26 August 2009 / 30 ReTweets

What is LinkedIn and Why Should You Join?

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I attended a great local Tweetup last night in Orange County.  There were many people who I had communicated with on Twitter and finally had the chance to meet…the feeling was almost like seeing long lost friends!  I will save Tweetups for another blog post, because what interested me last night were how many people I met last night that were active on Twitter but not at all on LinkedIn.  Many saw the latter as just being a site for “professionals” or really didn’t know what to do with it.  The good news is that my Windmill Networking book on LinkedIn will help both those just learning about it embrace the platform as well as assist advanced users in finding value they didn’t even know existed on the platform through the lens of Windmill Networking.  In order to really explain what is the value of spending time on LI to those that are new to it or do not fully understand it, I think it is best to ask what it is in the first place and elaborate some reasons why everyone (and I mean everyone from Gen Y and Millenial college students to Baby Boomers) should be utilizing it.

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is really a huge database of professionals.  Twitter lacks profile depth, Facebook is all over the place demographically and is also hard to find people.  LI standardizes information entered by users into predefined “Profile Headline”, “Summary”, “Education”, “Company”, etc. categories.  In addition to this huge database of information, the platform also provides an awesome search tool to allow you to pinpoint the person you are looking for depending on a number of very specific factors.

On the other hand, the more connections you have, the more you will be found.

So What is LinkedIn?  It is the place to find and be found.

Why Should You Join?

I actually wrote a guest blog post on this sometime ago on Trender Research, but I wanted to follow up with an updated recap of the 3 biggest reasons for those who are still not sure as to how much time they want to spend on the networking platform.

1) Getting Back in Touch (Finding & Being Found) —> Yes, Classmates.com and Facebook also allow you to get back in touch.  But because of the search functionality that LinkedIn has, I am finding people there that I can’t find on the other social networking sites.  And because it is easier to be found on LI, many are finding me too!

2) Acquire & Share Expertise —> There are more than 900,000 Groups (updated number as of 7/2011) that you can join.  Each group has its own Discussions Board, News Board, and Jobs postings.  Furthermore, the Answers boards have more than 2,000,000 answers to a variety of questions for you to peruse.  The subject matter in both Groups and Answers covers a wide enough of topics that there is value for everyone to be participating.

3) Career Management —> I mentioned the following in my previous post on Social Networking Tips for the Unemployed: Social Networking is a Career Insurance that you can never have enough of. The advice is the same whether you are looking for a job or are happily employed: a network should be your insurance for your future career growth. Companies are organic entities whose needs change and do not and cannot promise you a guarantee that your job will be there 10 years from now, next year, or even next month. That is why you need to be on LinkedIn so that you can both find potential companies and recruiters as well as be found by them. Even if you are happy in your job, it can’t hurt to have a minimal profile on LinkedIn and receive contacts from recruiters in your industry or specialty who may be able to help you out in the future, can it? LinkedIn is free career insurance! BUY INTO IT!

You will notice that I didn’t even mention the reasons you should join if you are looking for business benefits from social networking.  Of course there is lots of business and other advantages to being on LinkedIn.  Read my LinkedIn book as well as new LinkedIn book for business for all the details!

If you still don’t understand what is LI and its value and why you should join and leverage it, I have not done my job as a blogger and LI advocate.  If you are still confused please comment and let me know how I can help you see the light!

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  • CAdiver

    You hit it right on the nail again Neal, I have myself used the insurance image many times to illustrate social networking, networking in general and LinkedIN. When I am told it takes too much time, my answer is “like insurance, it's always too expensive….until you need it” and you do not buy a policy after you have an accident. Networking is all the time, not just when you have lost your job or are looking for new business opportunities. Networking is the work you do now to shorten or eliminate transition time.

  • stevenburda

    Well said, and I agree 100%…

    Another good read:

    http://www.amplify-interactive.com/blog/2008/09…

  • stevenburda

    Great read!

    I agree 100%.

    Another good read:
    http://tinyurl.com/WhyLinkedin

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  • http://www.2Dgraphics.net/ Don

    OK, I get what you are saying … but how do I keep from getting bogged down with “constant contacting”. I'd like to join LinkedIn as a professional, but I already spend enough time with email and I don't want to be chatting and having mundane interactions with people just because they want to boost their LinkedIn profile, or whatever. I also don't want to get so inundated with contacts that it takes up the better part of a day better spent getting real work done.

    I've already received more Facebook invites than I can think about … and I don't even belong to Facebook!
    It seems like it can get out of hand, can LinkedIn be tightly managed and how do you keep it under control?

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    If you go to Accounts & Settings, there are actually a lot of emails that you can control. Please see my blog post on how to make a private LinkedIn profile for more information: http://windmillnetworking.com/2009/03/31/how-do…

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  • Rita

    What does it cost to join Linkedin? I was invited to join as a contact from someone I know but they didn't mention the fee

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    LinkedIn is free Rita! I wrote my LinkedIn book based on the free version so no need to pay any money unless you start using it and want to get additional value out of it!

