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Health & Fitness

10 Things You Must Do Right Now to Get Your Business Found on Linked In

If you have a recent College Grad or know someone who is looking to kickstart a new career or business, or if you just want more customers, Linked In is the answer!

Why Should You Pay Attention to Linked In?


As of 2nd August 2012 LinkedIn reported it had 175 million+ professionals members in over 200 countries and territories around the world.
They surpassed 5.3 billion professional-oriented searches in 2012.
             --Data Courtesy of The LinkedIn Press Centre

At first glance, LinkedIn may appear to be a bit overwhelming as there are many different features tied to this robust social media platform. However, with some dedication and consistency, your business or your profile can gain a lot of attention by using LinkedIn to its full potential.

Having an active LinkedIn profile is a must for businesses today both large and small. LinkedIn has become the number one online platform where professionals and colleagues connect to share a number of valuable resources.

This is not Facebook! If Facebook and Linked In were public places of brick and mortar, Facebook would be the backyard barbecue where people are casual, and talk about personal things in their lives. Linked In would be more like a  networking event where people share ideas and innovations based on their business industry and area of expertise .

Here are some tips to help get you started on your way to a powerful LinkedIn profile:

1. Completely Fill Out Your Profile - It will brand you and personalize it.

Linked In is very SEO friendly. If you Google anyone's name and they have a Linked In profile, that will be the first information that pops up at the top of the page. When filling out your profile, be sure to use keywords where possible as this will also help people who are looking to connect with other in your industry find you. 

2. Set up a Company Page on LinkedIn - Even if your company is just you, take the few minutes to create a company page for your business. This is free so there is no barrier stopping you from taking advantage of it. A company page will help give you ultimate credibility as well as help you connect with other like-minded individuals on LinkedIn.

3. Get All of Your Employees on LinkedIn. Ask your employees to set up Linked In accounts under their names, with your company listed as their place of employment. Then, ask them to follow each other’s pages, as well as your company page to help create a strong network related to your brand.

4. Join Groups and Participate - One of the best features about LinkedIn is the amount of groups that they have for you to join. Whatever you particular field may be, there is bound to be a group for you. You can join by industry or specific locations. What better way to network with other local business owners than to join a local group? Set aside some time to communicate and engage with locals in your area. This could be as simple as answering questions or providing advice; just be active, professional, and friendly. Doing so will help you establish local credibility as the authority in your industry.  However, do not spend most of your time promoting your business as this is a huge turnoff. It is okay to mention who you are and what you but, try to keep it at that.

5. Make Sure Your Profile is Set to Public - If you are attempting to generate leads for your business then it is very critical to make sure that your profile is set to public. A private profile will make it much harder for people to find you and this is the last thing that you want.

6. Give and Receive Recommendations is one way to showcase your talents and abilities is by having others recommend you. Simply send a request to people who may have worked with you in the past or current and ask them to fill out the recommendation form. You will get a chance to approve it prior to making it part of your public profile. Return the favor as well. Recommendations are important because people often feel more comfortable working with someone if they can see a history of positive reviews.

7. You can also endorse people you’ve worked with for their skills and services offered.

8. Share Your Content - If you have a blog and are looking for a better way to get more readers, LinkedIn is your answer. LinkedIn allows you to share the content you created with your circle of followers, as well as any groups or forums that you may be belong to. Always make sure the content you are sharing is your own. This process is as simple as providing a link back to your blog. 

9. Ask and Answers Questions - There is a section on LinkedIn called  Answers. This is found under the 'More' tab. This is one of the best kept secrets on LinkedIn. This section alone is a great way to build credibility, create authority status, and trust. There are always a lot of questions that need to be answered and they are all asked by other LinkedIn members; members who could potentially be looking for your product or services. Just try to answer one question per day and you will be well on your way to achieving more and more potential leads.

10. Be Consistent in Your Efforts - As with all social media platforms, stay active and involved with your LinkedIn account; simply posting once a month will not cut it. Set time aside to make sure that all your social media platforms are being properly managed and have fresh, unique content being posted on a consistent basis.

LinkedIn is an extremely valuable online resource for local businesses that are looking to generate more exposure and more customers online. Maintaining a proper image online is key and LinkedIn is one of many ways that can help you spread the word about your business. However, understanding how to really use this platform as a marketing tool can be overwhelming for most business owners.

Learn the Secrets of  How You Can Use this Powerful Platform to Generate Leads and Optimize Your Profile to Get the Results You Want! Click Here for a FREE e-Book


Need some assistance setting up and/or managing your LinkedIn profile or just want help with Social Media?

I specialize in helping local businesses here your area connect with local consumers by establishing a strong social media presence. Contact me at mary@bigdogzmarketing.com or 630 985-6970 for a free, no obligation consultation!

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Visit us on Linked In here:www.linkedin.com/in/maryborse/
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