LinkedIn is taking on more and more features of Instagram and Facebook. The fact that the platform is intended for business purposes can hardly be guessed at with some profiles on the business network. Instead of professional portrait photos, more and more people are using selfies, group pictures, or their own photo shoots as profile pictures on the social network. The photos may be beautiful, but they are more than inappropriate in a business context. You should imagine LinkedIn as a job application folder. Would you send a selfie in a job application to a company? Then refrain from doing so on LinkedIn as well. Social interactions are essential on LinkedIn. As already mentioned, posting and commenting are also of high relevance to boost your own network. However, do not overdo it. Stay professional and only post something if you have something to announce: does it help someone, does it show my competence or commitment, or is it just advertising? More and more people are using LinkedIn as a marketing tool or posting every little thing. LinkedIn is simply not intended for that. It is a network for the exchange of professional questions and opinions. It is by no means a network for marketing your own business, let alone yourself. In the end, on LinkedIn, only your own expertise counts, and that is also recognizable without many words. And for those who want to use many words: LinkedIn has a blog function, called Articles, where you can write pages of texts including links and videos - and for those who are not satisfied yet: there is already LIVE on LinkedIn and soon a Clubhouse variant, so audio only - LinkedIn is also evolving.
Why is having a CURRENT profile on LinkedIn so important?
It is the business card and the first touchpoint when it comes to building trust and starting a relationship.
What should the user personally reveal on their LinkedIn profile?
Personally never means private! Personally means everything you would say at a first meeting. This includes voluntary engagements or topics that have advanced you professionally, as well as education. Topics related to politics or religion should be avoided.
How can I attract customers without pandering on LinkedIn?
Through commenting. One should not forget the power of comments, as they are what initiates the beginning of a relationship. Interaction leads to dialogue, dialogue leads to a relationship, and then the relationship leads to success.
Why are recommendations on LinkedIn so powerful?
Because we should give more than we take. Especially on LinkedIn, you can actively give a recommendation to people - I have already written recommendations for over 100 people I know and trust. So I have written a recommendation for these people, which helps them and indirectly also helps me, because my network has a network value.
