Did you know that there are more than 460 million professionals looking to network on LinkedIn? It’s a new year which makes this the perfect time to look at new ways to grow your business in 2018. As popular as Facebook and Twitter have become for promoting your business, there is an untapped resource that you should utilize heading into this year. If you want to grow your business in 2018, here are 10 ways to do it using LinkedIn.

 

#1: Show Off Your Accomplishments with a Cover Photo

On LinkedIn, a professional headshot generates 14 times the profile views that a personal photo does. You can give your profile views an even bigger boost by creating a cover photo that shows off your accomplishments. Realtor.org recommends adding a “catchy tagline” and listing your awards at the top of your profile page.

 

#2: Complete Your Profile 100%

Having a profile that is 100% complete can get you 13 times the profile views. Make sure to change your LinkedIn URL so that it reflects your business name instead of the URL that you were given when you first opened your account. Remember to use keywords related to your business in your URL in order to garner higher search rankings.

 

#3: Start Connecting on LinkedIn

Your connections on LinkedIn are a gold mine of resources for finding new business. On average, business CEOs have around 930 connections. LinkedIn is viewed as the best lead generating platform by nearly 80% of B2B marketers and is valued over all other social media channels by 92%. Start with who you know, linking to current and former colleagues, contacts in your email list, and then start making new connections with others in your field by using Advanced Search on LinkedIn.

 

#4: Post Professional Articles and Blog Content

If you’re not posting content on LinkedIn, start now. Nearly 95% of B2B marketers post content on LinkedIn and about 3 million post a piece every week. In fact, other professionals are searching LinkedIn for good content relevant to their business. Creating professional content and posting it on LinkedIn is a great way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

 

#5: Join or Create LinkedIn Groups

There are over 1.5 million groups on LinkedIn. Joining LinkedIn Groups gives you an avenue for sharing your content with other professionals in your field and increases engagement. In real estate alone, there are over 7.2 million professionals using LinkedIn and many are members of real estate related groups.

 

#6: Setup a LinkedIn Company Page

Company pages are relatively new to LinkedIn, but since their introduction, the use of company pages on LinkedIn has more than doubled from year-to-year. Having a company page makes you look more professional and generates more interest from other professionals. These pages are where you can show off your specialties, infographics, short videos, and presentations.

 

#7: Use Showcase Pages to Promote Your Business

Another new feature to LinkedIn for business is showcase pages. Here you can offer visitors discounts, referral incentives, consultations, and can promote your content to a more targeted audience.

 

#8: Be Engaged

Don’t forget to engage with people who follow you on LinkedIn. When you post content, solicit feedback, respond to comments and read content that your connections are sharing on LinkedIn. Make sure to participate by making comments on their pages too.

 

#9: Use LinkedIn Messaging to Make Soft Pitches

Keep your eye open for status updates. One of your connections may be changing careers or moving to a new city and may need your services. Send a LinkedIn message to start a soft pitch.

 

#10: Take Advantage of Slideshare on LinkedIn

Many don’t know that LinkedIn has teamed up with Slideshare allowing its users to post presentations, share business documents, and add listing information to their professional LinkedIn pages. This is a strong tool for showing off your professional expertise.

 

Written by Nicole Brzyski for Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates


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