LinkedIn is quickly becoming one of the most powerful networking tools for business professionals. LinkedIn allows you to create a profile, display references and extensively network with other business professionals.
If you only do one thing to build a Social Media 2.0 campaign, start a LinkedIn profile today!
Once you’ve built your profile, you can develop your network by inviting others you know or meet to join your “circle.” As your circle grows, your network grows. Remember the old Kevin Bacon game where everyone is only two steps away from the actor Kevin Bacon. LinkedIn provides a real life demonstration of this phenomom.
At the time of this writing, I only have 30 some connections in my inner circle. Through these 30+ contacts, I can directly reach more than 1,900 contacts and if I take it out one more step, I have the potential to make an introduction to more than 300,000 contacts through a friend of a friend.
In a later article, I’ll get into the details of the many ways to use LinkedIn to grow your business but take a quick look at some of the highlights. In addition to building a network through LinkedIn, you can:
- Design a profile allowing others to see your business credentials.
- Move your name to the top of the most common search engines and in turn control your online image.
- Easily gather references and testimonials and display them on your profile.
- Quickly notify others of ongoing projects, opportunities, and business ventures.
- Join any of a number of groups (professional, alumni) where you can ask questions, gather information or become recommended as an expert.
- Easily follow online discussions and business moves of contacts in your network.
I’m only scratching the surface here. For step by step instructions on how to set up your LinkedIn profile, see Hands On #1 here. I will also provide case studies of people using LinkedIn to grow their business in futures issues of Social Marketing 2.0.
As I said before, if you only do one thing to start a Social Marketing 2.0 campaign, start a LinkedIn profile today. It is a very powerful tool and can form the foundation of your online presence.
