1. Optimize your profile
- Take some time to write down phrases or keywords that someone would use to search for you on Linkedin. Take those keywords and add them to your Summary, Headline, Contact Information and Experience. This will greatly improve your presence on Linkedin, increasing not only the number of people who view you but also the likelihood that the people who find you are interested in you.
- LinkedIn also allows you to enhance your profile with certain Web 2.0 capabilities to showcase your expertise. Some to include in your profile would be status updates, blog posts, presentations, or events.
- Review and update your linkedin profile frequently – by keeping your profile current, others will be notified and see these updates.
2. Take Advantage of LinkedIn Community Features
- Join at least 10 groups where your prospective clients//customers/ live
This might be very different from where your colleagues or friends live; look for areas where your target market lives. An easy traps to fall into as a LinkedIn user is the comfort of hanging out online with our peers and friends.
LinkedIn is about business, and making business connections. On everyone’s LinkedIn profile you can scroll down to the bottom and find which groups they have joined; if you are looking to connect with a prospective client, go to their profile, find their groups and join one or two. Then introduce yourself to the group as a whole (and therefore to that prospect). Do this in the form of a discussion post, letting the group know you just joined, that you welcome invitations from group members and you’re looking forward to being part of the group’s discussions; according to LinkedIn, group participants get 4x the number of profile views.
- Answers: LinkedIn Answers is a great way to share business knowledge and connect with like-minded colleagues. You can ask pressing questions and get fast, accurate answers from your network and other experts worldwide. In addition, you can showcase your knowledge, expertise, and interests by answering questions.
- Company Pages: Company Pages are a powerful research tool that you can use to find companies to do business with or research competitors. In addition, you can create a Page for your company to showcase your expertise. You can publish your company’s description, headquarters address and Website address. To further your company page’s value, you can post targeted jobs, recruitment videos, information about products and services and company images.
3. Post meaningful, non-sales content
If you want to increase your visibility on LinkedIn the best way is to provide content to the LinkedIn community. This is easier than it sounds; use the Status Bar to post and update on a new business trend, or a news story in your industry. Establish yourself as a thought leader or expert. You want to establish yourself as a trusted resource or thought leader on LinkedIn.
Using these tips, you can increase your visibility, improve your interaction with key prospects, and you’ll start to realize the power and advantages of the LinkedIn platform!