Millions of people lost their jobs in 2020, and in their search for new positions, they discovered a new-to-them social network: LinkedIn. Yes, you read that right — LinkedIn is having a moment. According to a Q3 2020 Performance Report from Microsoft, the platform grew 26% in that quarter alone, adding a whopping 15 million members.
People have started posting on LinkedIn in the same daily, scroll-addicted way they do on Facebook. And if you AND your firm aren’t already on LinkedIn taking advantage of the surge, you should be! Here are three ways to get the most out of your accounts.
1. Post the same content to your personal AND business pages
Yes, we said it. Not only is cross-posting allowed, it should be encouraged! Unlike Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn was made for business and self-promotion, so you shouldn’t be embarrassed about posting all of your firm’s content on your personal page as well. Of course, you can also post different content on each page if you’d prefer, as long as you’re posting on both consistently.
2. Make adding LinkedIn “connections” part of your networking routine
When you get back from a networking event, you probably have a contact routine. Maybe you add all of the people you met to your CRM or other project management software and update your email list to include them. To level up your networking, we’d recommend adding another step to that routine. Take an extra 15 minutes a month and add all of your new contacts as “connections” on LinkedIn. This will help you stay in touch with leads, colleagues, clients, and referrals and nurture those relationships.
3. Get involved in LinkedIn Groups
You’re probably well aware that Facebook offers groups, but did you know LinkedIn does the same? On LinkedIn, those groups are places for people in the same industry or with the same professional interests to gather and swap insights, advice, and contact information. In other words, they’re an ideal place to do some networking. Use the search bar at the top of your LinkedIn homepage to find groups that work for you, then make a point of posting there regularly to grow your referral network.