Top 5 Ways to Grow Your Network on LinkedIn
Introduction
LinkedIn is the most valuable professional tool on the market right now. It's an easy way to find opportunities, make connections, and develop relationships that can lead to job opportunities or referrals. If you're not getting as much value out of LinkedIn as you'd like, this article will help! Here are five ways to use LinkedIn more effectively:
Personalize Connection Requests
Personalize your connection requests. There’s no doubt that the most effective way to get someone to accept your request is by personalizing it using their name, or getting an introduction from someone they know. This can be done in two ways:
Follow Up on In-Person Networking Opportunities
If you've ever had the opportunity to meet someone at an event like websummit , follow up with a thank you note, phone call, email or LinkedIn connection request. These small actions can go a long way in building your reputation as a business professional and help you stand out from other people vying for the same opportunities.
If there's an organization that you're interested in getting involved with but don't know how to get started, ask them if they have any volunteer opportunities available. For example: "I'm looking for ways I could become more active in the XYZ community but I don't know what types of roles are available." This type of question opens doors and helps others see how valuable your skillset is!
Finally, one thing you should always do when connecting with new people on LinkedIn is to offer some kind of favor; whether it be advice on setting up their profile or sharing articles that might interest them at my discretion - doing this shows that you both invested in helping each other succeed!
Explore LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are a great way to connect with other professionals in your industry.
There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn, so finding one that suits you is easy.
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You can search for groups related to your industry or interests by searching for keywords on the site. You can also find them by searching for keywords related to the topics that interest you, such as “marketing” or “relationships” if you're looking for more personal connections through LinkedIn.
Once you've found some relevant groups, it's time to join! To join a group, select Join Group from its page and then follow the prompts that appear on screen asking whether or not you'd like to accept this invitation.
Once accepted into a group, be sure not only actively participate but also contribute value through comments relevant to each discussion thread (don't post spammy links). Doing so will help build trust among members of this particular community—and make sure they know who exactly they're dealing with when working with someone new outside of an established relationship already established within said community!
Grab Attention with Visual Content
Visual content like infographics and videos are more engaging for LinkedIn users.
They’re also more likely to be shared on LinkedIn, so they help you build your network while generating attention for your brand. The same goes for other social media platforms—visual content is more likely to be shared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram than plain text or even photos.
When it comes to getting shares outside of social media, visual material does best on websites and blogs; it also performs well as an email attachment or in an email newsletter (which are actually two different things!).
Write and Publish Articles Demonstrating Expertise
You can leverage your expertise to get more connections on LinkedIn. Write and publish articles demonstrating your expertise, then use the LinkedIn Publisher tool to write and publish articles. You can even create a LinkedIn Company Page as an extension of your personal profile so you can promote your articles.
Your goal is to become known as an expert in your field. By publishing content on LinkedIn Pulse, you'll demonstrate that you're knowledgeable about the topic area associated with your position or industry, which will make it easier for companies to find you when they're looking for someone with certain skills or experience.
Networking Works When You're Genuine, Direct, And Follow up With Your Contacts
Be genuine and direct. Don't be afraid to be yourself and speak honestly about who you are, what your company does, and why these things are important. A great way to do this is by using LinkedIn Answers, which allows users to ask questions that can then be answered by others with experience in the field—this is a great way for professionals in any industry to build their networks in an authentic way.
Follow up with your contacts regularly (but not too much). While it's always good practice not to spam people on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook (or even email), LinkedIn is different because of its professional nature—and you should treat it as such! If someone sends you can invite request, take some time out every week or two to make sure they know you're still there by responding positively and thanking them for reaching out. It'll help put them at ease while also letting them know that they're more than just a number on your list; they're part of something bigger now: Your network!
Conclusion
Social media is a powerful tool in your networking arsenal, and LinkedIn is one of the best. It’s easy to forget that each person you connect with on LinkedIn has their own story, interests, and goals—and as such, they have something valuable to offer you. As long as you remember this when making connections, there are endless opportunities for building new relationships through social media channels like LinkedIn. Check out our blog section to explore more tips on professional developments.