LinkedIn is one of many social networking sites I visit on a daily basis however whenever I view the profiles of my contacts, it is clearly noticeable that it is being neglected by those who use it. And there seems also to be a clear disparity between the number of people who use LinkedIn and those who use Facebook – more opting for the latter.
LinkedIn is clearly set up for those in professional industries therefore it is an ideal tool for new and small businesses looking to build on their brand awareness and reputation. Connecting with those you have worked with previously and those you wish to work with in the future is a great way to expand on and develop your contacts. It allows you to network with those in your industry wherever they are located in the world and keeps you up to date with what is happening in your field.
Many individuals create a profile on LinkedIn and leave it at that. They fail to add a picture let alone fill in their background or career profile fully. It is important to connect with others on LinkedIn as you would on other social networking sites and it is definitely worth the time it takes to build up your profile and collect recommendations from others.
Post as you would on Facebook (minus the photos of your children and cats) with important business updates and blog posts and really take the time to develop those contacts in a more professional environment. And if the time comes when you are seeking a new career change then you never know when those contacts could just come in handy.
In March 2012, LinkedIn reported it had managed to reach over 3 million users within Australia alone representing a major percentage of the working population. If you fail to ignore the benefits of LinkedIn you may miss out on many great opportunities to connect with others in your social circle. It is definitely an untapped opportunity for many.
Are you making the most of your LinkedIn account?
Michelle Tupy (www.michelletupy.com) is a content writer and copy writer who quite happily spends her time behind the scenes writing Facebook posts, blog posts and articles on behalf of busy managers as well as writing and publishing eBooks.
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Michelle Tupy, Content Writer at Freelance Writer
That is great Daniel - more businesses should be following your lead.
Mark Veitch, CEO at DEFINING SOCIAL PTY LTD and YOUR SOCIAL VILLAGE PTY LTD
I totally agree Michelle. LinkedIn has become my major source for new clients working in conjunction with Twitter and I see it as the foundation of "Social Selling". I believe SME's and larger sales teams need to be embracing these social platforms (and others) to engage and develop their customer base providing them with valuable insights around their area of expertise. Organisations such as Forrester are reporting that approx 70% of a purchase decision is made before a buyer engages with a "live" salesperson, so as sellers, we need to be engaged as early in a buyers "discovery" phase as possible.