  • TRAV-TOWN

    why dont you all get a REAL LIFE and get off the internet and go meet people in real life like everyone used to do!! dont rely on Social Networking just on the internet!! my god people have we lost touch with reality??!!

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hey Travis,

    Well, since you're commenting on my blog, you're now one of us ;-) That being said, I agree that online networking is only one type of networking and that meeting people in real life should be the most valuable type of networking.

    - Neal

  • Neema Mwinamo

    Can you crarify me if someone wants me to sign for the linkedIN WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO BE ON IT. One of my brother ask me to add with his professional network. I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

    Please answer my question before I agree.

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    LinkedIn is a professional network. By signing up for it, you can now search for and be found by other professionals. You can join groups with other like-minded professionals, search for long-lost colleagues, and even find Answers to business problems. It is not what the benefit of LinkedIn is to you: it is more like what is your objective in using social media? If you have an objective with a professional-related reason, I am sure there is a LinkedIn benefit for you!

    - Neal

  • http://www.Best-Marketing-Strategies.com/ Michael Wilson

    Good analogy about career insurance. LinkedIn sits on the professional end of the social media spectrum, so many people write it off. You do a good job of describing the benefits of joining.

    Michael

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Thanks for the compliment Michael!

  • George

    In your article 10 LinkedIn Mistakes You Shouldn't Make –2. LinkedIn Profile Headline is Not Branded Enough.
    Could you please explain what to put in your profile headline? Underneath my name is the name of my company, is that correct? Could you also explain “brand” as you use it quite a bit. Oreo, Clorox, IBM are my examples of a brand. How does brand refer to me?

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hi George -

    Well my LinkedIn Book goes into details about your personal brand on LinkedIn, which I call your “LinkedIn Brand.” A brand is how people perceive you. Whether you like it or not, you are being googled and people are looking at your profile without having personally met you. They are already perceiving you in a certain way based on what you have (or don't have) on your LinkedIn Profile, for instance. Your Professional Headline, the area below your name, is the most powerful part of your profile and should be heavily branded, or seeded with content proactively that 1) shows off your strengths and 2) differentiates you. Hope this makes sense…for a further detailed read, I really do recommend you invest in my book. I think it will be a convincing and informative read for you.

    Best regards,
    Neal Schaffer

  • George

    Hi Neal, Thanks for your response. This is the first I have hear about your book so I plan on looking for it. You wrote,

    Your Professional Headline, the area below your name,
    > is the most powerful part of your profile and should be heavily branded, or
    > seeded with content proactively that 1) shows off your strengths and 2)
    > differentiates you.

    To be quite honest what you wrote makes no sense to me. Sorry, there are just no specifics to what you write.

    Thanks for your help,
    George

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    George,

    Sorry if my comment made no sense to me. What I am talking about is the wording in your resume headline or professional headline on LinkedIn, which appears just before your name. The keywords or language that you you use here will decide how others perceive you. I could write “Social Media Book Author”, “President, Windmills Marketing”, or “Social Media Strategist”, and depending on which I choose that is how people will form opinions about me. That is why you want to try to find language that showcases your strengths and that differentiates you. If you just put a company name there, that is not a personal brand but a company brand. What did you do at that company which would give someone a reason to hire you? That's what you want to try to hint at in your Professional Headline.

    I am trying to be as clear as I can in my explanation…hope this makes sense.

    - Neal

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  • http://twitter.com/BruceBixler49 Bruce Bixler

    I did a LinkedIn presentation last week for about 100 people and I asked how many LinkedIn users also had a Twitter account? Five hands raised, but they all had LinkedIn accounts! Just the opposite of what you were talking about in your article. Must have something to do with geography, they don't use Twitter in the MW.

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    It really depends on the demographic. Something tells me that Twitter catches on faster in urban areas, but I have yet to confirm this. Needless to say, for professionals, LinkedIn is the place where you HAVE to be. I think that Twitter is a place where all professionals SHOULD be…

  • Mugambira Jean

    This is a very clear explanation of Linkedin and its benefits. Let me join immediately
    Kalisa Fred, Rwanda , Africa

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Thank you! I hope you're a member now! Please feel free to connect with me as well!

  • http://managementenpymes.blogspot.com/ Dr. Alejandro G. Rodriguez

    I believe people must meet their contacts in LinkedIn, or at least, to share something in common to be in contact.

    But on the other hand, I accept all the invitations I get, but I don´t ask to be in contact to someone without a good reason.

    Am I a LION, a panther, a leopard o a CAT?

    Best Regards

    Alejandro

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hey Alejandro,

    Thanks for the comment. I agree 100% that I would love to be able to meet all of my contacts in LinkedIn….however, my opinion is that if I were to do that I would be limiting myself to the potential of connecting with people with whom I could create a mutually beneficial relationship. I also only send out invitations to people who I have something in common with as well.

