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Why LinkedIn is not working for you
There are two main classifications for social media networks;
- Those that can help you make friends.
- Those that can help you make money.
With more than 300 million users around the world, LinkedIn is by far the number 1 business social network. The service is used by employers to find the best qualified candidates, by sales agents to generate leads and by business owners to build a professional network.
LinkedIn users in Uganda (Source: napoleoncat.com)
By March 2020, there were 712,800 LinkedIn users in Uganda, which represents about 1.5% of our entire population. (25 yrs. to 34 yrs.) Is the largest demographic with 500,000 users.
When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn doesn’t really have any rivals. 2 new people signup with LinkedIn every second. LinkedIn is also 277% more effective at converting business than Facebook or Twitter.
Research has confirmed that people are twice as more likely to believe the content on your LinkedIn profile than your Facebook or Instagram accounts. LinkedIn is a very important part of your personal brand because your LinkedIn account will always show up among the top 5 search results in Google, when someone searches for your name.
LinkedIn is not just for Job Seekers
A lot of us think LinkedIn is a platform for job seekers, but the stats show that only 16% of the users are using LinkedIn for recruiting or job seeking. It’s also not a place for uploading resumes or CVs. Uploading your resume on LinkedIn is quite unnecessary. A well-written LinkedIn profile contains enough information for a new acquaintance to learn more about you and decide if you’re worth contacting.
LinkedIn as a business networking tool
LinkedIn was created as a professional networking site. It has since evolved into a recruitment platform as well, but its primary function is still to help you build and grow your professional network.
If you’re looking at using LinkedIn as a business tool, then you need to take a different approach, away from the mundane style of profile design.
- You should be able to attract your ideal client. A resume/CV based LinkedIn account, only speaking about you might attract your ideal employer but it’s not going to attract your ideal client.
- It’s important for you to stand out. Social media has a lot of content noise. But since more than 90% of LinkedIn users are using this platform wrongly, standing out is just a walk in the park.
Getting found
Each day people are making specific searches. They are looking for an auditor, a legal expert, real-estate agent, tour guide, writer, architect…etc
Your profile should have 2 or 3 keywords that are relevant to your target audience. The Headline is good place for keyword optimization. The LinkedIn ranking algorithm is designed to look at the headline as a key area. The headline should show who you are and what you do.
Try as much as possible to avoid fancy keywords like Founder, President, CEO, and Managing Director in your headline. If you’re the CEO of a tour company, simply state that you’re a tour guide. When people are searching for a service provider, they are not likely to use search strings like “CEO” or “Founder”. They are going to search for: “interior designers in Uganda”, “Legal experts in Uganda”, “Wedding Photographers in Uganda”…etc.
Fancy titles are okay but they won’t give you the much needed ranking advantage because most users are pretty straight forward with their search strings. Every time you’re not showing up in the search results of your profession, that’s a lost opportunity
It’s important to put these keywords in your headline. You also want to put the same keywords in your description or “about” section and also your work history. All work you’ve done in the past, even if it’s a 1 week job will help your rankings.
Unlike Google where getting on the first page can take several months, with LinkedIn, getting on the first page is instant, once you tweak your profile the right way.
Attracting your ideal clients in LinkedIn
If your profile is structured like a resume or biography, you’re not going to appeal that much to your target audience. Make sure your profile is not a boring bio about your accomplishments.
A good number of people have also gotten used to writing in 3rd person. LinkedIn might be a business network but it is still a social network. Writing in 1st person makes you relatable. The statement; “I am Tim Mukooza, an occasional writer.” Is more relatable than “Tim Mukooza is an occasional writer.” When you’re writing about yourself, always write in 1st person.
It’s very important to identify who your ideal clients are. Your ideal client should see themselves in your profile. It should inspire them to want to be like you.
Share how you can help your ideal client. Ultimately, no one gives a damn about you. They only care about how you can help them. So if you make your profile all about you and how much you’ve archived, it won’t resonate with anyone. You’ll simply come-off as a conceited person. Your profile must never be about you.
The rest of your profile
The summary section has to be well written and should have a call to action; an email address, phone contact or link to your personal website. People will forget about you if you don’t give them a specific call to action.
Try to stand out by having a professional photo. People buy people; so your photo should inspire people to want to work with you. Don’t upload your family photos on LinkedIn because people on business platforms don’t care about your family.
If you can, add a video to your profile. Adding a video is important because it allows people to get to know you more. The video will capture you in action and portray you as a professional in your field. Your speaking skills and confidence must be exhibited in your video.
Getting Endorsements
Lastly, people buy products based on customer reviews .Reviews or endorsements are very important in persuading your potential client to make the choice of doing business with you. It’s very important for your profile to have endorsements from people in your field. The best way to get endorsements is by asking your connections to endorse you. You must however bear in mind that it’s rude to ask from people that don’t know you at all.
This lockdown presents an amazing opportunity for you to improve your profile and stand out from everyone else in your field.
#stayhome #staysafe
