Do you use only Twitter and Facebook to promote your articles, blog posts, and e-books? If you are an online writer or blogger, you can harness the power of LinkedIn to boost your social media marketing efforts. With over 100 million users, LinkedIn can help you to promote your writing and attract potential readers to your website.
Here are four smart tips to help you to maximize the benefits of LinkedIn:
1. Complete your LinkedIn profile
Upload a comprehensive professional profile on LinkedIn, which will help you to connect and network with other LinkedIn users more effectively. Don’t forget to upload a high-quality photo and to complete your profile summary.
One of the biggest benefits of LinkedIn is that your public profile is indexed by search engines. When your prospects search for you on Google, your LinkedIn profile is likely to appear at the top of the search results. You can leverage the benefits of your LinkedIn profile by adding links to your website and blog and showcasing your articles and posts.
2. Develop your LinkedIn network
Build your network on LinkedIn by inviting your email and social media contacts to join your LinkedIn network. You can also connect with classmates, colleagues, fellow writers and bloggers who are already on LinkedIn.
3. Link Your Twitter and LinkedIn Accounts
To automagically tweet your LinkedIn status to your Twitter network, click on “Edit My Profile.” Then click on “Add Twitter account” next to the Twitter field and verify your Twitter account name and password.
4. Leverage the benefits of LinkedIn Groups
Click on the “Interests” button at the top of the LinkedIn home page and then click on the “Groups” tab and browse through the list of suggested groups. You can join any group by clicking on the “Join” tab below each group and you can leave the group whenever you wish. For example, you can join groups such as Flash Fiction, The Story Mint and Self-Published Authors.
You can gain maximum benefit from LinkedIn Groups by actively participating in the group discussions and helping other members to solve their problems. LinkedIn Groups are a great place to share your stories with other active group members and to build win-win relationships. So join all the groups related to your niche.
In conclusion, the best way to optimize the growing popularity of LinkedIn is to develop a mutually beneficial network of friends having similar interests. You can do this by updating your profile regularly, adding new connections, and taking active part in the conversations in your LinkedIn groups.
(2 October 2013)
Rohi Shetty is a medical doctor, Vipassana meditator, writer, editor, translator and blogger. His short stories and articles have been published online and in print. He blogs at http://rohishetty.com.
Click here to return to the index of stories for Stillness and Flow
