The first installment of a two-part series on best practices for using LinkedIn.
July 20, 2022
As working from home and remote work have become the norm, and as Gen Zers and millennials become a larger part of the workforce, LinkedIn has become an increasingly important component of professional communication and sales. Read on to brush up on your LinkedIn etiquette and for tips on how to use the platform effectively.
I often see profiles missing profile pictures, even in customer-facing roles. Always include a photo as part of your profile so people can recognize you and to make LinkedIn communication feel more personal. When choosing an image, there are a number of factors to consider.
Think about how you want others to view you. Is your industry formal or relaxed? Business casual is generally accepted, but business formal is more common in certain fields. No matter how relaxed your field is, avoid using a selfie as a profile picture—it looks unprofessional.
Your profile picture is often the first glimpse someone has of you, so smile and look friendly, just like you would when meeting someone for the first time. Making eye contact with the camera helps you come across as confident, which goes a long way in making a good impression.
Always keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. This sounds obvious, but I’m constantly surprised by how many out-of-date profiles I come across. Keeping your profile current allows colleagues and prospects to better understand your strengths and align them with their own needs.
Including an introduction in your profile (in the “about” section) allows people to get a quick idea of who you are, what you do, and (if you do it right) your personality. Be sure to keep your past job positions up-to-date, especially if you are using LinkedIn to aid in a job search. In your job descriptions, include only what is relevant to your prospects, customers, and colleagues.
Joining groups focused on your interests is a great way to stay informed on current events and news in your industry. It can also help you find articles and posts to send as “gifts” to prospects. Including information on your educational background allows you to stay in touch with fellow alumni, and it might end up being something you have in common with potential prospects and hirers.
When sending connection requests, always write a brief message explaining why you want to connect. Make it personal. Personalized connection requests make it more likely someone will accept and respond. It also shows that you cared enough to take a few moments to make a more meaningful connection.
Posting on LinkedIn can be a great way to stay top of mind with connections without actively emailing or calling them. Posting is also a good way to better establish yourself and gain credibility in your field. When posting, make it relevant and interesting to your audience. Take a moment to write out why you are posting. Adding hashtags will help increase engagement and get more eyes on your content. Tagging prospects on a post is another great way to get engagement and gain some visibility in your target’s feed. When tagging people in a post, just make it clear why you are tagging them. Is the article or post relevant to them? Does it provide value?
Liking or commenting on someone’s post is another way to engage and stay top of mind. It shows that you are thinking about them and can help you get more engagement on your own posts. Consider blocking out time a few days a week on your calendar to post and comment on LinkedIn. Consistency is key in creating and maintaining a strong presence.
Every now and then, I come across posts about whatever the hot-button political issue of the day is on LinkedIn. Personally, I love talking about politics and hearing new perspectives about what is going on in the world, but I try to avoid talking politics with coworkers due to how personal things can get and how easy it is to be misunderstood. Treat LinkedIn with even more caution.
Something you view as uncontroversial and commonsense can be alienating or contentious to others. Unless you or your company work in politics, or the issue specifically affects your industry or organization, avoid talking about politics on LinkedIn. There are other platforms for that. Remember, you aren’t just you on LinkedIn, you are also a representative of your employer. Before you post anything, make sure it aligns with your company’s policies.
A good rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t want your boss or coworkers to know about it, you shouldn’t post about it on LinkedIn. This isn’t to say, however, that it is always inappropriate to post about your personal life. In fact, depending on your industry and relationship with clients and coworkers, it can be a good way to set yourself apart.
A good question to ask yourself before publishing something that may be straddling the line between personal and professional is, “What would I think if a colleague or mutual connection posted this?” If you aren’t sure, err on the side of caution and save it for your personal social media accounts.
It’s easy to see LinkedIn as yet another task on your already long list, but it’s worth putting some time into making connections, posting content, and engaging with others. In fact, 40 percent of B2B marketers name LinkedIn as the most effective channel for driving high-quality leads. If you don’t make time for LinkedIn, you’re missing out.
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