LinkedIn Tutorial | How to use LinkedIn Advanced & optimize LinkedIn Profile

If you are finding that technology is moving at light speed, and you are still considering upgrading your analog phone, then this post is probably not for you! However, for those who have already ‘Gone where no man has gone before…’ this quick Advanced LinkedIn Tutorial will show you how you can take your LinkedIn Profile to the next level.

The embedded video tutorial in this post will assume that you already have a LinkedIn Profile, and will show you a few tips on increasing your visibility on LinkedIn Search Engine.

Benefits of a LinkedIn Profile

Let’s begin with some widely adopted truths:

• Only when someone believes you have a good reputation and are credible, will they consider doing business with you

• People are making decisions, relying on more then traditional media. • Consumers consider websites, blogs, search, email and social media to

direct their decisions • Your Public Profile on LinkedIn acts as your Social Selling Business Card • Once you optimize your LinkedIn profile, it will generate more traffic to

your website

• Since LinkedIn is an authority site, your LinkedIn profile is indexed and ranked (if optimized properly)

Using Anchor Text in the links on your LinkedIn profile gives more ‘Link Juice’ to your website

How to optimize your LinkedIn Profile?

Now let’s get started on optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Here are some key items that will really boost the optimization of your LinkedIn profile:

Since you are limited by the number of characters you can enter in this space, it is important to do keyword research on the key phrases or skill sets that will drive the most traffic, and are in line with your experience. For example, if you specialize in

a) Your Professional Headline in LinkedIn

mobile marketing, you may consider using words such as ‘mobile marketing expert’, ‘mobile expert’, ‘mobile applications’ and/or ‘mobile websites’.

b) Current and Past Employment History on LinkedIn Typically job titles are entered here, however this is another key area where you can insert keywords that are in line with your skills. For example, if you were the VP of Franchise Development, you may consider entering additional keywords after your official title such as, ‘Franchise Expert’, ‘Franchise Advisor’ and/or ‘Franchise Consultant’.

This area plays a very important role in the

c) Employment Description Section on LinkedIn

optimization of your LinkedIn Profile. Because it is not limited by the number of characters you can use, here you can outline your job description in detail, all the while keeping in mind the key skill sets you want to be identified for on LinkedIn.

This are is analogous to a cover letter. Ensure that the keywords you have been optimizing for throughout your LinkedIn Profile are repeated sporadically in your summary section.

d) Professional Summary on LinkedIn

e) LinkedIn Specialties

A great way to increase the keyword density, without having the profile sound as if it was written for search engines, is to list your specialties. This allows for an easy to follow list of skills, and it also increases the density and therefore the level of optimization for those keywords.

An area that is often neglected when users optimize their Linkedin profiles are the Interests and Honors & Awards sections. If you want your profile to rank for a competitive keyword on Linkedin, chances are you will need to utilize these sections in order to get the maximum repetition of the target keyword.

f) LinkedIn Interests & LinkedIn Honors and Awards

To ensure you are claiming your name, it would be wise to get your vanity url. Simply go to this link,

g) LinkedIn Vanity URLs

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/public-profile-settings and type in your name the way people would search for it. If it is available, claim it.

Once your profile is professionally built and optimized, you want to drive traffic to it. Remember, it is your “Social Selling Business Card”. You can do this by adding a Linkedin Badge to your other web properties. Check out this link to learn how to get the html snippet which you can use to put a Linkedin badge on your website.

h) Adding a LinkedIn Badge

www.linkedin.com/profile?promoteProfile

Another way to drive traffic to your profile is to be active on Linkedin Groups. You are limited to joining 50, so pick wisely. Don’t just join groups where all your peers are. Try to join groups where your customers are, offer to connect people and give advice to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise. Remember to sign off using a link back to your profile or website.

i) LinkedIn Groups

This is an extremely valuable part of LinkedIn. The LinkedIn recommendations are out on the web forever, and will be read by everyone who searches for you online. To get recommendations, use personal notes rather then the automated emails that the LinkedIn Recommendation module sends by default.

j) LinkedIn Recommendations

In summary, I hope we were able to prove how important it is to have a professionally optimized LinkedIn Profile. It acts as your social selling business card, and helps build credibility. However, remember that the old adage ‘if you build it, they will come’, only works in the field of dreams. You have to actively optimize your LinkedIn Profile if you want to increase visibility and be found for the areas in which you have expertise.

About the Author

A serial entrepreneur with extensive background in franchising and interests in multiple online business channels, Jamshaid (Jam) Hashmi has played an instrumental role in the franchise development and success of a renowned international franchise company. His most recent entrepreneurial interests include launching ClickTecs, a Digital Marketing company specializing in Search Engine and Social Media Marketing as well as Website and Mobile Application development. In 2007 he co-founded WSI Search Result, an online marketing company that supplies services to Internet Marketing Consultants. A sought after public speaker, Jam has been the featured keynote at many franchise conferences and international summits. He regularly trains ‘C’ Level Executives and supports both new and seasoned business owners on SEO, Social Media, Mobile Marketing, Brand Reputation Management and Conversion & Measurement through web analytics. When he’s not scaling the heights of the Internet world, Jam ‘unwinds’ on extreme thrill-seeking adventures from the jungles of the Amazon to the highest summits. His passions include working with NGOs on humanitarian missions to areas around the world affected by disasters and poverty. http://clicktecs.com/