Getting started on LinkedIn. A simple guide for Newbies & Novices

This article is aimed at those individuals, solopreneurs and small businesses who want to kick start their presence on LinkedIn but are not quite sure where to start.

You may be brand new to LinkedIn or created a profile years ago and have rarely used it OR perhaps you have a profile and 200-300 connections but how LinkedIn works is still a bit of a mystery, if so then read on.

Getting started

For a beginner LinkedIn can be an intimidating place. The platform has so many features and everyone seems to know more than you. Don't expect overnight success, this is a long game. It will take 9-12 months for you to find your feet and get established.

Two important points you need to understand.

One, LinkedIn is a relationship building platform not a selling platform. Any selling happens off line once the relationship is established.

Two, don't be tempted to use any of the third party automation products that promise to accelerate your LinkedIn journey. They contravene the LinkedIn user agreement and could result in your account being suspended or deleted.

So where to start?

Your profile page

LinkedIn is your professional shop window. Google someone's name and location and their LinkedIn profile will invariably come up on page one. Potential customers and partners are checking you out here. LinkedIn is used by 95% of all recruiters to vet candidates. Completing the basics on your profile is your first priority.

Fill in the basic categories:

• Profile photo
• Background photo
• Headline
• Current position
• Education
• Location
• Industry
• Contact Info
• Summary (About section)
• Recommendations?- You can request professional recommendations from your peers.

Your photo is very important. That's the first impression that people get when they land on your profile. You need a professional and friendly looking headshot. It does not necessarily need to be taken by a professional photographer.

I also highly recommend adding a banner image at the top of the page - this is your visual hook - and considering using the headline under your name to position yourself as in this example below.

The other priorities are your "About" section, if you don't have this add it in from the "Add Profile Button" on your profile page. The About section or summary is where you can introduce yourself and your organisation to the viewer. Write this with your ideal viewer in mind, what would they want to know?

It's a good idea to write this in Word then copy and paste. You have up to 2,600 characters including spaces.

I also suggest filling in your experience section this is where you can talk about your role, the projects you have worked on and your achievements in more detail.

Before you start making changes I strongly recommend spending two to three hours checking out profiles of competitors and people in similar roles to you. You can do this anonymously so the person does not know you have looked at your profile, here is how to do that .

There are many other bells and whistles you can add to your profile in this article I have focused on the essentials. For more ideas another of my posts "How to turn your profile into a customer magnet" may be useful and I have also listed several leading LinkedIn specialists at the bottom of the page whose content I recommend you follow.

Building your network

There are three basic connection strategies:

1.Connect to everyone and anyone

2. Connect only to people you have met (online or offline)

3. Connect broadly but selectively.

I recommend number 3. Be selective but not over selective. Connecting to people who you don't necessarily know will give you a bridge into new networks but only connect if you think they are credible and professional.

Some of the people you should connect to include:

• Clients
• Clients’ networks
• Prospective clients
• Colleagues
• Partners and referrers
• Partner networks
• Suppliers
• Networking and event contacts
• People who interact with you
• Connectors and influencers
• People in influential organisations
• Some family and friends
• Recruiters (one or two)
• People who view your profile (some)
• Other - anyone else who is relevant

It's generally a good idea to send a personalised invite but don't lose sleep over this. Acceptance rates are similar for personal and default invites. That said a well crafted personal invite is more likely to lead to a conversation, the start of a relationship and ultimately a business opportunity.

Getting active on LinkedIn

This is probably the biggest challenge for many newbies and novices. What to post about? What if no one likes your posts or worse someone comments negatively.

So a word of reassurance, LinkedIn is the social platform for professionals, in the 17 years I have been on this platform I have never had a rude or unkind comment on one of my posts. That's not to say it can't happen but it's pretty rare.

As you build up your network, posts and activity from your network will appear in your home feed. A good way to kickstart your activity is to start liking and commenting on these posts.

