Link up on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Pulls Top Search Listings

Why Minute to Market Recommends LinkedIn

LinkedIn profiles rank in the top five search results for names. Whether you have a business, or are job seeking, LinkedIn is the place to establish professional connections, and make it easy for prospective clients or employers to find you.  LinkedIn connects over 70 million people in 200 countries and territories. While LinkedIn is not a top hot spot, according to alexa ratings, LinkedIn is climbing in popularity as a social networking site. Once, a basic job-seeker billboard, LinkedIn is now a connection-based referral source where careers are jump started, and businesses built through connections. LinkedIn is a veritable electronic version of an “old boys network”.

LinkedIn offers an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and experience while connecting with other professionals to further your career. LinkedIn profiles build authority, through not only being shared on their site, but as a high ranking personal brand throughout the web.  

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile : Minute to Market Tips 

When did you last visit and read over your LinkedIn profile?  That long ago? You’re not alone. Does your information really represent what you currently do? Creating a full profile, along with engaging, and interacting, can increase the number of opportunities that present themselves. Before connecting, ensure your profile is up-to-date and inviting.
LinkedIn Profile Basics
1. Profile Photo. Choose an appropriate photo. Use a  recent ,photo that shows what you look like today, not 10 years ago. LinkedIn recommends using a business photo that is 6 months old or less. People don’t want to do business with your children (as adorable as they are), your pet, nor your spouse. To upload a photo, click “Settings”, then “Profile photo”.
2. Personalised URL. A personalized URL increases your chance of being found, gaining connections, and receiving opportunities. Personalised URLs (www.linkedin.com/in/yourname versus www.linkedin.com/pub/your-name/series-of-numbers-and-characters) became available in 2007,   If your name or focus has changed, you can modify your current URL. See the instructions here.
3. Headline. Search engines results are matched to keywords in your LinkedIn headline, as well as your summary. When creating a headline,think of core keywords people might associate with your profile; think about who your target audience is, and what they would be seeking.  
Here are some more tips to help create your effective headline:
Brainstorm the following:
a. What do you do? Jot down terms as they relate to your current or past positions. This can help you define yourself and provide focus for developing your headline.
b. What do you offer? What makes you irreplaceable? Why should people connect with you? What can you offer a connection other than a wave?
eg.: Gardening Consultant. Finding the right vegetables to plant for your soil & climate.
c. What makes you unique? Focus on what differentiates you from the rest of the field, and why it is worth noting.
eg.: Green Business Machine Consultant. Offering award-winning environmental, and economical business machine solutions.
d. What value do you bring? OK, you are a CEO but what does that mean to me? How does you being a CEO relate to where you would fit into my network?
eg.: Providing training: Offering training through forums, blogs, Skype, YouTube and instant messaging.
e. What problem do you solve? How do you prevent problems, and provide timely assistance when people need a problem fixed immediately? People want problems fixed, correctly and right away. .
eg.: Blog Consultant. Advising & educating new bloggers on how to write and promote a blog, to build online communities, and generate sales.
4. Email Settings. Get timely updates on invitations, and opportunities sent to your  email from LinkedIn.First designate a primary email .Click: “Settings”, “Personal information “, then “Email addresses”. Once you designate your email address, return to “Settings”, “Email notifications”, then “Contact settings” where you can opt in to receive notifications.
5. Profile and Status Updates.Keep your connections “in the loop”. In “Settings”, choose to allow significant profile and status updates to be sent to your connections,  Update your status frequently by sharing new articles, events, and happenings related to your company or yourself.
6. Public Profile. When a search is performed for your name, LinkedIn profiles generally rank in the top five result. Set your profile to public,and have it indexed. Just click: “Settings”, “Public Profile”,then select “Full View “. You can select which items are viewable by the public from the menu list. 
Make it easy for people to find you. Link up on LinkedIn Today!
This article was adapted from Tips for giving your LinkedIn Profile a Facelift by Suzanne Vara which was shared on LinkedIn. Now I’m off to update my LinkedIn Profile.
Look forward to connecting with you there!
Suzanne