How to Use LinkedIn as a Networking Platform for Your Business

Old school networking required hours-long events where you wined-and-dined or wheeled-and-dealed industry big shots to throw their influence in your direction. Walking away with a pocket full of business cards representing potential leads, the work of follow up lay ahead of you. 

LinkedIn offers an easier, more effective and more fruitful way to network. This social media platform brings more professional connections to you in a day than one networking event of the past could in a few painful hours.  

The professional network of LinkedIn offers you space to:

• Recruit top-notch team members. 
• Connect with others in your industry.
• Link up with top influencers in your in your niche. 
• Build your brand and generate traffic.
• Establish yourself as an expert in the industry. 

How do you get all these great benefits from one social media platform? What is the best way to use LinkedIn as a top networking resource for your business? The answer is surprisingly simple.

Relationship: The Key to LinkedIn Networking

If you want top results from LinkedIn, you need to focus on ONE THING: 

Establishing relationships. 

Peddling your products or boasting about your services gets you nowhere in this social arena. These professionals look for valuable content they can grab a hold of and use today — you understand, you are one of them. 

When working to build relationships with others on LinkedIn: 

• Offer valuable insight on topics which matter. 
• Ask questions and initiate conversation online. 
• Express genuine interest in the experiences of your audience.
• Find solutions to top issues in your industry. 
• Share insights and make connections with other industry leaders. 

In short, demonstrate that you genuinely care. Be authentic and sincere in your conversations and your answers. No salesy schmoozing here. LinkedIn professionals get turned off at the first hint of a company only interested in itself. 

What does this look like practically? 

Read these top tips for effective networking on LinkedIn… 

49 Tips for Making the Most of LinkedIn as a Networking Platform

1. Make a good first impression with an optimized profile.
2. Leave nothing to the imagination, filling in all profile information.
3. Keep all content conversational, yet professional.
4. Customize your profile URL to enhance your brand. 
5. Craft an attention-grabbing, informative headline. 
6. Use keywords relevant to your industry and readers. 
7. Include a professional looking headshot as your profile photo. 
8. Watch the LinkedIn interactive graphic to stay on track for a strong profile. 
9. Optimize your company page for search engines.
10. Add relevant images to capitalize on the natural human draw to the visual. 
11. Pay particular attention to choosing your banner image.
12. Create targeted LinkedIn showcase pages. 
13. Wisely connect with those you might do business with in the future.
14. Ask to connect with those you don’t know through a personalized note via InMail.  
15. “Like” and share the content of those you are following. 
16. Link to other sites and articles to boost your credentials.
17. Post interesting, educational, well-written content.
18. Make company updates authentic and brief. 
19. Get company team members to publish content. 
20. Remember to include keywords in all content to attract search engine attention. 
21. Ask questions, and post surveys and testimonials.
22. Publish content with LinkedIn publishing. 
23. Feed your business blog with LinkedIn publishing. 
24. Target your company status updates. 
25. Post job opportunities within your company. 
26. Review Content Marketing Score and Trending Content resources on LinkedIn.
27. Use hashtags to attract the audience you want. 
28. Include LinkedIn follow and share buttons on your website and all content. 
29. Share content on other social media platforms as fits. No auto-posting. 
30. Respond to those who leave comments on your posts.
31. Join the LinkedIn groups relevant to your goals with large, active memberships. 
32. Start a LinkedIn group which meets an industry need. 
33. Choose groups wisely — you are limited to 50 groups. 
34. Interact in the groups you join; avoid being a silent member. 
35. Discuss, answer questions and share content within the group. 
36. Invite group members to connect once you establish a relationship. 
37. Use the power of infographics, downloads, images and other visuals. 
38. Know and heed group rules as laid out by the group owner. 
39. Email those in your LinkedIn group. 
40. Refrain from selling yourself and simply add value to group members. 
41. Focus on relationship building — networking. 
42. Check out LinkedIn ads and sponsored updates.
43. Advertise career opportunities, products and services or business events. 
44. Try videos and images to maximize sponsored content. 
45. Promote your company page with your website, newsletter, email signature and business card. 
46. Encourage employees to follow and promote your company page.
47. Recruit team members through LinkedIn Jobs. 
48. Use LinkedIn analytics to evaluate your marketing impact. 
49. Change your marketing strategy as needed to get the results you want. 

What Will You Do With the Networking Power of LinkedIn?

LinkedIn holds great promise in connecting you to new team members, industry influencers and potential leads. But, without a profile and company page, you miss out on the opportunities awaiting you. 

If you need help, Business Marketing Engine delivers. With services like Automate Your Social, SEO and content creation, we create the spark to ignite your relationship potential and power. Contact us today for a free consult.