Launched in 2003, the former career network LinkedIn is celebrating its 18th birthday and enjoys national and international reputation. The number of users is steadily increasing, and the trend is also clear in Switzerland with almost 3.2 million users: Networking, Digital Selling, and Recruiting take place online daily thanks to LinkedIn. Despite the high potential for success of the social media network, there are still a variety of mistakes, especially in behavior, but there are also opportunities that can be seized. These will be further examined in the following.
What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a social media platform, acquired by Microsoft in 2016, specifically designed for the business sector. Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn is not intended for sharing very personal information such as dinners or vacation pictures - even though many people now do so similarly to Facebook. It is a natural development when likes and comments on Facebook and Instagram are lacking, and one can quickly gain many contacts via LinkedIn. However, it would be much better to view and use the platform as a networking platform with social media functionality. Jobs can be found through LinkedIn, one can stay in touch with colleagues and partners, and expand their network online. Moreover, with LinkedIn Learning, the platform also offers educational content, and specific solutions such as Recruiter Light or the Sales Navigator are commonly used in human resources and sales. Therefore, LinkedIn is a business-to-business medium online where everyone showcases their best side - after all, it's about business.
The value of the network lies behind the network
Networking is key in a business context. Therefore, it is highly relevant to connect on LinkedIn with business partners, acquaintances, and perhaps even new potential customers and partners. But should one accept every person as a connection? Or just send out random connection requests? The answer is a clear no. Only a genuine, organically grown network leads to real interaction and conversations. Initially, a connection request on LinkedIn is necessary, and there can be many pitfalls. The first mistake: not attaching a message to the connection request - would you sit down at a table with someone uninvited? Probably not. But that's exactly what happens when sending out "empty" connection requests. Then the content: is it personal or does it sound like a copy-paste message? Can a relevant connection be established? The motto is not to sell: it's about building relationships, and that takes time and, above all, manners. What about contacts on company pages? These are called followers, and far too often the misconception prevails that having many contacts or followers means a lot of reach. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. While you can invite up to 100 people per month to follow your company page, is the content really engaging enough? Knowing that only 4% of people on LinkedIn create content, it is also disappointing to realize that often only 2-3% of people on LinkedIn engage. Still far too little and therefore a great opportunity.
Why am I using LinkedIn wrong?
Like all other platforms, LinkedIn has three elements for presenting one's professional brand: Stories (only on mobile), Profiles (for individuals), and Pages (for companies, schools, or NGOs). Additionally, with company pages, you can also attach Showcase Pages, for example for sub-areas, additional brands, or departments. Since 2021, LinkedIn pages can also include products, and LinkedIn is working on a service marketplace via linkedin.com/services. While the LinkedIn profile is important, LinkedIn is also a social network that should be maintained. This means: genuine relationships and contacts are only formed through interaction. This means: create a clean profile, but then definitely create posts. Currently, only 4% of all LinkedIn users (756 million worldwide, 16 million in the DACH region) are actual content creators. Today, we know that interactions lead to conversations, conversations lead to relationships, and relationships lead to opportunities (for sales or referrals). Therefore, once the profile or page is set up, but never touched again, it will not lead to job opportunities, network expansion, or sales success. The principle is to help and connect. Far too often, individuals and companies are in self-promotion mode. On LinkedIn, you can show that you are present and engaged. If multiple people within a company are active, even better. This will directly improve your image and increase the visibility of your professional brand: both for individuals and the company as a whole.
10 Facts about LinkedIn - founded in 2003 - therefore 18 years old in 2021
- LinkedIn is now used by 55 million companies
- 2 million posts, articles, and videos are published daily
- However, only around 4-5% of users regularly generate content on LinkedIn, meaning approximately 95% are passive listeners.
- LinkedIn gains new members every 2 seconds. Over 16 million people use LinkedIn in the DACH region, and there are 756 million users worldwide.
- Over 100 million job applications are sent via LinkedIn every month, and someone is hired every 7 seconds.
- An active user spends 40-60 minutes per day on LinkedIn, while a passive user spends 10 minutes per day. On average, users spend only 17 minutes per day.
- The average engagement rate on LinkedIn for individuals is about 2% (but can go up to 10% or more), for companies it's 0.5% (but can go down to 0.05%).
- 1 million hours of e-learning are consumed on LinkedIn every week
- 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn
- The largest age group on LinkedIn is between 25 and 34 years old, making up 60% of all users. They are followed by users aged 18 to 24 years old, making up 22%.
