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Five Tips for Using LinkedIn for Business Growth
This first ran on Women Grow Business, a Network Solutions blog that Shonali Burke edits and manages.
One of the most untapped social media tools is LinkedIn. Facebook, Twitter, and now Google+ are the media darlings while LinkedIn, which has been around longer than any of the tools combined, continues to grow and provide value without all the celebrity.
Sparkle and shine notwithstanding, the fact remains it is the single most valuable tool when it comes to business development.
A few weeks ago, I spoke to a Vistage Chair Group about the use of LinkedIn to help them build their groups. In three hours, we got through 21 different tips. So I distilled them into the top five that were most useful to them, for you.
- Link to your web properties using keywords. The default words (website, blog, etc.) can be edited to fit the words people actually search to find your business. If you don’t know which keywords to use (i.e. We use “Chicago PR firm” for Arment Dietrich), you can use Google’s free keyword tool.
- Activate the apps. If you don’t have a blog, don’t panic! There are several applications you can activate to move content to your LinkedIn profile. Just like anything else, the more active your profile is, the higher it ranks in the search engines.
- Find connections through search. I’m a Vistage member and I like to connect with other members around the world for networking and business development. By doing an advanced search and entering keywords, finding Vistage members who are second connections takes less than three seconds. Then it’s easy to sort through them and find people who you’d like to meet.
- Browse your connections’s connections. This is so easy and so underused. It’s the same philosophy of saying, “Gini, I’d really love to meet Shonali Burke. Can you introduce me?” I find a reason to help you make the connection, I introduce the two of you, and then the ball is quickly in your court.
- Set up searches for specific questions…and then answer them. You can search for questions about your industry, your product, your service, or even your competitors. You can also set up an alert so that, any time anyone asks a question about your topic of expertise, it comes to you. This allows you to stay top-of-mind and build credibility around your expertise.
By following these five easy steps (take one a week if it’s too overwhelming), you’ll grow your pipeline in just more than a month and money will begin to grow on trees. OK. Maybe not. But you will see some significant success.
The fifth tip is just genius. By answering a question that people are already seeking the answer for, one guarantees that at least those who need the answer will visit the blog and who knows? May be they'll find something they like and come back again.
NancyM. It's like any of this stuff, right? If they like what you have to say, they come back. And eventually you end up doing business together.
My latest conversation: Gin and Topics: Chicken Pox Lollipops, Steve Jobs, and More!
Thanks for the tips. This is gonna be great.
Yay, I know it's a great device (not tool) for connecting on the business side. However, I have only spent a fraction of the time in LinkedIn as I have Twitter. Probably because Twitter is much more social, huh?
Thanks for sharing and providing information that will help me at least take it to the next level.
Those Vistage members can be a tough bunch to convince (especially if you're a member!) - and you got 21 tips in three hours - highly impressive! This short list makes it more approachable for most people - and the payoff can be big. Just signed up for the Spin Sucks Pro version - look forward to the great info!
richmac I'll be honest - I had to do a little tap dance to keep their attention after #18.
Thanks Gini. Launching new website soon. Need these tips. Really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share.
Al
I used to be more active in groups, before some of them opened up, and answered more questions.. need to get back to it and spend some time there. Like adamtoporek there's a few cobwebs lurking about. Thanks for the SEO reminders for tip 1; I am making those updates now. FWIW.
3HatsComm I had to go in and reduce my groups about a month ago. They were getting out of hand and full of spammy sales stuff.
ginidietrich I've noticed a change. Lots of people just sharing their own stuff, limited group interaction .. just a free for all. So yeah, some clearing out might be in order.
Gini, nice list and nice kick in the butt. My LinkedIn has cobwebs on it, need to dust them off. I had not even thought about the anchor text for the links -- very good tip! I like your advice below, blocking out an hour a week or something.
Gini, you wrote just the article I needed, just when I needed it! Many thanks.
As an aside... I had my WordPress.com-hosted blog linked to my LinkedIn profile. Then I migrated my blog to a self-hosted situation. Unfortunately, the LinkedIn WP app didn't recognize the move. So my blog is no longer linked to LinkedIn. The nice folks at WP support told me that, after investigating, they discovered that in that very situation, there's a bug in the LinkedIn app. While they didn't have a solution, they were thankful that I helped them discover the bug. Oh well. :-)
SO many people don't know about #1!
I have been a huuge fan of LinkedIn for years and have always believed in its value. I thought for a moment it was going to turn into a recruiting site but it has held steady and continues to be a great source of content and answers to problems. I participate daily in my groups and LinkedIn was a large source of referral traffic to my last 2 company's websites and was a great source of conversions. To get leads here though, you have to be tool agnostic. Its just a must!
C_Pappas Tool agnostic IS a must! You're very right. And it's funny how many people don't know about #1 and some of the others. Some of them leave you thinking, "Really?"
Conversation from Twitter
RocketGroup I think LinkedIn is a weak spot for lots of us
Five Tips for Using LinkedIn for Business Growth http://twrt.me/6z8d6 via ginidietrich rt linkedinexpert
CPerkinsCPA Glad you like the article and thanks for the RT. Have a great day :)
EzyBlogger Have a great day as well.
CPerkinsCPA :)
EzyBlogger Thanks for the FB love as well.
CPerkinsCPA My pleasure :)
EzyBlogger Thanks for sharing great information ginidietrich Five Tips for Using LinkedIn for Business Growth http://t.co/ptFRWsZ
colekc Thanks!
3hatscomm OMG! That made me snort.
ginidietrich So my work here is done. :)
3hatscomm Make sure to read the "Don't panic!" disclaimer. Haha.
socialtourguide Panic? :)
Cleversation Lea, thanks for retweeting @ginidietrich's #linkedin article that I shared earlier. Gini is really great, isn't she? #yes
biebert Yes! It was a wonderful article, I'm following ginidietrich no :-)
Cleversation biebert The two of you are going to make my head big
ginidietrich Cleversation haha! That would be a well deserved big head. :-)
biebert YIKES< i meant "now" #typingtoofast
Cleversation I figured that's what you meant. :-)
biebert :-)
biebert Ahhhh. Aren't you nice? Thank you!
ginidietrich LOL!
johnfalchetto WTH are you laughing at?!
rwohlner Great lists you have! I'm enjoying browsing..
nancymyrland ginidietrich good stuff
linkedinexpert Thank you for being the person addressing strategy on LinkedIn.
Raman_Kia Well thank you Raman :)
jenniferwindrum In a few minutes I will present WTF as a good soc media campaign!
ibeatcancrtwice Oh....you rock. Good luck on the presso and thanks again for including WTF. Major Hugzzzzzz!
TomRedwine ginidietrich You're da bomb for the RTs. Thanks!
kdillabough and ginidietrich RE da bomb for the RTs: 'cause y'all have good info to pass along. Thank YOU for bringing it to me!
TomRedwine ginidietrich It's a pleasure! Singin' Led Zeppelin as I write:)
GreigWells Thanks for the RT Greig!
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