Online Networking is a Phenomenon that really has just started to reach its stride (Ivan Misner)
The reasons for online networking, networking on social media, and especially on the world´s largest professional networking platform, LinkedIn, should by now be realized by every serious business professional, without the necessity for further argumentation or debate about why, or for what purposes. With more than 400 million professional users globally, LinkedIn is today the world´s leading communications, branding and online marketing platform for businesses and organizations in every possible industry. Regardless of business activity and industry, LinkedIn has plenty of possibilities to offer. Even Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Candidate in the United States, has been selected as an official LinkedIn Influencer and uses LinkedIn as one of her personal branding, communication, and influencing channels in the presidential campaign.
Some of the core reasons why EVERY business professional, and business leader, should have a LinkedIn profile and invest time and effort into benefiting from the many possibilities LinkedIn does offer for its users:
- LinkedIn is the world´s largest, most widespread professional networking site.
LinkedIn is by far the largest and most actively used network for professionals in all possible industries. Launched in 2003, LinkedIn has grown and expanded rapidly in every corner of the world, having more than 400 million professionally qualified users as per today. The company went public in 2011, and is today traded on the New York stock exchange (LNKD).
- LinkedIn is the Number 1. Networking platform for creative knowledge workers and talent.
Especially favored by online advertisers, online marketers, headhunters, recruiters, job-seekers, LinkedIn does in fact offer a number of benefits regardless of industry, or geographical location.
- LinkedIn has opened gateways and become a channel for finding new clients, business partners, and much more, in a number of creative ways.
If not yet realized, you as a business professional and business leader should by now realize that LinkedIn, in fact, offers a vast amount of solutions that in fact do reduce costs, and the need of traveling for business. Where, and how else, could your business so easily find new potential customers in targeted markets and segments, if not on LinkedIn? Online networking, finding and generating new leads through existing and potential direct contacts, has in fact already replaced cold-calling. And, as a matter of fact, LinkedIn offers the possibility of getting in touch with people and professionals that would otherwise most probably be out of your (business) reach. With a vast global network, I have personal experience from this, and the fact that LinkedIn does reduce the amount of cold-calling that sales professionals have to do.
- LinkedIn Publishing enables everyone to become an Influencer
Publishing content, articles, posts, and thus influencing through your content marketing and management is today possible for every LinkedIn user. To learn more about publishing content on LinkedIn, please feel free to either contact me personally for additional information, or, read LinkedIn´s instructions to learn more about how to publish articles on LinkedIn, and how to get your posts featured in one of LinkedIn´s official channels. Highly recommended feature for every business professional, even for job-seekers, or simply for businesses and organizations that wish to use LinkedIn as one of their preferred channels for online content marketing, lead generation, and (free-of-charge) advertising for their business. It is not even necessary to upgrade in order to publish on LinkedIn, and you can use the same content for your blog(s), and for your business´s/organization´s official website. And, there is no need to publish in English if your target market is elsewhere. LinkedIn supports a number of languages, and in addition to the supported languages, you have the option of choosing which language you would like to publish content in. Très simple & très effectif!
- LinkedIn groups.
LinkedIn offers its basic members to join a maximum amount of 50 groups, and if you are a premium user, the amount of groups you can join is even higher. And, you can create your own groups! In case you have a business, or quite simply if you are a job-seeker, you can create (a) personal group(s) that are aligned with your professional activities, and interests. As an example, I have personally created two groups on LinkedIn: Around Online Media in 180 Days, and Leading With Passion. How to recruit members to your groups is another topic, too broad to be discussed in this post.
LinkedIn´s Vision for the next 10 years:
Anne-Maria Yritys 