The market of professional networking platforms is getting more and more competitive. An idea which started in 1997 with 6degrees.com has exploded with more platforms popping up every single day, many of them offering resources for entrepreneurs, and professionals. With millions of active monthly users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking site.

What is LinkedIn and How Does It Work?

According to their official site, there are more than 645 Million users in more than 200 Countries and Territories. With numbers such as those, you know they must be doing something right! It is the perfect place for employers, employees, entrepreneurs, public figures and job seekers to connect and grow their network. 

Job Seekers

Members who join as job seekers simply create their profile which includes information extremely similar to a curriculum vitae, such as their education, work history, skills, training, and any extra volunteer work or awards they have received. They can search for companies who are hiring and see if any of their connections are associated with the business in order to perhaps offer an introduction to those in charge. 

It is extremely useful for those who are job hunting.  According to Jobvite in 2016, “87% of recruiters find LinkedIn most effective when vetting candidates during the hiring process”, so you know those numbers have only gone up since then. Therefore, it is extremely important to constantly update your profile, so recruiters know exactly what you have to offer.

Employers

LinkedIn has several advantages for employers too! It is the perfect way to share job openings in your company, research any candidates you may have and to hunt for the perfect employee to recruit. Businesses can also post articles they have written that either benefit those in the same field/industry or that will help get people talking about their company. These are not the only ways LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for businesses, however. Let’s look at how having a LinkedIn profile can be the ultimate business tool.

Why Does Every Business Need LinkedIn?

Networking is Faster Than Ever

While doing things face to face is incredibly important, being able to connect with others via social media is the fastest way to network while offering the perfect environment. We’ve all had those moments where we meet someone in real life, and we are met with perhaps a fake version of themselves. Of course, people can build their online personas in the same manner to try and shine a good light on themselves. With LinkedIn, you can see past employer’s comments, reviews of their work ethic, see if they are recommended by others, read any posts they share, and see their other connections. Overall, you can get a good sense of who they are before even truly meeting them which can be an extreme time saver.

Speaking of seeing their connections, LinkedIn allows you to see the degrees of separation between you and the person whose profile you are viewing. This is great for possibly getting introduced to others who could be beneficial to your business. A good example of this is if you find an interesting profile, you can see if you know or worked with someone they know. People are more likely to connect with you if you have a mutual acquaintance

LinkedIn Company Pages

While it is important for employees and CEOs of any company to have a personal page, it is highly recommended for the company itself to have its own page. It is the perfect way for LinkedIn users to learn more about your business, mission and products/services. 

Word of mouth is an extremely easy and effortless way to gain more clients, and this is done in a matter of seconds if you have an online presence. Take Facebook for example. While that is more of a personal social networking platform, (although it’s beneficial for businesses too), in one click, a post can be shared, and it will be seen by hundreds of thousands. It’s the same thing with LinkedIn. One post could change everything for your business when it comes to getting noticed! Be sure to share/post rich and compelling articles, updates and information relevant to your business. In no time at all, you can be seen as an expert in your industry. Others will come to you for your expertise, advice and in turn will trust your brand. Therefore, not only does it build your credibility, but it can also attract more business.

Be sure to provide links to your website and other social media platforms on your page. It is a great way to drive traffic to your website! Every person who goes to your company page can be a potential client/business partner who wants to find out more about the company.

Recommendations, Reviews and Followers

A perfect way to show that your business is worthy of new clients and can offer exceptional services or products is for past customers to post reviews of their experiences with you. You oversee approving each recommendation before it is live. This can also help you get more followers. Who wouldn’t want to work or purchase something from a business that has so many great things said about them with such a great following?

If your page is active in LinkedIn Groups that are relevant to your industry, or similar customers, this can lead to you gaining more followers. Be sure to offer good advice and helpful tips; people will want to stay connected to you.

Also, you should encourage all your employees to be connected to your Company Page; whether they show that you are their employer, or that they follow your page. Employees are your company’s biggest advocates and if they post a good review about their experiences working for you, this can help attract other qualifiable employees. Overall, LinkedIn is a tool that every business should use to their advantage. From networking and brand exposure, to attracting more followers and customers, LinkedIn company pages can be exactly what you need to take your business to the next level. However, if you are anything like me, jumping on the LinkedIn wagon can be quite overwhelming. Fortunately, with the help of knowledgeable digital agencies, creating a network on LinkedIn can be quite easy!