Linkedin is a great network for professionals but do you know how to build
your brand and get new leads for your websites? Check out these 5 tips.
With millions of professionals from 130 different industries, Linkedin
represents a potential gold mine for high end leads for your websites. Many
members are looking for new job opportunities but this network's real value
to you is the incredible knowledge base and new business opportunities that
can strengthen your personal brand and increase your websites' potential.
Here is a list of five simple steps to get the most out of your Linked in
account.
Don't gloss over your profile
A basic first step is establishing your profile and you should take the time
to make this look like an executive bio and not just a resume. Insure that
you have included all of your educational credentials and memberships to
professional organizations (particularly if you held a leadership position)
as well as relevant job titles.
Don't waste copy on your ego. Give specific examples of what you have
contributed to former employers and what you have done to grow your own
business. Cite a case study if appropriate.
The objective here is to make you as attractive as possible to potential new
business opportunities including those who may want to do a joint venture
with you.
Link up your profile
Linkedin gives you three opportunities to link out to your websites. In the
profile page click on edit and then click on "more" and this will allow you
to edit the default settings for My Website and My Blog.
Change these titles to keywords that are relevant for both. For example if
you have an accounting business you may change My Website to accounting
service or tax accounting. The same goes for your blog. Use these
opportunities to build backlinks to your websites.
Company Page
Here's an opportunity to look like an industry leader. Include your logo and
sell the benefits of your operation. Make sure you include your websites as
well. If you have employees, make sure they link to this page.
Create a group.join a group
Linked in groups are where the action is at and you'll want to participate
in them for two reasons. The first is to develop potential leads by creating
or joining a group that would be of interest to you market.
This is a social network so get social. Respond to articles, answer
questions and put yourself in a position to be viewed as an expert in the
field or at least as a reliable source of information. If you start your own
group you obviously have considerably more control over what direction
interactions are going to take.
Don't look just for end users
If your websites all promote consumer goods you probably won't find end
users in Linkedin. What you will find are distributors and manufacturers'
representatives and these can be great resources for distribution and new
sales opportunities.
Keep that target audience in mind when you create articles or respond to
questions and comments. Developing relationships with this group can give
your websites the extra marketing boost that turns them into homeruns.
If your business is B2B you'll find a gold mine of potential distributors as
well as end users it's simply a matter of being active and getting
recognized.
Use the Q&A
The Open Q&A is a great place to participate in and draw attention that can
lead to connects. Focus on participating in this at least two or three times
a week and you will go a long ways in developing a reputation as a valued
source.
You can also use this forum as a market research tool and evaluate what your
target audience is interested in or wants answers to. His can obviously help
you develop hot, relevant content for your ecommerce website.
Online business networking really is no different than offline events. The
obvious advantages include access to a far larger network than you could
possibly create offline and far better tools to get your brand out to the
world. But remember it is networking which means this is not a fire and
forget strategy but one you have to work on consistently if you want your
websites to benefit.
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E-mail: gerald@webcraft.ws
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