Getting Started with LinkedIn

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Alongside Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, LinkedIn has become one of the most popular social networking sites. There has long been the misconception that LinkedIn was only for job-seekers. Developed specifically for the business professional, LinkedIn offers a much bigger array of benefits. It is especially useful for finding and cultivating business relationships and sales leads, as well as providing invaluable tools for building your knowledge-base, assisting you with problem-solving, conducting market research and branding yourself as an expert within your industry.

LinkedIn is where the largest audience of affluent, ambitious and influential professionals congregrate. With executives from all Fortune 500 companies and 50% of users in senior management level positions, it’s imperative that you utilize this social media site for business development and to improve your professional visibility, connectability and credibility in your industry.

This document will assist you in getting set up on LinkedIn, completing the “must-have” areas to create a compelling profile, as well as ensuring your profile is optimized for search engines.

Joining LinkedIn is Easy & Free!

Step 1. Go to http://www.linkedin.com

Step 2. Enter your name, email and a password of your choice in the areas provided and click “Join Now”

Step 3. Once your profile is live, move to Section 2.

Headline:Directly underneath your name is a short headline. This is one of the most important spaces within your LinkedIn profile. Your headline gives you a way to sum up your professional “identity” in a short phase.

2. Create a Compelling Profile - Critical Areas of Your Profile

Many people have LinkedIn profiles, but only have one or two areas completed. It’s extremely important that you don’t just cut and paste your resume. Rather, spend the time to complete your profile in its entirety, as a polished and compelling profile will make you apear as a more competent user and make the most of your time and effort online. Your LinkedIn profile gives you the opportunity to showcase your background, experience, talents, expertise and interests.

GOAL: Make it clear what you’ve done in your career - and what you want to do.

Photo: Your professional photo allows the people you’ve met and previously worked with to quickly identify you. Adding a photo adds credibility to your profile. Remember: “People do business with people.”

Summary:Stating your professional experience and goals allows other users to quickly learn about your background and interests. This is your chance to provide an engaging description that highlights who you are and what you do --- Think of it as your personal elevator pitch. Use a lot of verbs and show the reader what you are passionate about.

Specialties:List areas of expertise that will help people find you when they are looking for a specific skill-set or knowledge-base. Use keywords that your target audience/customer/prospect would use. When your profile is keyword sensitive, these words will show up when a LinkedIn user searches for a particular word.

 

This area affects how people will find you and classify you. You must include keywords so others can easily find you or the experience you possess. These keywords greatly influence SEO and how you are found by a search engine.

Note: The headline is limited to 120 characters.

Experience:Sorted in chronological order, your professional experience is displayed along with any recommendations you have received. Your position descriptions should briefly explain your main responsibilities and accomplishments, as well as who your company is. Use clear, succinct phrases here -- and break them into digestible chuncks so, even on a quick scan, your accomplishments shine through.

Note: The more organziations you list, the more potential connections you will have.

Education:Sorted in chronological order, your educational background is displayed, as well as associated activities and honors. Where and what you studied can provide great insight into who you are and open up valuable connections to alumni, professors, mutual acquaintances and others with similar backgrounds.

3. Optimize your Profile for Search EnginesThere are two areas on your LinkedIn profile that can be modified for better visibility on search engines: Your “Websites” and “Public Profile”.

   

Step 1. Once logged into your account, click on “Profile” and then click“Edit Profile”.

 

Step 2. Click on “Edit” next to the “Websites” section.

Step 3. On the drop down menu for “Websites”, choose “Other”. Type in the name of your company and below type in your company’s website address (www.company.com). When done, click the blue “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page. Use the “Other” for each individual website you’d like to draw attention to (i.e., blog).

Step 4. Back on your “Edit Profile” tab, click “Edit” next to your Public Profile Address.

Step 5. Click “Edit” in the blue “Your Public Profile URL” bar.

 

 

Step 6. Enter your first and last name, without spaces, in the box provided. Click on the blue “Set Address” button. Then click the blue “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page.

Not only will having a personalized Public Profile URL aid in SEO, but it will also be useful to add to your email signature. Additionally, you should include your personalized URL in your traditional resume, blog, company website (especially if it lists employees individually), and your business card... therefore others can connect with you easily.

In addition to the steps outlined above, there are additional activities within LinkedIn that can make the social networking site a very powerful tool for your professional career.

Ask for recommendations from clients and colleagues. What others say about you is important for helping to set yourself up as an expert in your field, as well as exhibit your crebility when clients or prospects review your profile. Write recommendations often for folks you can honestly and fully recommend. Though asking for recommendations is a big part of your profile, we strongly recommend you write recommendations for others first. Take the time to write recommendations for others and in all likelihood they will return the favor.

Track your former clients! Without awkwardness, you can monitor your former clients to maintain a sense of connectivity with them. Perhaps a client’s former project manager has taken a new job with a hot prospect of yours...instead of sending an open-ended and rather impersonal message, you will have the insight to make a positive comment about their new position and ask questions about the client’s new projects...again, a project you can be a part of!

Don’t be a wall flower. Groups and LinkedIn’s Q&A are two areas that would be worth your time and effort. Join groups within your industry, as well as where your clients and prospects would gather. Involvement not only allows you to listen and learn from others within the business, but also to display your own knowledge-base and expertise...which adds to your credibility! So, don’t be hesitant to share useful and informative content, such as blog you’ve written (or even a blog written by someone else if it’s particularly relevant), an industry or trade journal article and/or upcoming events. Answer questions and lend your expertise. Just remember, as on all social networks, be careful not to hog all the attention and watch your tone...you don’t want to appear self-promotional or too focused on the sales pitch.

Final Thought

~ Get By Giving ~

Social media is based on relationship development. If we look at relationships, we will find the core of creating quality relationships is by “giving” first. Be sure that your mindset online is oriented toward what you can “give” to your clients, prospects, peers and general audience. Show that you care about them and find ways to contribute. Random acts of kindness are always appreciated.

LinkedIn Profile Checklist:

  Headline

  Location

  Industry

  Personal Picture

  Specialties & Licenses

  Compelling Summary

  Current Position & Responsibilities

  Relevant Previous Experience

  List of Colleges/Eduction

  Customized Websites

  Customized Public Profile URL

  Write & Request Recommendations

Remember: Pay Attention to Detail.

Get Involved.Give Freely.

Have Fun.