LinkedIn Dos and Don'ts

21/01/2020 16:52:48
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LinkedIn is all about building professional networks and relationships. With over 610 million professionals using the platform, it’s not only about who you know but about who your connections know.

As the most successful lead generation social media platform, LinkedIn allows you to tap into your professional connections and grow your brand through word of mouth. That’s the real power, but if your LinkedIn strategy is just a basic, out of date personal profile and liking and sharing your friends’ posts, then it’s time step things up.

To get you started we have compiled some dos and don’ts, which will help you get the most out of the time you spend on the platform whilst helping you avoid the pitfalls.

Dos of LinkedIn

Good vibes only
  • Be yourself – We are all different, with different personalities, and you need to let that shine through. Just remember, people buy from people, especially in the B2B environment.
  • Think before you post – Is this the right message? Have I used the correct language? Will my post offend or upset anyone? These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself before posting.
  • Write for your readers – It is simple, really. Know who is in your network, what interests them and then write about it. This is the basic recipe for LinkedIn success.
  • Be professional – This goes without saying. LinkedIn is a professional social platform so ensure you always act professionally.
  • Personalise your outreach – It’s so easy to just send the generic, pre-populated message but for the best responses, personalise all your outreach messages, particularly when asking to connect with someone new. Why should they connect with you? What’s in it for them?
  • Take care when posting images – Even the best posts can be let down by inappropriate, inaccurate or misleading images, so please do take extra care when posting images.
  • Know your legal obligations – Every company should have a social media policy. Make sure you read it and stick to it, with no exceptions, or you could find yourself in a sticky situation.
  • Be unique and engaging – This is a tricky one, as you may have the same message to deliver as someone else. Try and ensure you do it differently, in your own unique way, whilst also encouraging engagement by asking questions, requesting opinions, or asking the reader to do something.
  • Try new ideas and have fun – The quote often attributed to Einstein is that ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’. Social media is the same. So, if things aren’t working, try a new approach or idea, embrace new features and tools. Most importantly, have fun. If you’re not having fun, how do you expect your network to enjoy reading your posts?

Don’ts of LinkedIn

  • Engage with negative influencers – Sadly, the internet can be quite a negative place and although you may have the urge to join in, we would always recommend that you stay clear of negative discussions, particularly if you are representing your business.
  • Post without proofreading – We have all seen them, those little typos and spelling mistakes, but we normally don’t spot them until it’s too late. It’s so frustrating but can easily be stopped by taking the time to properly proofread.
  • Ignore comments, questions or messages – If someone takes the time to interact with you, make the time to reply. Otherwise, in the best case, they will just think you are rude. Worst case, they won’t interact with you again and you may miss out on an opportunity.
  • ‘Formally’ represent your company – Unless you are the ‘voice of the company’, avoid coming across as ‘formally’ representing your business.
  • Over share, over post or spam – We all hate it, we all find it very annoying and it doesn’t work so just don’t do it. Be unique, deliver the right message first time, and you will succeed.
  • Use poor grammar or unprofessional language – If you wouldn’t say it in front of a client or use it in a client email, then don’t post it online. You never know who is watching.
  • Connect with everyone – Unless you are just starting to build your network or offer a product or service that has wide appeal, only connect with people who fall into your target audience.
  • Be afraid to engage and post – Having a good profile is only half the battle. To get the most out of LinkedIn, or any social platform for that matter, you need to post, like, share and comment.
Do something great

So, there you go. A few LinkedIn dos and don'ts. All pretty straightforward, really. And although we have written these specifically for LinkedIn, you can apply many of these rules to most social media platforms. But to really get the most out of LinkedIn, or any social platform for that matter, there is so much you should be doing.

From creating a strong personal profile and company page to growing your network and engaging with the right people, it all takes time. Don’t let that put you off though, because where else can you network with over 610 million professionals, of whom 90 million are senior-level influencers and 63 million are decision makers?
 

Want to get more out of LinkedIn?


Not sure where to begin? Need help creating a plan? The Partners Group can help.

We can become your social media partners, support and guide as and when you need it, or empower you and your colleagues with the knowledge and confidence to succeed through our comprehensive LinkedIn training. Get in touch to find out more or request a copy of our free guide to creating the perfect LinkedIn profile.

 

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