10 years ago, 2014, I started putting effort into my LinkedIn, which is to say I:
Created a linkedin profile
Added a profile picture and some experience
Sent out connection requests to companies and people I wanted to work for
I’d wager that most of you are still using this same strategy today
"Treat LinkedIn like an online resume" is the advice most of you probably hear or you think LinkedIn is for Sales and Marketing
I don’t completely blame you, there are 67 million companies listed on the site and 95 percent of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn.
Here’s a crazy stat for you
How many people do you think find a job Linkedin?
Well, 1 person is hired every 8.5 seconds! 7 people every minute
So naturally, you’d think LinkedIn is for Marketing or Jobs. But that’s completely missing the point
What is LinkedIn for?
Yes it is for Sales
Yes it is for Marketing
Yes it is for Recruiting
But also Yes;
for Learning
for Creating
for Networking
So let’s look at each of these 3.
Btw, this is such a crazy thumbnail lol
1. Learning
We don’t think we learn a lot from LinkedIn, unless it is to learn what not to do… But LinkedIn actually has really great free courses
LinkedIn Learning is a platform you’ve probably not heard of, and also probably have access to through your company - Especially if you are working for a corporation - LinkedIn sold this “value add” hard
If you don’t have access - ask your company to pay for it or get yourself a Linkedin Sales Navigator account, or LinkedIn Premium account
You should ask your company to pay for this, it should be affordable $100 per year
You should look at the courses available and start one - ChatGPT Prompts for Small Businesses is a good one
You should invest in Linkedin Premium if your company is not willing to
You will be able to access 100’s of courses
You will be able to send inmail messages - 100% guaranteed delivery of an email to the person you are trying to reach
You will be able to send more connection requests and grow your network
You will have more reach on your profile - LinkedIn treats paying members better
2. Creating
Less than 1% of LinkedIn users are creating content weekly - compared to over 5% on Instagram
Now, I can’t find the source for the above - I know I read it, so I guess the source is - Trust Me.
But assuming that i’m not lying to you and the above is correct that means that LinkedIn is the least competitive social media platform for growing an audience
Even yours truly creates engaging content that can reach thousands of eyeballs - make sure you follow me on LinkedIn btw.
So lets list the benefits of creating content on LinkedIn
When you grow your network, connecting to users, automatically makes the follow you, so you CONTROL, who can see your content - just add users you want seeing your content, to your network and automatically you WILL show up in their feed
The competition is LOW - so barrier to entry is easier than other platforms
The reach is HIGH - Linkedin is pushing content, so that users stay on their platform and use LinkedIn more
The audience is RICH - 53% of US users are from a High Income Household
3. Networking
Network with
Founders
Recruiters
Developers
Business Analysts
Product Managers
C-Suite Executives
Work your way from bottom to Top - how much easier is it to be introduced to the CEO from someone below (warm) than to try introduce yourself out of the blue (cold)?
Find people that you are interested in knowing, they don’t even need to be in your industry - but as I speak more specifically to Linkedin and your career/business - i’m going to keep this focused in that direction.
Network and build relationships with people, you are planting seeds, reaping a harvest that is 6, 12, 24 months out - so don’t go in for the kill
“hi i’d love to connect cause i’m desperate for a remote job”
Is what most of your networking looks like
Stop that
Where does that leave us?
Well, LinkedIn is a special kind of social network - from Cringe Posts, to Desperate Job Seekers, to Silly Solicitation - but that’s for others to do
That’s not for you, except for the cringe posts, those will come
They are a right of passage
But if you use LinkedIn correctly - you will never be
Without work
Without knowledge
Without opportunity
Don’t sleep on LinkedIn - and be sure to follow me there!
