While the world turns to social media to interact with friends, family, and strangers with shared interests (and, of course, for the memes), professionals turn to LinkedIn to connect, expand their networks, engage with peers, and build their businesses. Every month, over a billion interactions happen on this platform – and among these touchpoints are opportunities for growth, development, and the chance to establish your brand as a leader in your field.
How do you make the most of LinkedIn and these opportunities?
How to Make the Most of LinkedIn
Ready to maximize your presence on this professional social platform? Read on for some pro LinkedIn tips:
- Start with the basics. You can create a business or personal page on LinkedIn. We recommend both! When you are building a brand, the who behind the company matters. Our field is based on trust and on personal connections; leverage LinkedIn to establish both. Make sure that each page has professional quality profile and cover photos; an “action” shot of you on the job and a gorgeous, aspirational photo of a successful project are the gold standard here.
- Hone Your Summary. With LinkedIn, you have the chance to write a summary that not only explains what you do, but how and why. This is your opportunity to include specific information and differentiators that set you apart from the competition. Make the most of it.
Avoid too much industry-specific jargon and clearly articulate what you do, in what sector (e.g. residential), and what you can help your target audience (e.g. homeowners) achieve.
- Include Your Projects. Let your success sell you to potential clients, industry partners, and others. A gallery of images is worth… well, several thousand words! Most brands put these in their “Gallery” or “Project” section but be sure to include a link to your latest, greatest projects right in your summary.
This is a good time to mention endorsements and recommendations; these are social proof that you deliver, consistently and with the highest quality, on your promises. When you are working on or have completed a successful project, respectfully ask your clients to share their experience via reviews on platforms like Yelp and Google. You can also ask that they endorse you for specific skills on LinkedIn. Make it easy (provide links!), and they’ll likely be happy to do so.
- Add Video. Video is one of the most powerful mediums we have for telling brand stories. You can add video to the summary, education, and experience sections of your LinkedIn profile, and you can also opt for video ads that appear in the newsfeed. This is an effective way to reach people (especially busy professionals and homeowners without a lot of time) and to highlight your work and differentiators.
- Post Status Updates. Many people take a “set it and forget it” approach to LinkedIn. They set up a profile and then neglect it as other matters take priority. We get it! But make an effort to be active on this platform. Post updates (again, those related to your projects are excellent fodder for newsfeeds), announce new products/services, share industry news that is relevant to your audience, post client testimonials, etc.
- Develop Great, Original Content. Authoritative content establishes you as a trusted expert in your field, a thought leader, and a helpful resource for folks who are interested in taking on home construction, design, and improvement projects, as well as other companies who are seeking industry partners who can help them enhance their service offerings. If you are already creating content for your website, now’s the time to leverage it for maximum impact. Post it on LinkedIn or create dedicated posts for this platform. Either way, this is a chance to engage, educate, and deliver value to your audience.
- Engage in LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn is a social media platform, so let’s be social! Engaging with LinkedIn Groups helps you expand your content reach, establish credibility and authority, generate leads, and meet key business-building goals. You can join Groups of like-minded professionals, as well as ones that cater to homeowners who want to learn more about construction and design processes as they get ready to start their own. You can also create your own group, which is a terrific way to set yourself apart as a thought leader.
If people are talking, and you are not part of the conversation, you are missing out on potential leads, sales, and revenue.
Get Started
Need more tips for making the most of LinkedIn? At Home Artisans of Indiana, our community of like-minded home industry professionals is here to swap ideas, give feedback, make suggestions, offer advice, and more. Find out what’s worked for them, what hasn’t, and how we can grow forward together.