Five tips to make LinkedIn work for you - Social media for a business audience

Business people are often great at making connections on LinkedIn. A quick click on connect or accept and you’ve added another name and face to your list. But what happens next? If you’re one of those people with 300+ connections but no idea how to make some mileage from LinkedIn, you’re certainly not alone. The five simple tips below should help you move to another level and get LinkedIn working for you and your business.

1. Have a detailed profile:

Make sure your profile is succinct but offers more than just the basics. This ensures your skills and experience are displayed and people can understand what you do. Also, a professional photo is a must. Profiles with photos are many times more likely to be viewed.

2. Be an active user:

Post and comment regularly, join some LinkedIn groups where you can participate in conversations relating to your industry, and keep track of what your connections are doing. A key contact starting a new job, for example, may provide an opportunity for you to work for their new company. Make good use of your existing Facebook posts by also using them on LinkedIn. Just remember they need to work for a business audience. The private messaging part of LinkedIn is also useful for keeping in touch with people and making time to meet or talk.

3. Get endorsed for your skills:

Endorsements are a useful way of promoting your skills. Members with a greater number of endorsements also rank higher in LinkedIn search results. If you are light on endorsements, tell some of your close contacts that you are trying to build your LinkedIn profile and ask if they could endorse you for certain skills. Endorsing others is a positive way to network and keep in touch with people you may not see regularly.

4. Keep an eye on who’s checking you out: 

Make sure you check who has been looking at your profile, by using the ‘Who viewed your profile’ feature. This tool allows you to see who has been visiting your page. It can open up opportunities for new connections and indicate who is interested in the work you do.

5. Personalise your invitations to connect:

Write a personal message rather than sending the standard LinkedIn request. Include where you met the person or how you got their details, and offer the opportunity to talk soon. Personal touches will not only increase the chance of your request being accepted but also the potential to do business together.