The expression “Your network is your net worth” is well-known to the majority of us, and we couldn’t agree more that it applies perfectly to networking on LinkedIn. Maintaining a diverse LinkedIn network provides numerous benefits, including the ability to establish connections with industry leaders and prospects, access to a wider range of superior career opportunities, and the assurance that one’s professional life remains uncluttered.
Although networking is vital for one’s professional development and success, it can be difficult to do so effectively. In addition, it is not easy to utilise LinkedIn for networking purposes. However, once you have achieved proficiency in the art of effective networking, you will consistently find individuals to connect with on LinkedIn.
This detailed guide covers everything you need to master LinkedIn networking. From optimising your profile and expanding your network to crafting personalised messages, we’ve got all bases covered.
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How to Use LinkedIn for personal branding?
1. Develop a captivating profile
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
Let’s start with the basics. Pay great attention to your images when creating a professional LinkedIn profile. Create a banner image using Canva and invite a buddy who enjoys photography to snap a professional-looking headshot.
Then, go to the “Headline” section and perfect your opening statement. This is the hook.
Consider this your lift pitch. Within 20 words, you must promote yourself and use keywords that potential followers would look for.
Use four or five paragraphs in your “About” section to tell about your mission and what sets you apart from others.
After that, use the “Featured” area to showcase your knowledge. Highlight your most popular posts, articles, and vlogs, as well as your podcast and webinar appearances.
Finally, include all of your relevant education and experience, as well as recommendations from former colleagues and clients. Most will likely be happy to acknowledge the great work that you achieved together.
2. Make your content optimised
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
When someone uses the LinkedIn search engine to look for your profession, you want to make sure that you are displayed as high up in the list of results as possible.
However, it includes more than just your line of work. There are a great number of keywords that are pertinent to the work that you do to a great extent.
For example, a graphic designer might also be interested in appearing in the search results for related keywords such as “Web design,” “Print design,” or “Adobe Expert.”
Once you have revisited your LinkedIn profile and incorporated these keywords into your “Headline,” “About” section, previous job experiences, and skill recommendations, you will be able to take your LinkedIn personal branding to the next level.
How?
Well, by ranking high in the search results, many people will automatically assume – rightly or wrongly – that you are a leader in your industry. This is a foolproof method for quickly increasing interest in your LinkedIn profile.
3. Engage with people
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
To get a huge number of LinkedIn following, many people send out connection requests to everyone in their field. However, the main purpose of LinkedIn lies in making meaningful connections with others.
A smart place to start is to like people’s posts that are relevant to your brand and comment with your own thoughts.
Good comments frequently lead to thought-provoking discussions that demonstrate your expertise.
Also, remember to promote optimism. Congratulate others on their accomplishments and share people’s posts that are particularly insightful. Simply remember to tag them to increase visibility and show them your appreciation. It is about creating a community.
4. Take part in groups.
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
An important principle for effectively using LinkedIn is to avoid “selling” your brand. Instead, aim to portray yourself as an expert in your subject.
As a starting point, join groups where you can find professionals from the same industry. This will allow you to find posts that are relevant to you.
You can then interact with these posts and share your experiences and how they relate to the topic at hand.
People will take note of your positive efforts, and many will connect with you. Over time, these connections may lead to significant prospects for your organisation.
5. Make short, catchy videos. (LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
People frequently scroll down their feeds, as they do with any other social media platform, in the hopes of spotting something that catches their attention.
The ideal way to accomplish this is by creating short video posts on LinkedIn that are both snappy and engaging.
Making a 30-second video on your smartphone is an innovative, interactive way to share your insights with others.
Look down the barrel of the lens, make a relevant point of value to those in your industry, and use free video software like iMovie to add your logo – just in case your post takes off!
Another strategy is to establish polls. This useful tool promotes connection and discourse in an area that is critical to your business.
Just keep switching things up. When deciding how frequently to post on LinkedIn, three times a week is a good target. To distinguish, you should use a variety of media types; otherwise, your feed will become predictable.
6. Convey stories through visuals and words.
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
Stories inspire people. They serve to smuggle important information into our brains in a memorable and passionate manner.
Telling stories rather than posting updates can significantly improve your LinkedIn personal branding.
Tell your connections about a problem you had, how you overcame it, and what you learned along the way.
Then, use photographs to highlight these topics and interact with your audience on a more personal level. It’s critical to appreciate authentic visuals. While images are essential for showing ideas, an image of you, ‘the personal brand’, will always gain more traction.
Just remember that LinkedIn is a professional site, so don’t write anything you wouldn’t tell a customer. However, if you can provide a personal, positive narrative, you will stand out.
7. Write and Publish Articles on LinkedIn
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
Posting articles on LinkedIn might help you promote yourself as a thought leader in your field.
These articles allow you to offer outstanding experiences, advise for your colleagues, and subtle content marketing messages in an unobtrusive way.
Creating buzz around these pieces will, of course, depend on your copywriting skills. However, as a starting point, here are a few factors to consider:
- Respond to a frequent problem that many individuals in your field suffer with.
- Keep it simple to read, and remove any jargon.
- Avoid extended paragraphs, sticking to three lines at the absolute maximum.
- Include a lot of subtitles to maintain a logical flow.
- Use pictures to break up sections of text.
Another benefit of these pieces is that their potential audience extends well beyond your network.
If your article is thoughtful and entertaining enough, you may find yourself attracting a new audience via Google, as articles frequently rank at the top of SERPs (search engine result pages).
8. Participate in Virtual Events
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
Just because we live in a digital age does not imply there aren’t lots of opportunities to network with those who share our interests. Every day, there are hundreds of virtual events taking place, so one (or more) will tickle your attention. Attend a few of these events and introduce yourself; you never know who you’ll meet!
Making connections with strangers does not have to be difficult or time-consuming; all you need is a little effort and the desire to move outside of your comfort zone.
9. Follow Organisations and Thought Leaders within your field.
(LinkedIn for Personal Branding)
By following relevant organisations, you will receive their most recent updates, which will keep you up to date on industry news and trends. For example, if you want to network with other marketing professionals in your sector, consider following a few marketing-related companies or thought leaders. This will help you fast grow your network.
To start with, navigate to LinkedIn’s “Follow Companies” area and search for organisations related to your industry. Then, click “Follow” to get their updates on your news feed.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate any longer! Implement these strategies to develop your LinkedIn personal brand and unlock new business prospects.
If you need any further support, we’re always here to help. At BeVisible, we specialize in helping professionals enhance their visibility and develop their personal brands on LinkedIn. Reach out to discover more about our services.
References
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-tips-building-your-personal-brand-linkedin-dontbeapigeon/
