LinkedIn 101:
The Social Media Platform for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
Unlike Facebook, Twitter or other popular social media sites, LinkedIn is a platform for professional networking. It’s the platform every working professional is on, yet not many use it to their advantage!
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or an established small business owner, it’s important for your company to have a social media presence. While LinkedIn may not be as fun as Instagram, when used correctly it can raise your business’s visibility and credibility, build your personal network, secure clients, and convert them into loyal customers.
Here are 4 easy steps to build your business through LinkedIn.
1. Optimize Your Personal LinkedIn Bio
LinkedIn uses its own search engine and established algorithm to determine whose names it will return in a search. One deciding factor is keyword density. How many times does your bio include your profession and skills?
A majority of people find individual or business LinkedIn profiles via the search engine. Use a key word strategy in your bio to make it easier for your ideal clients to find you. You may have already gone through a similar process when creating an SEO strategy for your website. This strategy will just need a few tweaks in order to target your ideal clients on this social media platform.
Write down 5 to 10 keywords and phrases you want to target for LinkedIn and naturally incorporate those throughout your profile. Do however, avoid “keyword stuffing,” this will not help boost your name in a search and can look tacky.
2. Make LinkedIn Connections
The size of your network on LinkedIn will not only help your professional credibility, but it will also determine how often you appear in search results.
Make a habit of connecting with professionals you meet, in person or online. Customize the request by reminding them how you met and something nice about them. Adding professionals to your network, no matter how well you know them, will organically help your visibility, plus you never know who you are exposing yourself to in their network, perhaps a future loyal client!
Lastly, ask your clients and connections to endorse your skills on LinkedIn. This will add to the appeal of your profile and make you stand out.
3. Create a Company Page
Creating a company page will set you apart from every other entrepreneur. Trade in that gray box next to your company name for your company logo, that when clicked takes people to a page devoted to your company. Your business LinkedIn page is where you can share and post articles about your company as well as industry. Regular informative and memorable content will create visibility and credibility as well as keep you top of mind for when your audience is ready for your product/service.
4. Create a Posting Strategy
Everyone seems to have a LinkedIn profile, yet no one seems to create content. This makes LinkedIn the platform to post your professional, informative and entertaining content in order to quickly gain visibility.
Create weekly posting goals but remember quality over quantity. Don’t post for the sake of posting. The higher the quality of your content, the more likely you are to gain loyal followers who will engage with you online, and hopefully become clients in the future. You want to be welcomed into the personal sphere of your target audience and hold that position to be top of mind.
Some content ideas to post would be milestones, common questions and in your industry, tips & tricks, why you started your business, what inspires you, common misconceptions in your industry, etc.
No matter your business investing your time and energy in LinkedIn is always a great idea. There’s no better way to showcase your professional credibility, grow your business relationships and stay in your audiences top of mind so you’re their first stop when they are ready for your product/service. Use LinkedIn today to let prospective clients, business partners and loyal connections what you have to offer!
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