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What Is LinkedIn – Can It Help Me Promote My Website?

Written by: Omaro Ailoch

Article Overview: LinkedIn is a social networking website that is geared specifically towards business members. It enables users to build up a network of existing and new business contacts (called connections). However, it goes a step further than this. When you add a new connection, their connections and the connections of those connections will also be added to your network. This provides the professional business person with incredible scope to amass an impressive network of business contacts.

What Is LinkedIn – Can It Help Me Promote My Website?

LinkedIn is a social networking website that is geared specifically towards business members. It enables users to build up a network of existing and new business contacts (called connections). However, it goes a step further than this. When you add a new connection, their connections and the connections of those connections will also be added to your network. This provides the professional business person with incredible scope to amass an impressive network of business contacts.

Facts And Figures

According to Wikipedia, LinkedIn has more than 20 million registered users and attracts over 3.2 million visitors every month in a total of more than 150 different industries. LinkedIn is more closely matched to offline business networking than virtually any other social networking website. It can be used to keep contact details while building a strong network but other users predominantly use it to make contacts and secure future employment. Conversely, many employers and agencies use their network to find suitable candidates for work.

The Money Is In The List

For businesses looking to promote their own service, the money is literally in the list. By building a large and relevant network of connections, a business can greatly improve their profile within that community. Using a powerful portfolio page also ensures that those connections that are interested in using the services of that business will be more inclined to do so. Everything is essentially in place to help the business owner or professional to generate new leads.

Testimonials

Another beneficial feature of the LinkedIn service is the testimonials. When you provide a service to another member of the community, or your network, they can leave a testimonial of how you performed. Testimonials are an important part of service provider selection and not only help persuade the unsure, but can turn a contact's opinion of you around.

LinkedIn Answers

A more recent feature to the LinkedIn site is LinkedIn Answers. This feature is very similar to Google Answers. Users can ask and answer questions, gaining the information they require and providing a useful response. This can help your business to network because useful answers will usually be rewarded with an invitation to join that member's list of connections.

Fortune 500 Represented Companies

LinkedIn is not only popular with small and medium sized businesses. Every one of the Fortune 500 companies is represented on the site, and when last checked, 499 of those companies were represented at director level or above. Whether you're looking for small, manageable projects, or you want to take your business to the next level the LinkedIn community has the members to facilitate your plan.

Why LinkedIn Should Be On Your Business Agenda

While there are other sites that offer similar services, and few of the LinkedIn features are actually unique to the site, no other business networking website can boast the popularity that LinkedIn offers. The combination of powerful features and a large network means that many businesses want to be represented on the LinkedIn website. You can join simply by registering, or ask a member that you already know to send you an invite to their list of connections.

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Article Tags: business contacts, business members, business networking, business owner, contact details, fea, impressive network, linkedin, networking website, new business, new leads, professional business person, provider selection, recent feature, relevant network, service provider, social networking, suitable candidates, testimonial, wikipedia



Related Forum Posts
Re: On Which Social Media Sites Are You Most Active? - I'd be curious to hear how you guys use LinkedIn. I have close to 3,000 connections and never use it. I've been told the secret is to use groups (which I don't) so I'd love to hear how you guys are benefiting from LinkedIn.
Re: Twiiter an sales - [quote="soldlab":1ycb8vnm]I guess though LinkedIn is better for actual leag generation and personal contacts. What do you think?[/quote:1ycb8vnm] I've had a lot more success (thus far) with Twitter than LinkedIn or Facebook.
Re: Social Media Effectively? - Personally, I use social media to build my company brand in order to get awareness of the various franchises I work with. I am active on LinkedIn and Twitter (@DougSchadle), always posting information about the franchise opportunities I work with. I have started discussions and basically just try to get the word out there. Also, I turned one of my clients to social media as well. I work with Doctors Express, the first national urgent care franchise, expanding their franchise base. They are quickly spreading throughout the country and I told the founder to jump on to Twitter and LinkedIn as well. He just started a few weeks ago (Twitter handle @Doctors_Express) and tells me he is loving it. He is posting different medical issues he sees and is tweeting about Doctors Express. He is joining medical groups on LinkedIn and trying to connect to other doctors. So in short, I do think franchises can be very successful with social media, they just have to put in the time to do it.
Re: what position to request? - Hi Michael, Great suggestion from David, or you could try something around a design consultancy, How about Website Design Consultant, Design and Development Manager, Website Support and Development Manager or maybe Internet Business Development Consultant. Ultimately whatever you are comfortable with and good luck for the future, Mal.
Re: 15 Ways You Can Look Amazing on LinkedIn - I agree with GT in that this advice can be applied to more than just LinkedIn. Excellent tips!


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