Skip links

Understanding Social Media: LinkedIn

If you’re in business and, most especially, in B2B, you need to consider a presence on LinkedIn.  Think of it as Facebook but largely for businesses.  There are two main aspects to consider on Linked In: your personal profile and your company page profile.  Your personal profile is like a visible, interactive version of your resume.  You can link to companies where you’ve worked, list certifications and skills, job descriptions and request references and recommendations.  It is very important to optimize this and make the most of it.  Don’t lie, but do be thorough.

For your company page, you can list job openings, product and service descriptions, and images and status updates.  Keeping these updated, optimized, and complete will help you maximize your connections for referrals, recommendations, and networking.

There are two main reasons for exposure on Linked In.  First, it’s a great way to profile skills or characteristics on your resume or company’s product listing. It provides an easy source of centralized referrals.  Second, it provides an easy method to demonstrate authorship and authority.  A well-produced LinkedIn page can prove you to be an expert in your field, providing a searchable and optimized means of demonstrating your excellence in your industry.

Some stats on LinkedIn usage:

  • About 150 million members
  • 77% of users are 25 and above
  • Average household income is $109,000
  • 58% are male
  • Most heavily represented industries are tech, finance, and manufacturing
  • Top job functions are entrepreneurs, sales, and operations
  • B2B businesses experienced a 61% success rate on customer acquisition via LinkedIn

So the rules of thumb are simple: maximize your connections, be detailed and specific in your descriptions, and be a responder and recommender. If you’re interested in learning more about how to use LinkedIn for your business, fill out a contact form!