LinkedIn Introduction to LinkedIn
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Executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies are on it, and many even use LinkedIn for recruiting and hiring.
But it’s not just for the big guys! LinkedIn is a valuable resource for small businesses because you can grow relationships and drive new business.
We’ll show you how to put LinkedIn to work for you.
Resume Meets Rolodex
LinkedIn is a cross between an online resume and an interactive rolodex. Get it on your computer, or get it on your mobile phone. Either way, it gives you immediate access to your complete network.
Like other social networks, it all starts with your profile. From there you can mine your network for connections, join group discussions, ask and answer questions, and stay up on the latest news and trends in your industry.
The Lowdown on Linkedin
If you're wondering what people do on LinkedIn, our friends at Hubspot and LinkedIn put together an awesome info graphic about how people use the network.
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Ever hear of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?
The basic idea was that every person on earth was only six degrees away from knowing someone who knows Kevin Bacon. In some cases only two or three degrees away.
For example, our friend Brian Solis wrote a book called Engage. And Ashton Kutcher from That 70's Show wrote the foreword. Ashton is married to Demi Moore, who starred in the 1992 Blockbuster A Few Good Men alongside (you guessed it) Kevin Bacon.
So the chain goes: Mark Schmulen (of Constant Contact) --> Brian Solis --> Ashton Kutcher --> Demi Moore --> Kevin Bacon. In this case Mark is only four degrees of separation away from Kevin Bacon.
Now let’s apply this to your organization.
Uncovering Connections
LinkedIn lets you connect with people you don’t know through the people you do know.
How? You can see your personal network, but also the networks of your friends and colleagues.
So you can discover connections, request introductions, and learn about anyone’s professional career.
According to the LinkedInsights data, the top five names for male CEOs globally are Peter, Bob, Jack, Bruce, and Fred. The top five names for female CEOs globally are Deborah, Sally, Debra, Cynthia and Carolyn.
How Using LinkedIn Can Help
LinkedIn’s core is making business-to-business contacts, but its power goes beyond simple connections.
No matter what your line of work or type of business, LinkedIn can be beneficial for:
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Demonstrating expertise through the content you post in the site’s Answers section. Scroll through open questions posed by others on the site and answer those that fall in your area of expertise.
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Connecting with professionals like you in the Groups area. Groups are discussion forums centered on a topic or industry. You can use the Groups area to share ideas with peers, pick up a few tips to help your organization grow, and connect with people who share similar passions.
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Helping your search engine optimization efforts. Search engines love inbound links, and your personal profile and company page can both link back to your website, giving you a higher rank in the world of Google.
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Staying on top of industry news. Using LinkedIn today you can get the latest news sent right to your inbox and/or at the top of your screen everytime you log in.
