LinkedIn: A Valuable Resource for Small Businesses

The past decade has seen the explosion of social media, as more and more individuals are turning to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. But the benefits of social media aren’t just for individuals. Social media—and in particular, LinkedIn—offers many advantages to those trying to grow their businesses. Consider the following statistic: 77% of B2B companies in a recent survey stated that they had acquired a customer through the LinkedIn website. LinkedIn is also responsible for 64% of all visits from social media channels to corporate websites; compare that to Facebook which only accounts for 17% of such visits.

To take advantage of LinkedIn for lead generation and client acquisition, experts recommend the following:

Create a Comprehensive Profile. Sell yourself by creating an engaging profile. It should be detailed; make sure you fill out all sections. LinkedIn states that users who have a complete Products and Services section tend to have twice as many followers. So, be thorough.
Join Groups. Don’t be a LinkedIn lurker. Instead, join groups that are applicable to your industry. The more groups that you join, the more potential networking opportunities you’ll be awarded. To increase the likelihood of acquiring more LinkedIn followers, strive to contribute regularly to the groups that you join.

Connect. Offer links to your website and other social media accounts. You want to provide multiple avenues for your followers to keep up-to-date with what you’re doing.
Use Engaging Content. The more engaging people find your content, the more likely they will (1) revisit your social media accounts and (2) refer other people to them. So, use LinkedIn to offer links to your blog posts or online newsletters. It’s a good idea to use the 80/20 rule when developing the content—create content that is 80% for the benefit of the user (not sales-oriented) and 20% that touts your products and services.

By providing rich content, making connections, and joining groups, you’ll increase the likelihood that LinkedIn will become a valuable resource for maximizing your business opportunities. And since it’s free to use, it’s a great avenue for selling yourself without incurring any expenses.

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