Take advantage of this social media outlet.
The more interaction you have with your LinkedIn profile, the more likely others will see it. That means checking in regularly to keep your profile current, letting others know what you are working on, sharing links to content you find interesting, staying connected with contacts, and directing new people to your page.
LinkedIn recommends updating your status at least 20 times per month to maximize your reach. Use these hacks to your benefit.
Optimize your headline and summary
If you don't create your own headline, LinkedIn will default to your current job title. That's boring. A winning headline will include keywords you want to be known for.
Next is your summary. Before you start writing your summary, define your audience. Think about the decision makers who are relevant to your career. How do you want them to feel when they read about you?
Your summary should speak to them directly, explaining why you are relevant to their needs. Your goal in the first two lines, which can be phrases instead of complete sentences, is to make people want to read more.
Source: William Arruda, personal branding expert and author of Digital You: Real Personal Branding in the Virtual Age
Join a group
LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals to share insights and experiences, ask for guidance, and build valuable connections. To find groups, search at the top of your homepage.
When considering groups, think about your industry, location, and job titles. After you join, take time to familiarize yourself with the content people are sharing and the types of questions individuals are asking.
Source: Kristin Curtiss, social media specialist and owner of KC Communications
Start sharing
When you read something interesting or pertinent to your line of work, chances are someone in your network will like it too. Offer links to articles or blog posts relevant to your business and colleagues, and be sure to include why you are sharing and key takeaways.
You can even ask a related question to start a discussion, or you can demonstrate your expertise by answering questions that others have asked.
Connections who write and share their own content will appreciate when others engage on their content in meaningful and relevant ways. Plus, it's easy: A like is just one click, a share may require 15–30 seconds of your time, and a comment takes only a simple sentence or two. Engaging with posts is a powerful way to help another person on LinkedIn.
Source: Teddy Burris, partner with Burris Consulting and LinkedIn trainer, strategist, ambassador, and consultant
Show off your skills
It's important to have a way to show and verify the skills you've cultivated during your career. In fact, according to LinkedIn research, 69 percent of professionals think their skills are more important than college education when job seeking.
Enter LinkedIn Skill Assessment. Scroll to the skill section of your profile and select one of the available skill assessments you'd like to take. Any results are private to you; if you pass (in the 70th percentile or above), you have the option to add a verified skill badge to your profile.
If you don't pass, you have complete control over the visibility of the results and can brush up on your skills so you pass next time. LinkedIn currently offer assessments that are categorized as tech, general business, and design skills.
Source: Josh Jersin, former lead of LinkedIn's Talent Solutions and Careers team
Recognize colleagues
Want to publicly acknowledge a colleague's expertise? Did someone go above and beyond to help you get a project done? If so, you have a few options for recognizing the individual on LinkedIn.
First, LinkedIn offers Endorsements and Recommendations features. A skill endorsement is a one-click way for your connections to endorse the skills listed on your profile.
A recommendation is a written statement of endorsement from a connection. You can request recommendations from your connections, as well as proactively recommend your connections.
LinkedIn Kudos offers a fun way to share your appreciation and celebrate success. Currently, there are 10 kudos categories, such as Thank You, Going Above and Beyond, Amazing Mentor, Outside the Box Thinker, and Making an Impact.
After you post, the person or people you recognized will receive a notification of your praise and thanks. Unlike endorsements and recommendations that remain on your profile, kudos are one-off events.
Source: James Potter, director of the Network Coach Limited and contributor to the Business 2 Community website
Personalize your feed
The LinkedIn feed is a great way to glean new insights and perspectives. A useful feed starts with the right professional network. The people you connect with will most often be the first to show up in your feed.
Following the leading companies in your industry or specific events is another easy way to stay up to date with the latest changes that can affect your work or career. The feed is also an invitation to have conversations and participate with a vibrant network of smart people on the topics that matter most to you. If a post in your feed sparks a thought or response, go ahead and like, comment, or share.
Source: Pete Davies, senior director of product management for LinkedIn
Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.
