LinkedIn describes itself as “the world’s largest professional network with 250 million members in over 200 countries and territories around the globe.” Membership is still growing, with two new sign-ups every second, and some of these members are people you would like to do business with! But if you haven’t yet explored the opportunities offered by being LinkedIn, here are a few reasons why you may want to take a good look:
Creating a professional presence
Increasingly, LinkedIn is becoming the go-to option for anyone looking to create a professional presence online, from high-flying CEOs to business owners who are just starting out. The free basic membership offers an opportunity for individuals to create a profile and upload details of their education and business, to join discussion groups, purchase marketing solutions, and look for jobs.
Network with other businesses and individuals in your niche
If you are already familiar with the platform, you would know that LinkedIn has gone beyond personal profiles and now offers legitimate ‘homes’ for businesses offering a range of functionalities that can give your business a boost. Whether you are seeking to reach out to other businesses or freelancers, it’s a great place to start or enhance existing relationships. You can build yourself a network of people offering a wide range of services and products that can help drive your business forward. This network can include distributors, suppliers or consultants, who can in turn provide essential services or facilitation that can benefit your company.
Help your SEO efforts
Attending to the ranking of your business website on Google is an essential cog of your SEO efforts. Using a social media platform like LinkedIn can be a great way to drive traffic to your website, as your active participation on discussion forums and the help you offer to other users may encourage them to look up your website. LinkedIn already has a lot of clout with Google and you may find that the Google search engines pick up your LinkedIn business profile page compared to a fresh domain name.
Targeted traffic that converts
While Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are fantastic platforms to drive traffic to your website, they may not necessarily give you the kind of visitor that leads to increased sales or conversions. LinkedIn, however, gives plenty of opportunities to connect with people that are interested in your products and services and vice versa. Any target audience you reach wouldn’t be random or accidental. Most likely they would be people or companies that already operate in your industry or some related fields; so the possibilities of conversions can be much higher.
With the growing reputation of LinkedIn as a place to forge powerful contacts and connect with peers, it’s well worth checking out how you can use the platform in your overall communications strategy.
You may also want to check our post on being PR savvy on social media.
(Photo by Link Humans)
Tags: LinkedIn, PR, SEO, social media, social media engagement
