What is the trick to not being a LinkedIn ghost?
Being present on LinkedIn but not doing anything is a bit like going to a Halloween party, not wearing a costume, not saying anything and then wondering why everyone ignores you.
If you’re trying to get the treats you should from LinkedIn start by looking at a few simple things: –
Your profile should not be dead and buried.
Your activity makes you look alive and engaged. Anyone can see anyone else’s public activities on LinkedIn and this often tells you much more about the person you’re looking at and their work ethic than any profile can. Increasingly users look at this before they call you. Here’s how.
More pumpkins don’t make a better pie!
The ones who make LinkedIn work effectively and efficiently know that you should only be connected to great people you know, like and trust – not everyone that knocks on your door. We all have views about people and hence just like real life our connections reflect us when others look at us as a potential person to help them. Imagine there is someone you want to talk to at that party, talking to someone you think (privately) is a prat or idiot – you are much less likely to head towards them, aren’t you?
Endorsements are tricky.
The number of endorsements, whilst not hugely valuable, does give an indication of your perceived skills by your connections. Always an interesting one if you find someone who’s an expert with low endorsements on their core skills! Scarily users are starting to call the people that have endorsed you to take references on the skills they want to buy from you – someone even did it on James recently!
Don’t just do it a bit and then park it.
It takes time to get your LinkedIn working for you and requires a consistent approach and talking to people. It is not something you do once, park and then expect it to work by magic – LinkedIn takes your time to make it work (and James does it in under an hour a week) and not witchcraft (or automation).
Unlike Halloween which comes once per year you need to be using your LinkedIn consistently, all year and in a way that is as professional as you are so you get the results you deserve.
