* "Only connect. . ." E.M. Forster, Howard's End

Friday, April 8, 2011

Top 5 Tips on How to Use Linkedin for Business

LinkedIn is an important way to drive traffic to your site and improve your earnings; it is also one of the less expensive methods. With a great and well executed strategy, you can effectively use LinkedIn for business. The following are a few simple tips that can lead to impressive results.

1. Customize Your LinkedIn URL
For your LinkedIn profile to be found easily by search engines such as Google, you need to customize it. Avoid using the default URL which normally appears in the format:

www.country.linkedin.com/pub/your-name/linkedIn unique identifier

Instead of using it in this format, customize the URL to include the brand name of your business. To customize your LinkedIn URL, select "profile" and then "edit profile" from the drop down menu at the top of any of the pages in your profile. Click on "Edit" displayed next to the link listed on the line titled "public profile". Next, click "edit" in the "public profile URL" section found at the top of your public profile page. This action expands the section that displays your existing URL and from here you can update the link. Enter the URL you would like though all custom URL's begin with linkedIn.com/in/. Include your name/brand/tagline after the last trailing slash e.g. linkedIn.com/in/suzannecamille. Finally, click on "set address" and that's it, you have a customized URL! In case, your preferred URL is already taken, keep trying until you find the URL of your choice. Also, set your profile to "Full view" so that your company details can be viewed by the general public without any need for someone to log in. Make sure you have a relevant keyword in your URL if you are a small company whose name is not easily recognizable.

2. Promote Your Profile
Your company details and employee contacts will be visible on your company profile. Therefore, people can find someone they can get in touch with to find out more about
your company. Find ways of promoting your URL in marketing communications such as brochures, business cards, email and so on.

3. Make Use of Keywords
Use keywords that identify your specialty in the industry. For example if you run a local plumbing business in Adelaide, you would use keywords such as "Adelaide plumber", "affordable Adelaide plumber" and similar variations. Using keywords in this manner optimizes your profile for search engines and resonates well with potential customers.

4. Establish Yourself as an Industry leader and Respected Source for Information
Update your profile page with fresh information on your industry to help it stay fresh. Doing this over a period of time helps to establish your reputation in the industry. You can do this easily if you link your LinkedIn profile page to your blog postings on your website.

5. Use a Profile Picture
Many people overlook this part. If you browse through many of the LinkedIn profiles, you will realize that many people and businesses do not use a profile picture. This is a branding opportunity lost. Use a profile picture preferably your logo. You can alternatively have a graphic designer superimpose your address details; tagline and phone number on your logo so that you have one image that incorporates everything.

Finally, do not forget to include your website link in your profile so that people can visit your site. It will also help search engines find your website and include it in their index.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6096694

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