LinkedIn is a powerful tool. Not only does it help you connect with potential clients, but it can help you grow your network and grow your business.
But getting the most out of it can be tricky. Here are some tips on how to maximise your exposure and grow your business.
By approaching LinkedIn as a business tool rather than just a social networking site, you can significantly enhance your business exposure and reach your target audience more effectively. Following these tips will help you build a strong presence on LinkedIn and leverage its power to grow your business.
Sometimes, people are wary of adding users they don't know on LinkedIn, but if they seem like experts in their field and won't just fill your page with irrelevant posts — go for it.
The LinkedIn Publishing Platform is a great way to have your work seen by a wider audience, and the more people you have connected with, the more people will see your posts when you publish them.
If you have a lot of first-degree connections, your network will grow rapidly as you make additional second and third-degree connections.
Don't ignore LinkedIn's suggestions of people you may know, and go ahead and accept their connection requests.
However, it's a good idea to add LinkedIn tags once you connect with someone so you don't lose track of why you made a connection in the first place. You can use a LinkedIn connections app to manage your network and keep your connections organised.
Instead of passively accepting LinkedIn employees request, find out what about you or your profile sparked the interest of the person who sent it to you.
Don't try to sell anything here. Instead, react to people who answer your questions by providing further value, such as additional links to articles you've written or introductions to others you know who might be able to help.
This is a situation in which the concept of reciprocity comes into play: if someone reaches out to you for friendship and finds that you are kind and helpful, they are more likely to try to return the favor.
Like and comment on your connections' professional milestones whenever you receive an alert about their hiring or anniversary.
This shows your connections that you are interested in them and in their career and invites them to check out your profile.
This also gives your connections an opportunity to connect with you and return the favor by liking and commenting on your updates.
One of the finest methods to build your personal brand and show off your expertise is to publish articles as native content on your LinkedIn profile. Publish a post on the LinkedIn native platform, and your network will be alerted immediately, improving the likelihood of interaction and exposure to your business.
However, make sure your content is engaging and relevant to your readers. Nothing is more likely to turn off readers than an article that ends up being nothing more than clickbait or a sales pitch, even if a simple call to action to get in contact or check out other resources at the conclusion of the piece is typically fine. As a result, you should avoid writing about anything that doesn't directly benefit your audience.
For those looking to network with others in their field or field of study, LinkedIn Groups provide a dedicated forum in which they can do so, as well as access relevant resources and information and ask the group for help. It's helpful to display your expertise and gain insight into your target market by selecting organisations that mirror communities within your target viewers.
You can use LinkedIn's advanced search feature to find relevant groups to join or see which groups your connections belong to.
Once you join your own groups, be sure to stay active by responding to posts, liking and commenting on other member's posts, and sharing your own content.
Simple interactions like "liking" or commenting on someone's post can help get your profile in front of their networks. When you find value in someone else's ideas or content, saying something as basic as "Great thoughts" or "Thanks for sharing" may go a long way toward growing your audience and is the polite thing to do.
Adding your own thoughts or questions as a comment helps boost interaction and visibility. Moreover, participation enriches relationships with depth and purpose.
You may draw people to your LinkedIn profile depending on the words you use, much like when you optimise your website for SEO, so every word matters. If you don't want to be overlooked because of semantics, try using alternate terms for your job title and responsibilities.
People may be less inclined to search by formal titles and more likely to seek for connections who perform specific activities. Think about your position and how you might appeal to a wide variety of potential customers by separating out its many duties.
When you approach LinkedIn as a business tool and not a social networking site, there are great opportunities for growing your network and your business.
Follow these simple tips, and you should be well on your way to establishing a strong presence and leveraging the power of LinkedIn to reach your target audience.
Brenda Jones is a passionate business blogger, tech nerd and gamer. She is interested in topics that cover business communication, sales, online branding, digital marketing and social media, business tools and extensions, as well as organisation and management of LinkedIn connections.
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