New on LinkedIn? 3 Tips to Help You Start Engaging…

LinkedIn has well over 200 million users and is the 13th most viewed website in the world.  For business owners, professionals, and job seekers, it is the place to be and be seen.  When you get in there and figure out how it works, LinkedIn can be a great source for generating leads, nurturing client relationships, driving traffic to your website, and establishing you as an authority in your industry.

But for some small business owners, it’s really not a matter of if they should be on LinkedIn. I mean, they get it and why it’s important. The real question is, “Now that I’m on it, what do I do with it?”  Sound familiar?

Well, having worked with small businesses at the ground level and seen and heard how they currently use LinkedIn, I’ve pulled out three tips that you can start doing today to improve your experience with this social networking giant.

1.  Create a great profile.   As an entrepreneur, the best thing we can do for our business is to decide what business we’re in and promote that. Creating a great profile with this concept in mind is a great place to start.

• Picture – Unlike Twitter and Facebook, the picture you select for your profile should portray who you are as a professional. Simple background, clear image. No palm trees.
• Completed profile  - While LinkedIn shows at what level of completion your profile is, 100% is only helpful when the information entered highlights your strengths. Use keywords and phrases that define your business and its value to the business community. The use of relevant keywords will also increase the likelihood of your profile appearing in search results.
• Customize your public profile’s URL -  Edit the default LinkedIn URL, which consists of a string on letters and numbers, to one that includes your name.

2.  Create a Company page.  A recent LinkedIn study found that 50% of LinkedIn members are more likely to purchase from a company they engage with on LinkedIn.

Creating a company page gives you yet another chance to showcase the value of your business in a clear and concise way. As an added bonus, you can attach your company page to your personal profile, placing your logo in clear view.

3.  Engage, not sell.  The mistake many of us make on LinkedIn is blatantly attempting to sell instead of engage.  To push out instead of pull in.

• Be a good social partner -  Share links to your content and to that of other credible sources as well. Follow the golden rule here…don’t expect others to like or share your content, if you’re not doing the same for them. Utilize the ‘like’ feature as well as post comments. Create a conversation which ultimately strengthens your authority on a topic.
• Participate in Groups - Users who post or engage in group conversations receive four times as many profile views as those who don’t. LinkedIn groups are a great way to help you build credibility and put you in front of your targeted audience, as well as peers who can help you grow your business.  Use LinkedIn Search or “Groups You May Like” to identify groups that make sense and then check the group stats to see the demographics of and activity within those groups. If it’s a good fit, click ‘Join.’

Lastly, in your rush to grow your number of connections, be mindful of the quality of connections you want….those that can help you reach your goals.  Do away with generic invitations and informal notes. Personalize each encounter you have on LinkedIn.