LinkedIn, what a powerful tool that is. Only recently I found a few other ways you can use LinkedIn in your favour and boost your traffic. It has had some amazing results in terms of traffic and engagement.
1. Get the LinkedIn Plugins
Sharing, it is nearly the new way of charity. Everyone is talking about sharing via the various platforms. There are a few options you can use for your WordPress blog to make sure you have the latest share facilities in place. If you are a WordPress user, I would have a look at the sharebar plugin. A great and neat tool to showcase the various share options.
I did have it on this blog but with the re-design of the website this plugin is causing some issues but I will get this back up and running shortly.
But LinkedIn has created a large range of plugins which you can use on your website so you connect every way known to man. To see the complete list of icons visit the LinkedIn Plugin website
2. Find relevant groups
LinkedIn is all about connections and one of the way you get connected is by finding the people who share you interest. One way is to find groups about your interest or topic. Use the search function on the top right of the LinkedIn website (make sure you set the search parameters on "groups") and type what you are looking for.
3. Share directly in Groups
Now this is where power of LinkedIn really comes into play, here's why. As you sign up / become a member of each group, the default settings of you subscribing are as follows.
By sharing your website post / article within LinkedIn groups, you create a new discussion within that group. So that means that everyone in that group get an email notification of your article promoting your website and an discussion. A lot of traffic from one of my websites is via LinkedIn and not only it has given me traffic but a few guest posts as well.
So make sure you follow up on anyone commenting and who is commenting as these people can really help your site and become regular visitors and contributors.
4. Comment within groups - but add value!
Blog commenting is know to be a valuable source of traffic. The word on the street is that this is becoming less and less powerful but nevertheless it is a great way to make yourself stand out and provide your value and insights to another blog. Commenting on LinkedIn works in a similar way. Since the people within groups have a similar interest, providing valuable comment may get you into contact with potential business partners or clients but also gets your word out there to everyone that is subscribed to your article.
If it is not your article, you can still comment and share your knowledge and your website. For instance if someone asks a question within the group or a discussion, and you have written a blogpost about that topic you can share that blogpost within the group. If nobody has given a valuable answer, then this is a great opportunity for you to write that blogpost and provide your expert advice on an unanswered question.
If you see discussions that have many contributions / reply's than this is a great way to get your name out there. You have to make sure you provide a good and solid argument or solution in order to get the traffic. Everyone who has participated in that discussion will get an email (unless their settings say otherwise) so you better make it count.
This was one of my personal tactics when starting my running blog in order to get some good solid and relevant traffic.
5. Update your profile the right way
I thought my LinkedIn profile was pretty good and up to date but then I saw a webinar by Lewis Howes and within that 15 minute webinar he showed two minor tweaks which made my rank number 1 and number 3 within LinkedIn in a matter of minutes.
Some more on Lewis Howes and his LinkedIn secrets here.
However, some basic things you need to have for a decent LinkedIn profile which can capture leads, show who you are and what type of work you do and what people say about you. If you haven't got a LinkedIn account yet, then head over to LinkedIn straight away and create an account.
The LinkedIn basics:
- Profile picture; If you want an online presence don't do it half ass. You either are or aren't online so make up your mind. If you aren't you are losing out so better hop on that online bandwagon and create a headstart agains the people who aren't online and still think its a hype or the people who are there but aren't really paying attention to it. They probably think this "online marketing" and "social media" thing is going to blow over and everyone will convert back to using cassette tapes....
- Work experience; List the business where you have worked and with a short description of what your were working on and involved in. If you know any, list some achievements you have made possible or projects you helped build. LinkedIn is also an online resume so be expect future employers / partners / clients to have a look on your LinkedIn profile.
- Websites; List the various websites you have and make sure you select "other" as this allows you to actually name your website in your profile instead of just saying "blog / business / personal" which are the standard options you are give. (This was another trick by Lewis Howes btw.)
6. Connect LinkedIn with Twitter
A lot of people are connecting with each other via various social networks and a lot of the times they connect with all their social media profiles and one of them is twitter, which you can integrate directly in your LinkedIn profile. A great way to share your blogpost on your LinkedIn profile and your twitter stream simultaneously is by using an application such as HootSuite (my personal preference). This allows you to select the tweets which you want visible on your twitter profile and on your LinkedIn profile. Hootsuite also allows you to post directly on Facebook, including thumbnail, and a few other social networks. Hootsuite is also an iPhone application so you have your twitter friends on the go.
7. Download the LinkedIn App
Apps, the world seems to run on Apps these days as there is nearly an App for everything. If you do own a phone which can run Apps, then I suggest you download the LinkedIn App. It is really a handy tool to have your LinkedIn connections available when you want as you may have forgotten a name but you do know the company he works for then within a few seconds you can search the company and the application will also show you the name.
Another lifesaver is the "In Person" feature. This handy feature lets you connect you and the other person just by tapping iPhones. It really can save you lots of time looking up everyone you have met during a networking event or even worse, you forgot to bring business cards!
You can check your inbox, invitations, news, updates and via the "Reconnect" feature it even suggests connections to you. This is great for looking who you may know without wasting time to find out if they are on LinkedIn or not.
8. Use LinkedIn Apps to enhance your profile
Just like Facebook, WordPress and Twitter, LinkedIn also has many application to enhance your LinkedIn profile. You can have downloadable presentations via SlideShare, Show testimonials via an online video (another Lewis Howes trick), promote your latest blogpost via the WordPress application. There are many other applications out there which will suit your need to showcase who you are and what you keeps you motivated and what your interests are.
If you are a frequent traveller, you could share your travels by installing the TripIt application. This is more a fun way of enhancing your LinkedIn profile, or if you are a very frequent traveller to show off your frequent flyer status. But a more business purpose for this is to have your colleagues and clients know you are away or on their way to see them and what time you are arriving.
9. Invite, Invite, Invite
Having a LinkedIn profile without people linking to you or you link to some other people then this is the time to make a change. There are a few ways to get more connections and its best to start off with the people who you already know.
You can search your current address book (this is done automatically via LinkedIn) and it searches the email addresses which are already in the LinkedIn system and connects them with a contact. The same can be done with Twitter, so you have everyone who you already interact with also on LinkedIn.
Once you have done this, LinkedIn will start showing you connections as they recommend. This could be connections you and a few friends share, so chances are that you know that person already but that person signed up with another email address than you currently have of him. (A business email address instead of his tomlovesgirls24/[email protected]. The reason why he might do that is pretty obvious .
10. Recommend and get recommended
LinkedIn is a business style social network. Social in the means of give before you receive attitude. If you miss some colleagues from your previous work environment, than a great way to show that is to recommend their work. This helps them in their career as this stays on their profile and the chances are they would be happy to give you a recommendation.
If you are working on a project that is nearly done of have completed projects in the past, then don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation about your work. Many people don't seem to mind giving a recommendation if they feel you deserved it. All you need to do is ask, and the worst thing they can say or do is not give you one. Which you didn't have in the fist place so your situation can only improve.
Happy Networking!