LinkedIn’s 4 tips for getting people to notice you

Look, we all know that LinkedIn is incredibly important. That it’s gone beyond being an online CV is obvious. It’s also much more than just a place for making online business connections.

The professional social network is a great place for promoting content, your business, and most importantly yourself. But with over 150-million registered users, getting noticed can sometimes be a little tricky. Most of use recognise that merely filling out a profile isn’t going to cut it. As LinkedIn’s Nicole Williams notes “being part of an online community means engaging regularly to make an impact.” Knowing where to go beyond there though isn’t always easy. To try to make things a bit simpler, LinkedIn has released four tips for making sure you get noticed.

1. Sharing is caring
The social network reckons that people who share articles or content with their LinkedIn network at least once a week “are nearly ten times more likely to be contacted by a recruiter for new opportunities” than people who don’t.

It also recommends you as your network a question via your status update like “I’ve got a new business pitch with Nike tomorrow. Does anyone have any contacts over at Nike?”. Or make a general comment like “I’m heading to the airport for a client meeting in Denver.” Don’t go overboard though, quality counts for a lot more than quantity. It’s also worth remembering the nature of the platform. While your statuses on Facebook might reflect who you are as a person, every status update you share on LinkedIn is a reflection of who you are as a professional.

2. Create a schedule
LinkedIn suggests using its mobile and iPad apps if you’re having trouble fitting in time to spend on it. The apps are especially useful if you commute to work using public transport.

“Maybe a connection is going to be in the same city as you next week or someone is looking for a freelancer to help with her content development. You’ll know before you hit your desk,” it says.

3. Dress it up
Ever heard the saying “dress for the job you want”? It’s probably not a bad idea to apply that philosophy to your profile pic. “People with photos are seven times more likely to have their profiles viewed,” the social network says.

Looking professional makes you visible, but it also lets employers know that you are serious about representing their company in a professional way. A bare bones profile and presence on LinkedIn says one of two things: you don’t care or you kind of suck at online networking. LinkedIn also says that you’re twelve times more likely to have your profile viewed if you add more than one position to your profile. The length of your experience is important, but so is breadth.

4. Be a cheerleader
Think about your office for a moment. Who are the people you respect? The ones constantly moaning, or the people trying to motivate everyone and ensure that the office has an upbeat vibe? The same thing’s true of LinkedIn. Venting is for Twitter or Facebook, where your friends are interested in your personal life.

You should also show that you’re ambitious. Follow companies you admire and who are part of your “dream list.” Don’t forget to follow your own company though, or you might be on the receiving end of some awkward questions. Share relevant updates. You should post unique content relating to your company and share industry stories that you think your network will find interesting. LinkedIn recommends checking out the company pages of Philips, Citi, HP and Dell for examples of how to use it effectively.