Most people have a gym membership, especially this time of the year. Some people just walk by the window and wave to their friends on their way elsewhere versus going in. They later wonder why their health and energy is not where they want it.
The reality is that they are just not doing the work, which involves hitting the gym daily, or at least 3-5 times a week. Even just by getting there and getting a little bit active, gym goers are significantly healthier than those who don’t exercise. And it doesn’t mean you have to work out five hours a day in the gym or even three hours. Sometimes even just 30 minutes five times a week can make a big difference.
Think about LinkedIn the same way. LinkedIn is a lot like the gym. In order for this tool to work, you have to put in some work yourself. That means you have to log in, check out who’s been looking at your profile, look at your news feed, share some key information with your contacts, and think of ways to make sure you’re adding new connections you’ve met in the marketplace on a regular basis.
LinkedIn is an ongoing investment in truly building a strong social networking presence. By making it a daily discipline even just for a few minutes,
LinkedIn can build some serious momentum and really drive some serious Return on Investment (ROI) for you and your business.
A mediocre profile just doesn’t cut it these days because more people are realizing the value of having an online presence and you always need to be a few steps ahead to stand out.
The key steps to creating a great LinkedIn profile include having the following up to date:
A clear, professional photo
Now would be a good time to update yours if you haven’t already for a fresh 2016 look.
Complete work history
This tells your story. Even if your previous employers are in different industries or you’re in different positions, it speaks to what you’ve achieved and your kind of background.
Full Summary
This is vital because LinkedIn has it’s own search engine built in, and as people search for key terms your bio affects those results.
Recommendations and endorsements
These are important because it’s not all about what you say about yourself, but what’s more important is what people are saying about you and your brand. If you’re struggling in that department, try recommending others first to encourage them to give you one in return.
Connected to company pages
This shows your professional interests and the kind of contacts you are hoping to attract.
Add rich media
This functionality has changed and evolved on LinkedIn over time and it’s advisable to try and keep up to date with all the latest features.
Invest a bit of time exploring what LinkedIn has to offer now and make a habit out of doing so because this tool could be one of your greatest information sources to what’s trending in the current marketplace.
About the author: Sakhile Ndlovu is a marketing and public relations professional, social media consultant and blogger. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