    On the other hand, the definition of a LinkedIn LION is someone who accepts all invitations that they receive. Even if you don't advertise yourself as a LION, if you accept all invitations you are an “Open Networker” in my book.

    @NealSchaffer

  • Christine Walton

    Hi Neal -
    Your book looks like it will be very helpful…Thank you!
    A quick question for now…
    Do I just introduce myself to business people on Linked In and tell them about my great service that I have to offer them? Or do I chat and have a signature file?
    Or do I post info about my service somewhere?
    How exactly do I promote my service on LinkedIn?

    Thanks for your help!!!!

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hi Christine,

    Thanks for the comment and question! Your question is one that I receive often, so here is how I answer everyone:

    LinkedIn is a platform for social networking among professionals. So, imagine you went to a Chamber of Commerce meeting. Would you, after arriving, take a megaphone and announce to the crowd at maximum value about the services your company offers? You wouldn't right? You would first get to know the people around you, ask what they do, and maybe, slowly, start to introduce what you do without unbalanced self-promotion.

    Does this make sense? LinkedIn is no different. Start blasting new connections and LinkedIn Groups with self-promoting messages and you will be ignored. Start asking how you can help others and become a good listener and you may have a chance to have people help you find business.

    Promoting on LinkedIn isn't any easier than promoting at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. it is the same scenario: it is people-centric, so you need to have good people skills in order to succeed.

    That being said, if you want to “promote” your company in the old-fashioned way, you have the option of:

    - LinkedIn Direct Ads advertising (like Google AdWords)
    - Creating a LinkedIn Company Profile (search my blog for the post I wrote on this)

    Remember Christine, social media was made for people, not businesses. In order to succeed you must be a good networker. And I believe my book, and the concept of Windmill Networking, shall give you some good advice on how to succeed not just in LinkedIn but any other social networking website.

    Hope all of this makes sense to you. Good luck…and do let us know how you do!

    @NealSchaffer

  • Christine Walton

    Hi Neal -
    Your book looks like it will be very helpful…Thank you!
    A quick question for now…
    Do I just introduce myself to business people on Linked In and tell them about my great service that I have to offer them? Or do I chat and have a signature file?
    Or do I post info about my service somewhere?
    How exactly do I promote my service on LinkedIn?

    Thanks for your help!!!!

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hi Christine,

    Thanks for the comment and question! Your question is one that I receive often, so here is how I answer everyone:

    LinkedIn is a platform for social networking among professionals. So, imagine you went to a Chamber of Commerce meeting. Would you, after arriving, take a megaphone and announce to the crowd at maximum value about the services your company offers? You wouldn't right? You would first get to know the people around you, ask what they do, and maybe, slowly, start to introduce what you do without unbalanced self-promotion.

    Does this make sense? LinkedIn is no different. Start blasting new connections and LinkedIn Groups with self-promoting messages and you will be ignored. Start asking how you can help others and become a good listener and you may have a chance to have people help you find business.

    Promoting on LinkedIn isn't any easier than promoting at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. it is the same scenario: it is people-centric, so you need to have good people skills in order to succeed.

    That being said, if you want to “promote” your company in the old-fashioned way, you have the option of:

    - LinkedIn Direct Ads advertising (like Google AdWords)
    - Creating a LinkedIn Company Profile (search my blog for the post I wrote on this)

    Remember Christine, social media was made for people, not businesses. In order to succeed you must be a good networker. And I believe my book, and the concept of Windmill Networking, shall give you some good advice on how to succeed not just in LinkedIn but any other social networking website.

    Hope all of this makes sense to you. Good luck…and do let us know how you do!

    @NealSchaffer

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  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Couldn’t agree with you more!

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hi Wally,

    Thanks so much for your comment. My retired father is in his 80′s, signed up to LinkedIn, and has been able to get back in touch with many people that he is worked with in his professional life that he lost touch with over the years. He has been able to meet some of them and have phone conversations with them as well. So, for retirees, LinkedIn (as well as Facebook) could help you get back in touch with those you might have lost touch with. If this is something you are seriously interested in, you should take advantage of the opportunity.

    The other way in which LinkedIn might interest you is to stay on top of news in your industry or whatever interests you in the business world.

    Finally, you could use LinkedIn to meet new people in your area by joining local LinkedIn Groups as well as looking for local networking events in the Events application.

    So reasons for using LinkedIn are only limited by what your potential objectives might be. If you’re looking for photos, games, and funny jokes, Facebook will be a funner experience. But LinkedIn can also help enrich your daily life in many ways.

    Hope that this explanation made sense. Feel free to respond back if you have any follow up questions.

    Neal Schaffer

  • http://windmillnetworking.com/ nealschaffer

    Hi Krizia,

    LinkedIn can help you get back in touch with colleagues and classmates that you might not have found on Facebook and Classmates.com. More importantly, you can now use LinkedIn’s search to see who your connections might connect you with for your future career or even networking needs. Finally LinkedIn Groups and Answers also give you the ability to ask questions, answer questions, and learn a great deal of information that can help you in your career. Hope this helps…

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