LinkedIn isn’t just a resume building site. It is a professional, social networking site that allows you to gain credibility in the market share as well as leverage search engine optimization for your business’s website and other social media platforms. LinkedIn strives to ensure authentication and verification of a business, therefore making your online presence trustworthy.
“What LinkedIn is, is an awesome tool that is under-leveraged by businesses in general. It’s a great tool to build more relationships with existing customers and it’s an awesome tool to use your customers to connect with prospects,” says DJ Muller, president of WebLink International.
Here are Muller’s five tips to make the most of your time on LinkedIn:
- Create a personal and a business/company page. While you should post statuses on your personal page, and keep your resume and stats up to date, be sure to have a company page as well that is strictly for business postings. Encourage your staff to add the company page on their LinkedIn profiles as well.
- Ask for recommendations. Once your company page is set up, reach out to your clients and professionals you have worked with to recommend you for key services. You may be asked to reciprocate recommendations, so keep that in mind as you decide who to ask. Also, be intentional and specific when you ask for recommendations.
- Give a behind-the-scenes look at your company. If your company actively blogs, repost this on your LinkedIn page. If your company is not blogging or writing articles, Muller suggests posting about company events, fundraisers, “insider” looks at products, featured company employees, and more. “It adds more color to your page…While these posts may not be filled with useful tips, they will still help establish a more personal relationship with clients and potential employees,” says Muller.
- Post frequently. Google likes changing content. The more frequently you post, the more Google will crawl your sites and increase your SEO and Klout ranking.
- Reach out for introductions. According to Muller, businesses can use LinkedIn as a resource for identifying leads by combing through the contacts of current customers and employees. Once you’ve found potential clients, Muller says you should politely ask your customer for introductions, or directly contact the person. “You don’t want to abuse your customers, though. Do it in a way that’s respectful and not overly self-serving,” says Muller.
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