How to Optimize LinkedIn

Updated 9-20-23

LinkedIn can be described as a combination of the coffee date, a networking event, and your resume all wrapped into one digital package. The last few years have proved that business professionals, entrepreneurs, and influencers need LinkedIn more than ever.

If you think your industry is not on LinkedIn, think again. LinkedIn might not be the largest social media platform out there with only 950 million members (compared to Facebook’s 2.9 billion or Instagram’s 2.35 billion), but it’s definitely the fastest-growing professional platform out there. It’s here to stay and these stats prove it:

• LinkedIn saw a 55% increase in conversations among connections in 2020

• 4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn “drive business decisions”

• There are 61 million “senior-level influencers” on LinkedIn

• 96% of B2B content marketers use LinkedIn for organic social marketing

• 33% of B2B decision makers use LinkedIn to research purchases

• LinkedIn is the most trusted social network in the U.S.

And the list goes on and on. While it may be one of the fastest-growing platforms, it's also one of the most underutilized. So without further ado, here are my suggestions for optimizing LinkedIn.

10 Ways to Stop Underutilizing and Start Optimizing LinkedIn

1. Make a plan to check LinkedIn at least 2 to 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes a day.

2. Import your contacts from your email.

3. Identify companies in your industry (or your target industry) to follow.

4. Find groups in your field to join.

5. Come up with a few alternatives to the standard: “Hi, I’d like to connect with you.”

6. Start perusing the “People You May Know” section and connect with people of interest.

7. Explore different hashtags to follow.

8. Connect with (or at the very least save) the profiles of people like you (a little competitive research never hurt anyone).

9. If you work for a company, start sharing your company posts. If you work for yourself, start sharing an interesting industry article.

10. Maximize all sections of your profile.

These are just a few ideas, but really there are countless ways to engage on LinkedIn. However, I will note that your LinkedIn strategy really does depend on your goals. That said, whatever your goals, the first step is setting up a rockstar profile.

If you want some assistance in creating that rockstar profile, let's chat. We offer a LinkedIn Redo for individuals and LinkedIn workshops for both groups and for the public! Check my LinkedIn (heh, see what I did there?) for more details on upcoming workshops.

Anyone that engages in one of our LinkedIn offerings receives a copy of our over-the-top Crafting a Rockstar LinkedIn Bio template.