As social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter continues to grow in popularity, many small businesses are forgetting the power that LinkedIn can have. There’s also the fact that those small businesses that do get a LinkedIn account hardly ever use it.
Before getting lost in the tidal wave of every single social media platform out there, take another look at LinkedIn. When used correctly, it can benefit your small business in numerous ways. Here are three steps you can take to harness the power that LinkedIn can still have on your small business.
Stick With Who You Know: LinkedIn is different from other social media in that it’s not about obtaining a massive amount of followers. With LinkedIn, your business will benefit more if you simply connect with people you know. These acquaintances can be passing—someone you met at a tradeshow or event, for instance—but you need to have at least some sort of familiarity with them. In the world of LinkedIn, most people won’t accept your invitation if they have no idea who you are. LinkedIn is all about business connections, not popularity.
Look for Events: You can find out what events other in your industry will be attending by using LinkedIn’s events section. This is a great way to keep up with local events and what sorts of things your connections are interested in. And of course, the events themselves are a great way to make business connections. With the events section, you can search for the most popular events around all of LinkedIn or just within your local region.
Keep Your Profile Current: You want to keep your LinkedIn page looking professional (another difference from other social networking platforms). More than that, you want to keep it current. If you receive a new certification or high profile client, add that information to your profile. Make sure to keep recent links and news articles within your profile to show your audience that you are active and current. By keeping your profile recent and up-to-date, you’re more likely to be seen as relevant and on top of things.
So don’t give up on LinkedIn in the wake of all of these other fancy and more modern networks. When utilized properly, LinkedIn can be just as useful as its social competitors.