Is it Time to Revisit Your LinkedIn Profile?
Back in 2003 a new online professional networking service called LinkedIn was launched out into the world. But, Oh Baby, have things changed since then! In the early days this growing social media tool for job seekers, businesses and brands was quite different – a mere shell of what it is today. Now there are many more opportunities to tap into. If you haven’t visited your profile for a while it may be time to check out all of the new features LinkedIn has to offer.
According to Quantcast, which measures audiences and advertising online, LinkedIn had over 65 million unique users in 2013 in the United States alone, and a staggering number of over 178 million internationally. Imagine how tapping into this social media powerhouse could take your business or career to the next level.
Just take a look at this recent user growth chart put out by Statista and you will see how well LinkedIn, which is now a publicly traded company, is performing:
Often an individual or business will set up a user profile on LinkedIn, and consider it a ‘set and forget’ placing more focus on other networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. While using multiple social media platforms is good, LinkedIn stands alone as a unique source for new leads, employment opportunities, and now content marketing.
If you are finding that your LinkedIn profile needs some work there is good news for you. By exploring the features I list here today, you can start improving your network and getting the wheels moving again. It’s time to blow the dust off and start making it shine!
Here are a few key features released and upgraded over the last year to tap into:
● Recommendations and Endorsements – These two features have been given an upgrade recently, and showcase a user’s top strengths and skills. This helps encourage opportunities, and many companies are looking at these to hire new employees or find prospects. Your clients or the companies you work for are your greatest asset, and these features allow them to stand out on LinkedIn:
● See how your rank – Premium LinkedIn users get to enjoy a newer feature called, “How You Rank,” which shows you how your profile is performing and measures it with the competition. If you are serious about building your business then you may want to consider upgrading in order to take advantage of this easy reference tool. You can learn much about what direction to take next and how to improve.
● Publish your content – It’s time to show others what you know and expand from your blog and other social networks. The new professional publishing platform on LinkedIn opens new doors of opportunity to create new or re-publish great content. Your stories feed directly into the updates and can be shared on places like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. Users are able to allow their stories to been seen right on their profiles, which was recently added back in by LinkedIn:
● Test drive the LinkedIn Connected app – Last summer mobile networking with LinkedIn was greatly improved with this latest edition. The LinkedIn Connected app is available for iOS users, and offers a quick and easy way to communicate with your network and even reach out to new prospects. Now it is even easier to stay on track and not miss those golden opportunities as they arrive.
The possibilities are endless for LinkedIn users whether you have a free account or LinkedIn Premium. It is well worth the time to give your profile a professional makeover with a great photo and biography that stands out and shows what your brand or business can offer.
These newer LinkedIn features can be used to help you grow your network with more meaningful connections, and bring prospects and job offers to you. A wonderful new client of mine said, “I’m so glad I found you on LinkedIn”. Now it’s your turn to hear that from someone who finds YOU there!
Susan Gilbert
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