LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media channels among business professionals. It is a way of helping you to build professional relationships as well as develop potential leads and even sales. But some people still see it as just another social media outlet to post obscure content that is not business-related. Here is a quick guide to mastering LinkedIn.

 

Be Professional

 

First and foremost, this is not Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter so you need to conduct yourself on a professional level. You are here to make business contacts whether it is B2B or B2C or if you are looking for that next career move. It is about connecting professionally not socially.

 

Profile picture

 

Keeping with the professional theme you need to make sure that you have a good profile picture. Remember potential employers and recruiters may be viewing your profile and a picture of you out on the town with your friends is not going to send the right message.

 

Customise your URL

 

If you want to be found in the search results it is important that you customise your LinkedIn URL. This can be done from within the profile settings and should ideally be your name so that search engines are able to identify you.

 

Use of Keywords

 

Understanding how to use specific keywords inside of the LinkedIn search function will help make sure that you appear on the first page, if you don’t then have a look at your profile and edit the words where necessary.

 

Location, Location, Location

 

Choosing a location is important as it needs to be where you and your business are based so that potential connections know where you are working from.

 

Professional Headline

 

Having a professional headline is another way to master LinkedIn. You can set your current job title as your headline or if you are freelancing you might create your own. If you are choosing your own, then make sure it contains relevant keywords that match your expertise.

 

Be Active

 

Setting up your LinkedIn profile properly can take a bit of time so once it is ready do not just leave it to lay dormant. To build those professional connections, you need to be active on it as much as possible. You can do this by posting relevant updates and articles as well as commenting on other people’s posts.

 

Be Industry Specific

 

You want to be found by the right people so that means you need to be industry specific. When choosing which sectors, you work in, try to think about how people are going to find you and what keywords and sectors they might be searching for.

 

Manage Your Endorsements

 

Endorsements act like reviews and they will show potential customers that you are qualified and specialise in certain fields. Endorsements can also have a bearing on how you appear in search engines so make sure that you endorse your connections for them to reciprocate.

 

LinkedIn Groups

 

Finally, make sure you join relevant LinkedIn groups within your industry and business sector. By engaging within these groups, you are showing others that you have the right expertise.

 

By following these few steps, you will be able to master LinkedIn very quickly and at the same time grow your professional connections and future business partnerships.