LinkedIn Is Your New Best Friend. Here’s Why
LinkedIn deserves to be ranked among the big three social media sites, right along with Facebook and Twitter. But LinkedIn is more important for your small business because in contrast to its rivals, this social-media site focuses specifically on business. Quite simply, you won't have people on LinkedIn posting about how good their oatmeal tasted this morning.
How smart businesses are using LinkedIn
There are 1.3 million small-business owners in the network. How are they using it? What kind of benefits do they see? Read about a few:
- Finding new Prospects: Joining groups related to your target market is a great way to engage with new prospects. Post to those groups, add value and new connections will come your way.
- Sharing wins: Promoting your successes is just good marketing. It will make you look good to potential customers. With 2 million C-level executives utilizing the site, you may find yourself with a few influential new friends.
- Getting referrals: LinkedIn removes a great deal of the friction and awkwardness of giving and receiving endorsements for the work you are doing. Best part? When someone gives you props on LinkedIn, everyone inside your network will notice in their activity feed.
- Finding new talent: If your business is growing, you'll surely need to hire new employees. LinkedIn is an excellent place—scratch that, it’s the BEST place—to find new players to include in your team.
- Promoting events: LinkedIn’s event feature is a game changer! It has never been easier to spread the news and boost attendance for upcoming events. You can even use their service directory to find a caterer for your gathering. Simple.
- Boosting website traffic: A little-known secret about LinkedIn is that it’s very influential with Google; if you have a presence on LinkedIn, you’re likely to see a jump in search engine visibility, too. More clicks = more customers!
- Getting answers: LinkedIn is a goldmine for information on operating a successful business. You can uncover great advice from a number of the savviest business minds in the world in LinkedIn Answers and Groups. You will discover over 2000 groups focused on small-business-related topics.
- Finding investors, vendors, and partners: It’s a networker’s paradise. Whether you require some capital, a new accounting firm, or even a business partner, you’re not going to find a better resource than LinkedIn. Anywhere.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, everyone. Head over to LinkedIn to make up a page for your business. Trust me; it’s WORTH YOUR TIME.