LinkedIn continues to serve as a great networking tool for professionals. Don’t miss out by not engaging on LinkedIn! I’ve compiled some LinkedIn best practices for you on how to fully complete your profile, add quality connections, and start engaging!
Step 1 – Complete Your Profile
Turn off Notifications – Before you make changes, make sure you turn off public notifications so every change you make to your profile doesn’t appear on others’ news feeds
Complete Your Profile – Make sure your profile is complete from top to bottom (See LinkedIn Checklist Blog). Always use first person perspective.
Headshot – Use your professional Avisen headshot
Background – Install one of the three Avisen LinkedIn backgrounds
Add Featured Content – You can feature the blogs you write (with graphic) at the top of your LI profile. Select “Add Profile Section” and choose “Featured.” Select the third option down – Links – and insert a link to your Avisen blogs – as many as you choose. It will add a nice dynamic to your profile:
Turn On Notifications – When you are done updating your profile don’t forget to turn your notifications back on!
Step 2 – Connect!
Request Connections – Connect with your best business contacts and referral sources – Use the “People you may know” section. Always include a note when you request a connection
500+ – Set a goal of achieving over 500 contacts. It shows your connections you are active on LinkedIn
Step 3 – Engage with your Contacts
Create your Own Posts – Click “Home” on your newsfeed. Here you can share a post on anything you want – a frequently asked question, a good article you read, a video a client posted, or a photograph with a story. Just click into “Start a post.” When you share a link within your post, LinkedIn automatically pulls the photo from that page.
News Feed – Visit your news feed each day and engage with your contact’s updates; congratulate those with new jobs, like and comment on a blog one of your contacts posted, connect with new people
Post Blogs you Write – Post your blogs to your personal profile. Courtney posts your blog on the firm’s LinkedIn page. At the bottom click “See all Posts”
Your Dashboard – Here you can see people who have viewed your profile and how many times you appeared in searches. Click on the people who viewed your profile and reach out to someone via direct messaging:
Like, Comment, and Share Firm Posts – Go to the firm’s LI page (above) and scroll through the firm’s news feed. Let’s use Lisa as an example.
- Like the post
- Make a comment on the post
- Click Post – this will stay on the firm’s LI page
Share the Content to YOUR Newsfeed
- Click the Share button
- Consider sharing with Anyone (default)
- Make a comment about the post
- Click the blue Post button.
This allows everyone on your news feed to now see the post on Lisa.
A Word about Hashtags – Hashtags are simple keywords preceded by “#” with no spaces like #linkedin, #avisenlegal, #sellyourbusiness. Hashtags are searchable and will help people find your content. Here is a good blog on the topic
Other Posting Ideas
Showcase your Clients – Use your LinkedIn posts to showcase great things your clients have done
Showcase your Partners – Congratulate your partners on the great work they are doing
Pose a Question to your Network – Many use personal posts to ask a question and solicit responses
Direct Message (DM) – When you connect with someone you can direct message them. Many people who don’t respond to email will respond to LINKEDIN messages. Especially people you have been engaging with!
Endorse your Contacts – LinkedIn will send your contacts a notification when you endorse their work – so they know you think highly of them
LinkedIn is the social media platform of choice for professionals. Making sure your profile is current and engaging with your best contacts on LinkedIn will open doors for you to pursue new business. It’s proven. It works. Get started today!