It’s an understatement to say that LinkedIn is a professional and business networking powerhouse. It’s now the world’s largest network for the business and professional communities, with more than 467 million users, 128 million in the U.S. alone.
It’s used by everyone from job-seeking grads and solopreneurs to small travel firms to big companies like Apple.
So chances are you already have a LinkedIn profile. You’ve probably done all the “right” things – filled out your profile, uploaded a picture or two and spent a few minutes each week posting updates. Good. But, if that’s all you’re doing, you are missing out on the huge benefits LinkedIn provides. Follow these three secret tips and get so much more out of your LinkedIn profile.
1. It’s the Visuals, Baby
Photos attract more attention. In fact, LinkedIn profiles with photos get 14 times more views and are 36 times more likely to receive messages from other networkers. Businesses with LinkedIn photos, not just photos of founders and executives but staff as well, radiate a sense of cohesiveness, professionalism and prove the organization is made up of living, breathing human beings.
Unfortunately, not all photos are created equally. They need to be professionally taken and edited with tools like Photolemur.
But, there’s more to LinkedIn than just photos. Additional types of visuals greatly enhance your profile and dramatically increase views as well as shares. For example, did you know you can add SlideShare presentations to your profile summary? Or that you can add videos? Graphics and videos are, when done correctly, ripe for sharing. What does “when done correctly” mean?
It means making sure you remember who you’re targeting. LinkedIn is a network of professionals and businesses. It’s not the place to target consumers. That doesn’t mean consumers won’t see your material, though. The more shares you get, the more likely it is consumers will see your content at some point. The trick? Focus on your target audience but don’t forget about the consumer who’s watching in the background.
2. And Then There’s Written Content…
Video content is great, but don’t forget written content. It’s just as shareable. It’s also a golden opportunity to create searchable content that contains keywords relevant to your industry. How do you create shareable content? One way is to leverage the latest trends and breaking news. For example, did you hear about the burglar who broke his leg and had to call police for help? Make it a catalyst for creative and, ultimately, shareable content.
Utilizing hot trends within your content is another great way to increase shares. Online magazine Business Insider did just that during the peak of the Pokémon Go craze in the summer of 2016. The magazine published a LinkedIn article entitled “Pokémon Go is already bigger than Tinder, and it’s about to overtake Twitter.” The article became LinkedIn’s third most shared Pokémon Go article. Clearly, Business Insider harnessed the enormous popularity of a hot trend, developed creative, relevant content and hit a homerun when it came to shares.
3. Engage, Engage and Engage Some More
LinkedIn’s platform gives you the power to easily engage with peers and prospects. Joining and participating in relevant groups keeps you on top of industry news and opens a wide range of possibilities as you connect and communicate with other professionals.
Along with participating in groups, read and view the contributions of those you follow, comment and share. Reply to comments on your own posts to begin a dialogue. The more you participate, the more you gain.
What’s the bottom line? Write and post creative content, upload awesome visuals and get busy engaging with LinkedIn networkers. Move beyond the “right” things and on to the awesome.
