Freshening Up Your LinkedIn Marketing

How often are you revisiting your social media accounts? Are you making sure they are up to date? Are you leveraging what each social network offers? Your LinkedIn Profile is no exception to needing a refresh periodically, particularly because the information regarding your projects, activities, achievements, and even employment may have changed since you last updated it.

In addition to keeping your LinkedIn account information current, there are other ways you can freshen up your profile to be a more effective calling card for you and your company. Your LinkedIn profile can be the gateway to warm leads and introductions to potential vendors, strategic partners, investors, the media, and customers.

Here are ways to be more proactive with leveraging your LinkedIn Profile and making it more attractive and appealing to help you make more connections.

1. Invite Connections.

Search LinkedIn for keywords that pertain to the type of people you’re looking to meet, those connections that can help propel your business forward. Invite them to connect with you and add a note before sending the invitation to provide some context for why you want to connect. If you aren’t closely connected to someone you find on LinkedIn, use your InMail that comes with a premium account. If you’re in a power networking mode and don’t have a premium LinkedIn account, this may be the time to invest in an annual subscription to access InMail to be able to contact more people directly.

2. Create an Event.

Any LinkedIn member can create an Event that can be seen by other members. You can also add an Event tied to your LinkedIn Company Page. Events can be real-world gatherings, online/virtual presentations, and even sales or special promotions. If it is happening at a particular time and date, make an event out of it. Members can RSVP, click on a link to purchase tickets or register, and comment on your event listing, providing you with additional ways to interact. You can also boost your event listing to get more exposure.

3. Refresh Your Visuals.

Have you checked your LinkedIn profile photo lately? Is it current, clear, and reflective of the image you’d like to project? If not, it could be time for an update. Your LinkedIn profile photo is not the only image you can upload to your LinkedIn account. Add a Cover image that appears at the top of your profile, behind your profile photo. Create a larger image with dimensions of 1128 pixels wide x 191 pixels high. Make sure your profile image doesn’t cover any important section of your Cover image when viewed on both the web and mobile. Move on to the Featured section of your profile. There you can add a post, a newsletter, an article, a link, or add media. LinkedIn accepts the following media files for the Featured section: Adobe PDF (.pdf), Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx), .jpg/.jpeg, .png and .gif. Feature images from your projects, portfolio, events, or other imagery that showcases who you are and what you do.

4. Ask for Recommendations.

LinkedIn Recommendations continue to be a great way to enhance your profile, but they provide more than a positive review for your profile. If you reach out to ask a connection for a recommendation that you can choose to publish on your profile, start by recommending them through their profile. Then make contact to ask for a recommendation. Leverage the message you send as a networking opportunity. Find out what the other person is up to and how things are going for them. Try to identify a need they might have that you can fill or compliment them on a recent accomplishment. Let them know briefly what you’re up to and make sure to offer your services, if relevant. Every contact you make with someone else is an opportunity to open the door to doing business.

Being active on LinkedIn can pay off in new partnerships, warmer leads, and stronger professional relationships overall. Take full advantage of LinkedIn’s networking and showcasing features to get more out of your presence on the network.