Social Media Blogs by Aliza Sherman
Aliza Sherman is a web pioneer, author, and international speaker. Sherman is the author of 8 books about the Internet including The Everything Blogging Book, Streetwise Ecommerce, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crowdsourcing and Social Media Engagement for Dummies.

5 Ways to Get More Out of Your LinkedIn Account

5 Ways to Get More Out of Your LinkedIn Account

When leveraging social media for marketing, each social network operates differently and offers different features or similar features with different names. Knowing how to use each network is key to successfully engaging with social media. Using LinkedIn is no different.

LinkedIn offers professional networking and business marketing opportunities. But where do you begin? Here are five ways to make the most out of your LinkedIn account.

1. Get an All-Star rating on your profile (it’s free)

You could be missing out on the features and benefits of having a LinkedIn profile and LinkedIn company page if don’t fill them out completely.

For your professional profile, if you don’t have an “All Star” rating on your dashboard panel, you may be missing some information. LinkedIn prompts you to fill out more sections as well as guides you through completion with a Profile Strength Meter. To get to the meter, Click ton the “Me” icon on the upper right side of your LinkedIn homepage on the web. Select View Profile, find the meter, then move your cursor over the meter to see which steps you’ve completed. A Dropdown icon in the upper right corner of the meter reveals steps to complete your profile. Once you get the “All Star” rating, the meter disappears.

2. Post regularly – to your profile and your company page

Posting frequently to any of your social networks help to keep you and your company more visible in the LinkedIn news feed, offering more opportunities to be noticed by both the casual and avid LinkedIn user.

3. Get visual – and try a LinkedIn carousel post

Visuals in social media tend to get more attention and interaction than plain text. While the type of content you post on LinkedIn might be more business-oriented than on other social networks, it can still be visually interesting.

One feature you may not be using on LinkedIn is the carousel post– which is different from a carousel ad. The feature is actually document sharing, but the way the document is displayed enhances interactivity. Users can scroll through the pages of the document like a carousel of slides. The images in the document also appear larger in the LinkedIn news feed so can attract more attention.

Use the Share a Document icon to upload a pre-designed PowerPoint, Word document, or PDF file. Think of carousel posts as short presentations. Share tips, statistics, frequently asked questions with answers – information you want to convey to consumers to inform, educate and promote.

4. Publish – or republish – your blog posts on LinkedIn

Like other popular social networks, LinkedIn prefers that users stay on their platform and not be sent away. The LinkedIn “Write an Article” feature operates similar to a blog and is linked directly to your LinkedIn profile. Even if you have a blog on your company website, republishing entire posts on your LinkedIn profile are a way to post content that keeps people on LinkedIn. The goal would be to position yourself as an expert and attract customers.

5. Share content from trusted sources on LinkedIn

Posting your own content is valuable when building your brand or professional profile, but the content you curate and share from others can perform a similar function. One way to find reputable sources for content you can share is to check out LinkedIn Influencers. The LinkedIn Influencer program regularly features articles from high profile professionals who have been approved by LinkedIn as subject matter experts, usually with large followings. LinkedIn Influencers include thought leaders such as Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx, and Sallie Krawcheck, the CEO of Ellevest, as well as many other business professionals representing many different industries and perspectives.

As you can see, LinkedIn gives you the chance to demonstrating your own professional accomplishments and expertise while also promoting your business. Take the time to make sure you’re taking advantage of all that LinkedIn has to offer, choosing the features and services that are most relevant to your business needs.


Read other social media blogs by Aliza Sherman