Whether you use this social media platform for connecting with suppliers, keeping an eye out for new job opportunities or joining forums for advice sharing, as a business professional it’s worth being present (and relatively active) on LinkedIn. Many individuals join the service and never get much further than updating a few personal details, though. The key is to know why you’re there. Your goals should then drive all your LinkedIn activity.

Picture

A professional looking headshot is the only thing that will do for your LinkedIn photo – this isn’t Facebook! With your profile image in place, people can put a name to a face in networking situations.  If you’re not happy with recruiters or acquaintances seeing your picture before making a connection with you, you can change your privacy settings so only those you’ve approved to connect with can see your photo.

Headline

Your LinkedIn headline does not have to be your job title, as many people think. Keep it short and sweet, but make sure it tells people what you do or what you’re looking to do next. You’ve got 120 characters, so make them count!

Updates

Updating your status outs you on your connections’ homepage in the same way that your friends’ Facebook updates pop up on your news feed. Maybe you’ve found an article that your business connections would be interested in, or have a job opportunity within the practice that you’d like to spread among your like-minded audience.

Summary

Your summary should be about you, not your employer. So many summaries simply copy and paste their business website ‘About’ page, which looks lazy. Your profile should be all about you and what you do at your company. Use measurable and concrete details like results you have been responsible for and tasks you undertake as a way to show (rather than tell) prospective employers (or employees) how great you are. It sounds much better this way.

Groups

Join and participate in groups that will help you professionally. Don’t just join groups for show, as this can look obvious.  Do a little research, think back to your goals, and you’re sure to find a few groups you can contribute to and gain something from being a part of. If you can’t find a group, there’s nothing stopping you from starting one of your own.

Don’t forget to set up your practice as a business on LinkedIn – this is another powerful digital marketing tool. Do you have any tips for useful groups to join on LinkedIn? Drop us a comment below!