Founded in 2003, LinkedIn is the social network that is specifically designed for career and business professionals to connect, with its main focus being to facilitate the building of strategic relationships. Unlike other social networks where the concept is to become “friends” with anyone and everyone, with LinkedIn it’s more about the type of connections you make, not the volume. Think quality, not quantity. Think professional network rather than solely a social network. Users span the full professional spectrum – from those who have just graduated from college and are embarking on their career, to those who have been in the business arena for years and have a wealth of knowledge to share.

Many people refer to LinkedIn as the “Facebook for business” and the platform now has more than 500 million professionals registered, with around half of those using it to cultivate their careers and businesses on a daily basis. Used by many as an online CV to highlight your abilities and recommendations, it’s a great way to showcase your work experience.

So it makes sense that being present on LinkedIn is equally as important as any of the other social media platforms for a business. Here are our top tips that cover what you need to know to maximise your business presence on LinkedIn.

  • LinkedIn gives you instant access to a network of people in your field should you need to develop a new business opportunity. It’s the perfect tool for self-employed people, entrepreneurs and small-business owners as it provides an ideal arena for finding new clients, solving business problems and connecting with other professionals. Even those industries who tend to have a much smaller presence on other social media platforms (such as lawyers and accountants) tend to use it to make contacts and find new clients.
  • Use the platform to build your personal brand and image, and that of your business.
  • Create a profile in exactly the same way as you would do on other platforms.
  • Start to make connections and build your network. Invite your contacts to connect and start to build your presence from there. The scope of connections can and should take you outside of your own industry sector, helping you create an interesting and diverse set of connections.
  • Remember that using LinkedIn isn’t just about looking for a new job. There are also a large number of common-interest groups that your business can become involved in. Be involved and interact.
  • As we’ve said before, try not to be all “me me me”. Engage with the wider community. Comment on other people’s posts. Share content that you find relevant and interesting. Participate in discussions about the latest industry information and interesting developments in your industry through participation in various interest groups. All of this activity will demonstrate that you’re an expert in your field and your opinion counts.
  • Like the other platforms, LinkedIn evolves all the time. In 2018 it launched its own version of Snapchat stories and just this month it announced the addition of the ability to express emotions, launching symbols such as “celebrate”, “love”, “insightful”, and “curious”. Embrace new features and get stuck in!

If you’re still in the dark on how to harness the capability of LinkedIn for your business don’t despair. Speak to SocialBee Social Media who can take on as little or as much of the process for you.