I am amazed by how many small businesses do not utilize social media to the maximum. Think about it: social media, like the internet two decades ago, allows any business to compete with larger, more established entities. Come on, what are you waiting for? What further amazes me is how few small businesses maximize their presence on LinkedIn and instead just follow the trend of Facebook and Twitter. Why would a niche B2B company establish a Facebook Fan Page when their potential customers may not be social on Facebook yet are already used to networking on LinkedIn? I’m confused. That’s …
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As the year comes to a close, it is time to look back, before looking forward to 2010, at all of the informative and insightful blog posts that the world has created in the past 365 days concerning LinkedIn. LinkedIn itself, while beginning 2009 at a slow start, ended the year announcing 50 million members, integrating with Twitter, a new user interface, and an opening up of their platform. Not to mention that they refined and improved upon the most valuable piece of their social networking platform, the Advanced People Search. Oh, and then there was the new Profile Organizer …
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If you are a participant in social media, I am assuming that one of your objectives in social networking is to connect with people from a personal or business perspective. Regardless of what social networking site you are on, without establishing social media credibility, you will not attract quality connections or business. I find many people are still in unfamiliar waters in social media regardless of whether they be on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or any of the other sites out there, so I wanted to offer some advice to help you establish social media credibility based on not repeating many …
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LinkedIn Profile Tips. A lot of people tell you what you should be doing, but what about what you shouldn’t be doing? LinkedIn is the place to not only find others but also to be found. And that is why you need a profile that not only helps you get found but also will entice people to contact you once they view your profile. I see many people making fundamental mistakes that actually work against them in this aspect. If you’re going to spend time putting together a profile, I assume you want to maximize your chances of being contacted …
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I am always amazed of the people I meet at networking events or social media conferences that are heavy on Twitter or Facebook but light on LinkedIn. Or others that are on LinkedIn but are not really on LinkedIn. In other words, after realizing the potential value of LinkedIn, what’s next? I have become good friends with Bradley Will, the role model who is empowering young entrepreneurs, and we have a similar goal of helping others better utilize social media. My blog post for today I actually wrote for his demographic, the Gen Y entrepreneurs who have been intimated by …
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Today’s blog post is influenced by an article I read from the comments made by LinkedIn at the Social Recruiting Summit. Let me further expand the argument for the case of LinkedIn. Like many others who have learned to embrace LinkedIn, I did so when I was in transition. I realized that I had not been digging my well before I was thirsty, and I vowed to not only build up a larger network, but also to both stay in better touch with that network as well as provide more value to those in my network. As I mentioned in …
read moreLinkedIn Branding Tips: Should I Indicate on My LinkedIn Profile Status Update That I am Unemployed?
Before I event start answering this question, I will tell you that I am going out on a limb on this one. I am going against what a lot of people are actually doing. You may think that I am crazy or just wrong, but my intention is only to help those that are unemployed with the best advice possible. You can take my advice or leave it. I welcome all opinions, but I do hope you will continue reading to the very end of this blog post to better understand me. This question came recently from a LinkedIn/Twitter friend, …
read moreYesterday I wrote my own definition concerning what a social media expert is, so today I wanted to look specifically at what I feel makes a LinkedIn expert. Recently I was named a LinkedIn expert on the site of the LinkedIn and Social Media Training Company Integrated Alliance’s blog post. And on that same post there was recently a comment by a reader that debated those guidelines on qualifying a LinkedIn expert. I appreciate that Integrated Alliances, for the first time that I know of, actually started discussing what the potential guidelines could be in qualifying a LinkedIn expert, and …
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The following story of LinkedIn Profile ownership is a true one, and as with my other blog posts, I am hoping to get your feedback as to what the “right” answer to this question should be. Imagine that you began a job as a recruiter. Part of your job is, obviously, building out a network. After being hired you sign up to LinkedIn using your personal name. You start inviting your network as well as new contacts to connect with you on the networking platform. In order to better facilitate your sourcing activities on LinkedIn, your company starts reimbursing you …
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There has been some heated discussion this morning on a LinkedIn Group Discussion Forum that I belong to concerning this topic of displaying your profile picture (I hope you’ve also been maximizing your LinkedIn Group membership!). One of the Group members attended a LinkedIn seminar where the presenter said that those in transition should NOT include their picture as part of their profile, the reason being that it would be an Equal Opportunity violation if a recruiter selects you after seeing what you look like. Furthermore, the presenter went on to say that most recruiters actually restrict their search …
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