??????????12 TOP WAYS TO GET MORE CONNECTIONS ON LINKEDIN AND GROW YOUR NETWORK??

LinkedIn is the clear leader for connecting with B2B?prospects, potential?hires, and business?partners.

Even so, LinkedIn can be intimidating. New users need to ask not only whom they should connect with, but whom they shouldn’t connect with. At the same time, that hesitation can slow your progress toward?building new connections?and expanding your professional network.

So, how can you expand your professional network on LinkedIn and make sure all those new contacts are relevant to your business goals? These?10 tips?can help you grow your network and get results that support your professional success:

1.??????Personalize Connection Requests: It’s important to understand how to connect with someone on LinkedIn in a way that puts them at ease. When scrolling through LinkedIn’s list of “people you may know,” don’t simply click the “connect” button and fire off a generic request. Instead, click into the individual’s profile page and click the “connect” button there. That will bring up the box shown below and allow you to add a personal note with your connection request, like “Good to meet you last week in Chicago. Let’s keep in touch.” If you’re interested in connecting with someone you don’t know, such as a person who works in a similar role at another company, add relevance by letting them know why you’re messaging them. You might say, “I’ve seen your posts and noticed some of your work. I really appreciate your perspectives and would love to

2.??????Break Growth Goals down to achievable chunks: Getting from 100 connections to 5000+ can seem like an impossible feat. But if you?divide that number?over many weeks or months, it won’t seem so insurmountable. For example, instead of setting a goal of going from 100 connections to 5000+, try setting your goal to 100 connections each week.?Remember, the key to setting goals is to make them?realistic and time-bound. Refrain from spamming people you don’t know.?Quality?matters more than quantity, and spamming connections might not get you either.

3.??????Explore LinkedIn Groups: LinkedIn Groups offer?topic-specific spaces?where you can connect within your industry or specialty to build relationships, share information and expertise, and probe communities for advice. You can select groups that reflect communities within your?target audiences, both to demonstrate your knowledge and to learn more about prospects and customers. Groups are created and moderated by their own leaders and gatekeepers and have their own sets of rules, so be sure to review rules and expectations before requesting to join.

4.??????Invite engagement by posting often: When a connection likes, shares, or comments on your status update, their connections are more likely to see your original post in their feed. If your content seems relevant, those “2nd-degree” connections may take the step to reach out and send an invitation to connect with you. Posting more often creates additional opportunities for engagement, thus syndicating your content across home page feeds everywhere. Don’t be too concerned about annoying people by posting every day. LinkedIn’s algorithms are tricky, and your network isn’t likely to see every post.

5.??????Grab attention with Visual Content : Posts with images get twice as many views — and research suggests that posts with video content are re-shared 20 times more. Adding images to your social posts increases engagements with people in your existing network, and boosts exposure to potential connections. So mix it up. Don’t always just share links; include visuals.

6.??????Engage with Existing Connections: Engaging with current connections puts your profile directly in front of their networks, and all it takes is a “like” or comment on their posts. A simple “Great thoughts” or “Thanks for sharing” can help expand your reach and, quite honestly, it’s the considerate thing to do when someone’s thoughts or content resonate with you. Commenting with your personal insights or questions can increase engagement and exposure even more. And engagement adds depth and meaning, helping transform connections into relationships.

7.??????Promote your LinkedIn Profile URL: Social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram typically give you space for a bio. Use those bio spaces as a LinkedIn connection-driving machine by encouraging contacts there to find you and connect on LinkedIn, too — especially if you have a significant following on the other platform. Don’t be afraid to promote your LinkedIn profile by posting the link in a status update, tweet, pin, video, photo, etc. This is another great way to take advantage of your presence on other social platforms. Just be sure to claim your vanity url so it’s easy to remember and includes important identity information or keywords. Also add d your LinkedIn profile link to your email signature.

8.??????Leverage Keywords in your profile: Similar to optimizing your website or copy for SEO, LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to attract profile visitors based on the words you choose, so every word counts. Use common variations of your job title and duties to ensure that semantics don’t make you invisible. For example, is your job title Content Manager? You likely have many roles including copywriter, website editor, creative writer, communications specialist, blogger, and more. Someone may be more likely to search connections who perform specific functions rather than search by their formal titles. Give your role some thought and break out the different functions to appeal to different possible target audiences.

9.??????Write and publish articles : Publishing articles as native content (also known as long-form posts) on your LinkedIn profile is one of the best ways to establish your personal brand and share your expertise in a given industry. The great thing about native content is that your network is notified every time you publish an article, increasing your chances of engagement and brand exposure. This also points to the importance of not publishing articles every day, or your followers may start to tune out. While a simple call-to-action to get in touch or check out additional resources is usually acceptable at the end of the article, nothing will turn off readers faster than an article that ends up being nothing more than click bait or a sales pitch. So only write on topics that truly provide value to readers.

10.???Share Trending Articles: When you're in a crunch and don't have the time to write a long-form post or article, sharing trending pieces from other LinkedIn users is a solid alternative. To avoid being stale, be sure to add 1-2 sentences of your own commentary on the piece you're sharing.

11.?????Network with LinkedIn Influencers and tag them in your content: Use the same discretion with this tactic as you would any other social interaction. Tagging an influencer in your post is only okay after you've established a solid relationship with them, and the post is relevant. Don't ever spam influencers. Add value first by commenting on their posts or messaging them.

12.???Engage, Engage, Engage: Take a few minutes per day to thoughtfully comment on other people's posts, articles and videos. After you do this on a few posts, send the person a connection request. They'll be much more likely to connect with you if you're a familiar face.

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