LinkedIn, though not as massive as Facebook, is very important in its own right particularly in the business and professional markets.
LinkedIn can be the gateway for people to connect with organizations who are offering better jobs or projects. This is why for someone who is serious about getting great opportunities through social media, an exceptional LinkedIn profile and LinkedIn profile management is in order.
This is why we at Social Barrel present to you today this infographic from MarketMeSuite.
The infographic presents LinkedIn profile must-haves that each of us needs to take note of. Hopefully, this infographic helps raise the number of "complete" profiles on LinkedIn which the infographic notes is just barely above 50 percent.
The first LinkedIn profile must have is to Keywords.
"Make sure your profile appears in search results by searching on keywords, looking at the top results and noting the location and frequency of keywords," the infographic notes. This is research which will help you in tweaking your profile for it to be optimized for your target keywords.
The second tip on the list is to Use professional names only, please.
This is not Facebook. A better comparison is that LinkedIn is not MySpace or the now-dead Friendster.
"LinkedIn means bsuiness and people are looking for solutions and not gimmicks!" the infographic notes.
The third tip is to Get serious about your photo.
According to this, using a profile photo makes your profile 7 times more likely to be viewed by others. However, don't use a photo from that one time you were drunk at an office party and embarrassed yourself. The whole point here is to gain the trust of people by presenting that you are a professional who wants to connect using LinkedIn.
Number four on the list is to Optimize your location.
By optimizing your location, you help other professionals or organizations look for you (people with the skills they want and in a specific location) especially if they are filtering results using a geographical location.
The fifth tip on the list is to Brand your professional headline.
"Include information designed to encourage your potential visitor to find out more about you. You've got 110 characters. Make them count!" MarketMeSuite says. Always remember, however, to keep it interesting and attention-grabbing yet professional.
The sixth tip is to Customize your profile URL.
If you haven't already customized it, do it now. Apart from looking better, it's also easier for people and organizations to remember and type in their browser.
The seventh tip in the 17-member list is to Align your industry.
It just makes sense to research about the industries that people with your skills and interests include in their LinkedIn profile and to use the results of that investigation to optimize your profile. This is to ensure that those looking for you will not have a hard time finding you.
The eight tip is to Be active!
By being active, people and organizations have more chances to see you. The more people and businesses that see you, the better your chances at landing a connection that may pay off in the future.
Furthermore, by being constantly seen by your connections, you reinforce the idea that you have value to share. Just don't be spammy when you update your status. Also make sure to post thoughtful and insightful news in your industry.
The ninth tip is to Expand upon your professional headline and support it.
"'Close the deal'", the infographic says, "by making sure that, after your profile visitors read your Professional Summary, they will be sold on you and want to initiate contact."
No one wants to lie here but be sure to highlight your strengths while still keeping it truthful. Answer the question: Why would I want to connect with the person who owns this account?
The tenth tip is to Embrace the visual.
"Show examples of your work" either through YouTube or Vimeo videos; Slideshare, Prezi or Powerpoint presentations; or Scribd or Word documents.
Just make sure that your work is really presentable and leaves the impression that you are great at what you do.
The eleventh tip is to Get connected!
This is simply not because you want to keep communication lines open to acquaintances. This also helps when people or organization search for you since LinkedIn will show you as a second- or third- degree contact in search results. After you show up as this, those looking for you may opt to be introduced by their contact to you.
The twelfth tip is to Strut your stuff!
Boast a little. It goes a long way.
"Add items to your profile such as projects, test scores, courses, patents, certifications and volunteering/causes," the infographic from MarketMeSuite says.
According to this, 42 percent of hiring managers surveyed say they view volunteer experience as equivalent to work experience.
The thirteenth item on the list is to Not ignore endorsements but to manage them.
Why is it important to manage endorsements? It's because they may also be a factor in how high up you show up in search results on LinkedIn.
The infographic says that more than 2 billion endorsements have been given out since the feature's launch.
Furthermore, the average number of endorsements per LinkedIn user is 5. That means that it is very easy to go beyond the average.
The fourteenth tip is to Make yourself contactable.
There's no point in trying to stop people from contacting you if what you want is to promote yourself and make more connections on LinkedIn. Include your business email, Twitter and Facebook links in your profile.
The fifteenth tip is to Build credibility with recommendations.
This is just like reviews of you made by people who have seen your work or have worked with you.
The trick here is to ask for them. Recommendations are rarely given by people just because they feel like doing it. Go ahead and ask as they build your reputation and credibility to potential connections and potential employers.
The second to the last item is to Fully connect with your past.
"Connect the dots with your past as much as possible to allow as many people from your past to find you - and so you can find them!" the infographic says.
The seventeenth tip is to Join relevant LinkedIn Groups.
A lot of activity is going on in LinkedIn Groups. According to this, there are more than 200 conversations each minute in this area. Take advantage of all that opportunity.
Furthermore, joining a Group lets others contact you using the Group messaging feature so this is another way to connect to people.
However, as we have said in the past, make sure that what you share in groups are sharp and adds value to the conversation. If you make sure that the things you share always pass this criterion, you will gain followers and connections.
Infographic from MarketMeSuite.
Ace LinkedIn With These 17 Profile Must-Haves [Infographic] Social Barrel - The latest Social Media News and Marketing Tips