11 Essential LinkedIn Tips & Tricks

Did you know that LinkedIn is more effective for generating conversions than Facebook and Twitter? And this is true for both B2C and B2B companies. It's a network where users trust in the information they are receiving and the connections they make because everyone has joined with a like-minded brain focused on business.

We've discussed how you can use LinkedIn for social recruiting and even how it can be beneficial specifically for B2Bs. Now we'd like to share some tips that any, and every, business should follow if they'd like to make the most of their LinkedIn experiences.  Here are 11 essential LinkedIn tips and tricks:

Company Pages

Optimize your page.
LinkedIn acts as a sort of business world search engine for many people. It's imperative that your company's page is optimized with keywords that fit your business and industry so that you show up prominently in company searches. Fill your company's description and specialties with keywords that potential clients might search for in relation to your field. Branding and sophisticated language is always nice, but here it's more about lifting your LinkedIn search rankings.

Update your public.
Companies can make status updates that publish to their followers' feeds, and your business should make use of this feature completely. However, LinkedIn status updates are not like Facebook status updates. The information you share must appeal to a more professional crowd. Tailor your content in a way that encourages users to share your company news and information with their own networks.

Showcase your talents.
Make sure your products and/or services are filled out. Users can recommend any of your products or services, and those recommendations will be listed on your page in that section. This is a great, easy way to show visitors of your page why they should choose to do business with you. Also, the network of the user that makes a recommendation gets notified about that action. This will further spread the word about your company and the good work it has done.

Measure your performance.
LinkedIn provides some useful charts that report how many page views, visitors, content clicks, and followers your company page gets. It also provides a comparison of these results to similar companies. This can help you set realistic and measurable goals.

Personal Profiles

Participate in groups.
Look for groups where you might find potential clients. In these forums you'll be able to connect with people on a different level. You can provide them helpful information and advice and prove yourself to be a thought leader of your industry. You can show your target market that you share interests and goals and encourage them to explore your products and services. Creating relationships in various groups can also lead to an expansion of your network and further recommendations of your products.  The more you participate, the more you are seen.  Thus showing you as the industry expert so keep at this on a regular basis.  Once is not enough.  At least once a week is a good goal.

Introduce yourself.
LinkedIn is a great network for making real-life connections. You can use the Advanced People Search to find true prospectives that would be valuable additions to your network. You're sure to find people that you share contacts with, and you'll be able to make an introduction. Get a conversation going and build a bond.  Never introduce yourself with the the standard message LinkedIn offers.  Be unique and create a message which connects you to the recipient to build a bond.

Answer questions.
LinkedIn Answers is a great place for companies to be active. You can create a reputation of being proficient in your industry topics. Also, you'll doubly benefit from utilizing Answers because Google indexes LinkedIn Answers meaning that your advice and the information you share there can show up on SERPs. Maintaining a constant presence there will inspire potential clients and customers to learn more about your brand and hopefully to give you business in the future.

Put a face to a name.
Use a professional looking picture of yourself for your LinkedIn Profile. It will give your profile a more personal look and feel.   Until your face has been populated with your listing, it is hard for any individual to relate to you and build a connection.  People love putting a face to a name and it helps to build that connection.  Often times, users will recognize faces over names, so when your face appears upon numerous networks, starting with LinkedIn, it can help dramatically as they start to know who you are and the connection (relationship) begins.

Make your connections private.
While it is beneficial for some information to be public on LinkedIn, there are certain things that should be kept private, particularly the list of people you are connected with.  If you publicise this information you could essentially be giving your competition your client list.   To make your connections private, log into LinkedIn, click on the drop-down arrow next to your name in the upper right and choose Settings.  Then under Privacy Controls click "Select who can see your connections".  Finally choose "only you".

Come up with a catchy headline.
Get creative.  Come up with a headline that sets you apart from everyone else.  It can represent your personality or the way you do business.  The headline is what appears below your name when viewing your personal profile.  You can be direct to what you do, but offering something a bit off the beaten path can help stand you apart from the rest.

Understand who your customers are.
Identify all that your customers are doing on their profiles.  Adjust your company and personal profile to mimic that of your customers needs and desires.  This will give you a clear advantage when your customers view your profile, setting yourself up for an easy connection and introduction.

Follow these tips, and your business is sure to see success on LinkedIn. Allow your company to truly explore the site's many different features. Do not expect to see results by merely creating a page and leaving it be afterwards. You must engage. Be active. Be consistent. Like any other social network, LinkedIn is constantly moving so you must remain a part of it. There are great benefits to be had there. Don't miss out.

Has your company found success on LinkedIn? What are some of your go-to strategies?