If you haven’t yet created a profile on LinkedIn, then you’re missing out. Since Microsoft acquired the social media platform in 2017, a number of new useful tools have been added.
In this quick intro to LinkedIn, you’ll learn…
- What’s so special about it.
- How to create a profile.
- How you can grow your business there.
- Why it’s great for networking.
- How to find fresh talent for your roles.
- How to market your business.
1. What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is the go-to social media platform for business professionals of all kinds. Where Facebook is generally for friends and family, LinkedIn is geared towards building and nurturing professional relationships. Business owners can market their products and services, and employees can find new jobs.
2. How to use LinkedIn
How you use the platform depends on your requirements. As a business owner, you can search for leads and message relevant points of contact in companies you’d like to work with. You can also take advantage of the knowledge shared by other professionals.
3. How to create a LinkedIn profile
You can create a free profile on LinkedIn in a matter of minutes. The platform also has paid subscriptions you can try for free, such as Premium Business and Sales Navigator Professional. The paid options come with additional messaging and search tools that are useful for growing your business.
4. How to use LinkedIn to grow your business
LinkedIn allows you to create an online profile, complete with links to your employment history, and an overview of projects you’ve worked on. You can also send LinkedIn messages or InMails to potential business partners or clients.
5. How to use LinkedIn for networking
Once you’ve created a profile and filled in all the relevant information, you can start connecting with people. It’s easy to import your contact list from your email address book, and then you’ll also be able to see your connections’ connections. LinkedIn is built on the “six degrees of separation” concept, so everyone is ultimately connected somehow.
6. How can LinkedIn raise your business profile?
As with Facebook, you’re able to post status updates, share content, and comment on other people’s posts. You can raise your profile as a business owner and thought leader by contributing with useful commentary to the conversations that take place on LinkedIn. You can also write fully-fledged blog posts if you want to deep-dive into a specific topic.
7. How can LinkedIn help you as an employer?
LinkedIn is a great place to source new talent for your business. You can post a job if you have an available position, and you can browse potential candidates with LinkedIn’s search tool. Since many of them will be connected to their former colleagues and employers, you can also see who has endorsed them and given them recommendations.
8. How can LinkedIn help you market yourself?
Finally, LinkedIn comes equipped with several marketing tools for your business. You can post an ad to promote a job or a piece of content, or you can create an event if you’re hosting a webinar or face-to-face event. It is also a fantastic platform for social selling, you can read more about using LinkedIn for social selling here.
Ready to connect?
If you think LinkedIn could help your business, then why not head over there now and create a profile? It’s free to join, and you’ll be part of a huge online community of like-minded professionals.
