LinkedIn is a business-focused social media platform, so users log on with a different mind frame; they’re typically looking to build professional connections rather than mindlessly scroll. This makes it easier to build your network and connect with the people you’re looking for.
But where do you start on LinkedIn? If you’re a business owner, should you focus on your company page or your personal profile? How do you use LinkedIn to reach your goals?
Let’s take a quick look at company pages vs. personal profiles, and then we’ll give you some tips for LinkedIn success!
Company Page vs. Personal Profile
You should absolutely have a company page on LinkedIn. When people search your company, you want them to find a professional page with basic information, helpful links, and job openings. Your employees can connect their LinkedIn profiles to your company page, as well. But a company page is totally passive, so you have to wait for people to come to you!
Your personal page, on the other hand, allows you to actively reach out and connect with others. People enjoy networking with other people, not with business entities—so your personal page is really your most powerful tool on LinkedIn! And it’s where you should spend the bulk of your time and effort.
If you’re ready to get active on LinkedIn, here are six tips to follow:
Tip 1: Define your goals and your audience.
Who are you trying to reach? Other business owners, suppliers, potential employees? Your audience will typically be different from your other social media. What do you want to accomplish on LinkedIn? Your answers to these questions will guide your activity.
Tip 2: Optimize your profile.
Look your profile over to make sure that it represents you well. Choose a recent, high-quality profile photo where your face is clearly visible. Use relevant keywords to help people find you through search. In your “about” section, make it clear you’re open to new connections!
Tip 3: Post regularly.
If you have the capacity, post two or three times per week. You can use AI marketing tools to speed up your planning and writing processes—though you shouldn’t rely on AI entirely! For low-effort additions to your main content, you can put up a quick poll or reshare someone else’s posts.
You can tag people in your posts to increase your reach, but use this tool judiciously! If it isn’t done in a genuine way, it can backfire.
Tip 4: Interact!
If you can devote a few minutes a day to interacting with others’ content, that’ll go a long way towards increasing your visibility. Aim for 10 interactions per day including likes, comments, and shares. Make sure your contributions are useful, even if brief!
Tip 5: Grow your network.
Send connection invitations to people you might want to know. Include a note that mentions something you have in common (maybe you went to the same college, have a shared friend, or have shared interests) or how you might be able to collaborate, so that you’re not seen as a spammer.
Tip 6: Vouch for others.
For people you’ve worked with or interacted with professionally, you can write a recommendation or endorse the skills they have listed on their profile. This builds goodwill, and some people might reciprocate your recommendation or endorsement, giving more credibility to your profile.
Get Started with LinkedIn:
We hope these tips help you grow your LinkedIn presence and accomplish your goals! If you’d like support with LinkedIn or any aspect of digital marketing, 2XM is here to help. Contact us for a FREE 60 minute consultation today.