LinkedIn has a very different demographic compared to Facebook and Twitter. Where other social sites tend to be dominated by millennials, LinkedIn is different. The average user is older, better educated, and has a strong income. In fact, 41% of millionaires use LinkedIn! There are many ways to tap into the professional site, including finding a job, connecting with industry leaders, and filling positions with top talent.
To attract attention on LinkedIn, you need more than an engaging profile. You must be bold and captivating. Take note from Miami University student Akosua Boadi-Agyemang. She was looking for a finance or accounting internship at Microsoft. She wrote a compelling public LinkedIn status that said, “I was always told to be ‘BOLD’. Hopefully someday it helps me reach my goals”. She tagged the CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, in her post. Three months later, her dream came true.
As you look for ways to improve your business presence on LinkedIn, consider the following ways to stand out – and dominate!
Beef Up Your Profile
Your LinkedIn profile can serve as a resume, portfolio, or business profile. It should be regularly updated with the latest information and also include compelling content with good keyword usage. Also, by posting status updates, you keep your brand front and center.
Here are a few ways to create an attractive, professional LinkedIn profile.
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Upload a quality photo (preferably a head shot)
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Complete your entire profile
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Include email addresses so people can contact you
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Apply SEO by using keywords in your content
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Link to your blog’s RSS feed
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Update your profile regularly (not obsessively, though)
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Create status updates
Add the Right Applications
LinkedIn has been adding new applications to enhance the user experience, and some are certainly worth checking out. For example, the Jobs Insider tool on LinkedIn is a plugin that can be downloaded to your browser. It identifies the best open positions on the largest job boards, including Monster, CareerBuilder, and SimplyHired.
LinkedIn takes a unique approach to their apps, focusing on just one or two competencies. Browse through the available apps to determine which ones will help meet your goals. Some of the hottest apps include LinkedIn (Voyager), LinkedIn Connected, LinkedIn Pulse, and LinkedIn SlideShare.
Expand Your Connections
LinkedIn is the place to connect with other professionals, mostly those who are in your industry. While you may connect with friends and family, the purpose of LinkedIn is to advance your professional goals. Focus on connections that will grow your network and position yourself in front of the right people, including potential candidates you may want to interview one day.
Some of the ways to find connections include:
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Inviting people you meet at networking events and conferences
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Using the Custom Invite text
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Finding connections using LinkedIn Search
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Inviting contacts from your email
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Browsing your connections’ connections
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Connecting with clients, former clients, and prospects
Dominating on LinkedIn requires a strong profile, savvy applications, and the right connections. Once you establish a solid presence, you can post status updates, create custom messages, and recommend connections based on skills. With this approach, your existence won’t go unnoticed.
