the right eyes.
Tip #5: Get your employees on LinkedIn
You can leverage your employees on social media. You should recommend and incentivize your employees or colleagues to get on LinkedIn, or at least to make a connection on the platform.
This way, you can turn your employees into brand ambassadors. They will help to spread the word about your company and give you a wider reach than you would’ve been able to achieve by yourself.
With these tips, you’ll find yourself gaining in the LinkedIn hierarchy in no time. You’ll be able to use LinkedIn the right way, embracing its emphasis on leadership and business community-building.
With that understanding, you’ll be more successful in your networking and your business.
