Are you checking your LinkedIn Dashboard?

In contrast to other social media platforms, LinkedIn provides key data throughout your profile. When leveraged appropriately, the data helps you leverage the platform appropriately so you are able to generate results. Yes, other platforms provide analytics. But the data is generally hidden or not user-friendly enough to provide any clear insights. Being able to have insights that go beyond just how many people react or comment is a valuable benefit of LinkedIn. One such example is your LinkedIn Dashboard.

Every LinkedIn user has a LinkedIn Dashboard, but few know where it is, even though it is plain sight. For those who are familiar with the Dashboard, they may not fully understand the value of the data that is provided.

No one would ever get in their car without checking their dashboard. It contains key data to let us know the status of the car, if it is in the proper condition to take you where you want to go. The biggest reason drivers check their car dashboard is to see the level of gas in the tank. Without keeping track of the gas, drivers could end up with an empty tank and stranded. When driving, the dashboard is frequently checked to monitor your speed. Alerts will come on if you don't have your seatbelt on, your coolant levels drop, etc.

Very similar to the Dashboard in vehicles, your LinkedIn dashboard provides a quick snapshot of your status on the platform. For sample purposes, here's a screenshot of my current LinkedIn Dashboard:

The Dashboard can been seen when you go to 'View Profile,' scroll down until you see it. The position of dashboards vary based in if the profile is fully optimized or not. It should be before the Experience section. Because my profile is fully optimized, my Dashboard is between my 'Featured' and 'Experience' sections. The information on your Dashboard can only be seen by you.

Similar to how you check the Dashboard in your car frequently, your LinkedIn Dashboard should be checked frequently. The main data to focus on is the 'Who viewed your profile' and 'Search appearances.' LinkedIn is all about professional and business networking. Effective networking leads to our desired results. Keeping track of how many people view your profile and the number of times you come up in search appearances lets you know if you are on the right track. The higher these numbers are the better. Let's look at these key data points separately.

• 'Who viewed your profile' - In the sample Dashboard above, the number is 1,082. This number indicates the number of people who have viewed my profile in the past 90 days. This can be driven in part by people who know you and who specifically go to your profile and by people who see your content and want to learn more about you. You can click on the number to see a chart of the activity from the last 90 days. If you have LinkedIn Premium, you can also see more detailed information. To improve your profile views, CONSISTENTLY use LinkedIn. This means expanding your network with quality connections, creating quality content and engaging with others in a meaningful way.
• 'Search appearances' - The number is 241 in the sample above. This indicates the number of times my profile appeared in search results in the most recent week. I generally receive a LinkedIn notification on Sundays with this information as well. When you click on the number, you will see details about who is searching for you. This can include the names of companies they work at, their titles and the key words you were found by. To improve your search appearances, make sure your profile is fully optimized, all the sections are completed, and you are using key words.

The 'Post views' number is important as well, but it constantly changes based on how many times your most recent post is viewed or if you have a post that is generating a lot of engagement.

If you have been scrolling right past your LinkedIn Dashboard, take some time now to find yours. Moving forward, make it a practice to view it on a frequent basis. This information if valuable data if you are a student, job seeker, career professional, executive or entrepreneur. Shine Online more so you Dashboard numbers are strong.

For ongoing LinkedIn related information, join Clarene's private Facebook group, LinkedIn Power Moves w/ Clarene. She goes Live in the group every Thursday at 7 pm CST with a different LinkedIn topic.