Setting up your business on LinkedIn isn’t quite as clear-cut as it is on other social platforms, which is why we’ve created a step-by-step process that won’t fail.
LinkedIn is the Holy Grail of networking.
With it, you can recruit new employees, find networking events relevant to your business and share updates and insights about your industry.
The only thing is, you need to be using it right to make sure you’re getting the most from it.
LinkedIn is the perfect platform for small businesses looking to catch the eye of potential clients and to grow your brand new network.
However, it’s important to recognise that there’s more to LinkedIn than simply setting up a company page as it’s not quite as clean cut as Facebook in that respect.
To make sure you’re getting the most from the platform and using it correctly, here’s our guide to getting started.
1. Sign up
The first thing to do, if you haven’t already, is to sign up!
This is a pretty straight-forward process and one that you’ll probably recognise from signing up to other social channels like Facebook and Twitter.
Once you’re signed up take some time to get to grips with what’s what. The platform can take some getting used to, so do all the reading up you need to before you go in with all guns blazing. The patient approach will mean you don’t make any rash decisions you could regret – a mantra that will serve you well in business as well as on LinkedIn!
2. Optimise your profile
When you’re ready to start using your profile, you need to optimise it.
This means filling in all the information, such as your education and work experience and adding a picture.
You’ll notice that as you add more information the site gives you an indicator as to how well your profile will perform in searches on the ‘Your Dashboard’ section. It goes without saying that the more information you fill in, the easier it will be to find you.
To optimise your profile for your current business, you should include in your summary keywords that are relevant to your industry and business. This will help people in similar fields to find you.
3. Build relationships
Now you’re up and running with your own profile, it’s time to make some connections. Work from who you know up to those you want to get to know – these are people you might start off just by following rather than connecting with.
Get yourself into the habit of checking LinkedIn and engaging with people as often as you feel is necessary. This way you’ll immediately pick up on features and how to use them, rather than stumbling in at the deep end.
4. Create a page for your business
Now you’ve been using LinkedIn for long enough to understand how it works and what works well, you should set up a company page for your business.
On this page, you can tell people what it is your business does and how it operates. This will also link to a list of your employees – which will then take them to their profile.
Tell your employees that you’ve created a page for your business so they’re able to add it to the ‘currently working at’ section of their profile. This will then appear on the pages of all your employees meaning there’s a higher chance of someone coming across it.
5. Begin publishing
You’re all set up!
The only thing to do now is to use make the most of the platform by putting it to good use.
This means sharing updates and content and engaging as an individual with other companies. On LinkedIn, you’re the face of your company so it’s important to keep every comment and status professional. You should remember that everything you do online will be linked to yourself, so make sure you’re happy with the image you’re portraying.
Need a hand getting your business started on LinkedIn? Our talented social media manager is well-versed in helping businesses build up their social media platforms, working with them to create a brand tone they’re happy with. If you’d like to find out more you can sign up for a free website review for our services here.