Your connections will appreciate it and it will increase your personal visibility.

I suggest doing this for a month.

Gradually you will begin to feel comfortable with joining in conversations and at the same time learning which types of post work well. You will probably by now be getting an idea of what type of content you could be sharing.

There are multiple posting options on LinkedIn from live audio and video broadcasts to simple text posts. More sophisticated formats don't necessarily garner more eyeballs, many text only posts go viral. I suggest start simply. Here are a few ideas on what you might post about:

• An introduction post - tell people who you are and share a little about your journey don't be afraid to tell people you are finding your way on LinkedIn.
• A post linking to an article about your sector, add your own introduction. These posts can work well especially if you are sharing something in the news. So for example if LinkedIn had been hacked that might be a very relevant piece of news for me to link to and share.
• Share a PowerPoint presentation or e-booklet. LinkedIn allows you to share a document of up to 300 pages in PDF format - 300 pages would be way to many - 20-30 would be better. This is how to share a document in a post.
• Ask for suggestions and recommendations. LinkedIn members are incredibly helpful. Do you need a new accounts package or CRM system, do you need help finding a venue for an event? Ask your network.
• Consider sharing a picture or video of your work. I have a connection who sells industrial coatings who shares video of his products being used by customers and has built up a sizeable industry following.
• Share tips. I built my training business by sharing tips about LinkedIn.
• Celebrate milestones and achievements. Your network loves to see you succeed.
• Occasionally share your set backs and challenges. Be human.

Don't worry about creating the perfect post but do check your grammar and spelling.

Posting one to three times a week will help you gain good visibility with your network. Early morning is generally the best time to post.

A word about the algorithm

LinkedIn's algorithm has a big influence over how many people see your posts. The algorithm is looking to give a boost to valuable content and to downgrade dull or spammy content. It does this by looking for multiple signals such as the number of likes and comments, how long people spend reading your post etc.

No one knows exactly what weight the algorithm gives to each signal. You could definitely go down a rabbit hole trying to outwit the algorithm so I would simply say focus on sharing content that your audience will find valuable and always invite them to share their thoughts on your post.

Building relationships

The point of LinkedIn is not to have the most connections or likes, it is to build trusted relationships which in turn lead to business opportunities.

This means (a) turning up regularly (b) engaging with your network.

Business is built on relationships and relationships start with a conversation.

Be known as someone who is helpful. Often you will be in a position to help one of your network with something that brings no benefit to you at all. Your act of helpfulness will be noticed and remembered.

Summing up

There is a lot more to LinkedIn than I have covered in this short article but I hope this have given you some inspiration to explore the platform further and reach out to other business professionals who can help you with your journey and you with theirs.

If you have a question or would like to share your experience of getting started on LinkedIn please pop that in the comments. Thanks.

If you would like to see more of my LinkedIn tips please go to my profile page follow me then click the bell to get notifications of new posts.

I have listed below several other LinkedIn specialists who share outstanding content. Check out their profiles and click their bells.

David Petherick - David is a LinkedIn Profile Specialist based in Edinburgh. He has been writing LinkedIn profiles since 2006 and regularly shares great tips.

Mark Williams - Mark is based in Chester a great buddy and one of the most knowledgeable people about LinkedIn that I know. He also has a weekly podcast - Linkedinformed to keep you up to date on everything LinkedIn.

Richard van der Blom - is a Dutch social selling expert who regularly publishes detailed data on how to get the most from LinkedIn. He is the algorithm king.

John Espirian - John is a self confessed LinkedIn nerd. Relentlessly measuring what works and what doesn't work on LinkedIn.

Greg Cooper?ran a LinkedIn training business for 11 years, he is a volunteer mentor for the Prince's Trust based in Bristol, UK. He posts about LinkedIn and climate issues.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing.

The Prince's Trust ?works with young people, providing free training and mentoring to help them build confidence, develop their skills, and in some cases to start a business.

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