However, LinkedIn is often heavily misused or misunderstood, both by businesses and professionals.
On the one hand, LinkedIn is the social media network of choice for B2B marketers, it can bill itself as one of the top job search sites in the world, and Microsoft valued the company enough to acquire it for more than $26 billion .
On the other hand, many potential LinkedIn users scratch their heads after creating a profile. Others have told us that they avoided the process altogether for a long time.
Whatever the case, LinkedIn remains one of the top social media networking and content marketing opportunities for businesses and individuals, and if you’re not already an active member of this community, there’s no better time to start .
Here’s our 101 crash course on learning the basics of LinkedIn.
What is LinkedIn?
As of early 2022, LinkedIn is home to over 810 million users and that number keeps growing. Unlike Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – which have added professional and business-oriented features over time – this fast-growing social media site has always been designed for professionals, job seekers and businesses.
Why use LinkedIn?
The power of LinkedIn in particular lies in the power of networking, and it works just as well online as it does in real life.
With network connections, leads and tips are created organically. LinkedIn offers people and organizations the opportunity to increase the reach of their company
join groups
collect informations
Discover events near you
Share articles and visual content
Bring your own professional contributions to the discussion
All of the members of this site who are getting what LinkedIn is trying to do are there for the same reason: to build a business network. You won’t find this kind of condensed, business-focused environment on any other “big” social media site.
Step 1: Set up your LinkedIn account properly
When you first join LinkedIn, you’re creating a profile as yourself, the person you are – not a company. This distinction is important because you can later build a Company Page — but you should always start by joining LinkedIn as yourself.
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So how should you feel about your LinkedIn profile? As Constant Contact puts it:
“Your LinkedIn profile is like a supercharged resume that allows you to showcase your experience and expertise.”
Think of this as a way to put your best, most professional foot forward. Once you’ve created a profile, upload a photo, fill out your information, and set about building your network of friends, family, colleagues, professionals, and more.
LinkedIn will walk you through the initial process, as setting up your account properly is one of the most important steps you will take throughout your LinkedIn journey. In fact, according to some metrics, only about half (50.5%) of all LinkedIn users actually completed their profile.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that right: one in two users doesn’t get anywhere near the results they want just because the profiles are below average.
Don’t be that user. Here’s what you should do:
Upload a professional photo – We’re in an age of visual stimulation, and a good, professional photo is more important than ever. Do you have to look like a model? Absolutely not. But your photo should be of high-quality image resolution (i.e., no pixelation or distortion), recent (i.e., not from your high school yearbook), and professional (i.e., not holding a beer or wearing a bathing suit…or a beer in the Holding hand while wearing swimsuit.)
Create a Professional Headline – Your headline is one of the first things people see when they come to your LinkedIn profile page. Use a headline that accurately reflects your work experience, e.g. B. “Owner at your company name”. Clear and articulate is always best.
Create an Executive Summary – This is where you tell a prospect, customer, or other connection who you are, what skills or experience you have, and why you’re a valuable connection. 2-3 paragraphs are best here.
Additional Information – If you have other online profiles, such as a website, blog, Facebook page, or professional Twitter profile (not a personal profile), link to them in your Contact and Personal Information section. Build your Experience section with multimedia links and a powerful voice, and don’t hesitate to use LinkedIn’s publishing tools – including Articles and SlideShare – to create unique content and stand out. Do you have any “Ability” or “Honors & Awards” to your name? Don’t hesitate to list them! This page is about introducing you.
Step 2: Building a network
Now that you’ve established an identity on LinkedIn, it’s time to grow your network.
Slow down. It may be lost, and conversely, you want them to give you networking value right back.
That connection begins with a personalized invitation. When you invite someone to connect with you, LinkedIn automatically creates a default invitation for you. If possible, replace this with a personalized message. Taking the extra time to be a professional connection and not someone who is solely looking to build their profile. Some LinkedIn users receive dozens of requests every week. If they don’t know why you’re connecting, they will reject you.
