Once you learn how to use LinkedIn you'll quickly see that it is a great way to network and to build valuable relationships. It's a good way to reach potential clients and customers as well as other professionals with whom you may be able to work. That's why LinkedIn has been growing at amazing rate for the last few years.
Unfortunately, that burgeoning population of users can contribute to "getting lost in the crowd" if you aren't using the service to its maximum advantage. Profiles are a case in point.
Your LinkedIn profile is what people see when they find you. It's your first impression on the site and it had better be good if you want to really get involved. Learning how to use LinkedIn by creating and configuring an ideal profile needs to be one of your top priorities as a LinkedIn member.
A great deal goes into a fantastic profile and its configuration. Here are three of the many things you should be doing to really give your profile.
First, claim your name. LinkedIn will let you build a search engine- and user-friendly URL for your profile based on your name. If you don't use it, your link will be a long, messy piece of gobbedly-gook. If you do claim your name, you'll end up with a streamlined LinkedIn URL like, http://LinkedIn.com/in/Your.Name. That's what you want. It only takes a few minutes to claim your name and you'll be glad you did.
Second, create a fantastic headline. Your profile has a place for a headline. This is some of the most valuable pieces of Facebook real estate you can find. Copywriters and journalists have long recognized the amazing power of a good headline and mush of the usability research regarding the Internet points out that they could be more important now that ever before. There are countless websites vying for visitors. Your headline can be difference maker that separates you from the pack.
Third, get your picture on the site. You don't think you're photogenic? Too bad. You need top put a picture on your profile. That will help people confirm that you're the person for whom they're looking. Research also indicates that people are more likely to exhibit heightened levels of trust and positive feelings when they see an actual photo of the person on the other end of a social networking service. This is no time to be camera shy. Get your smiling mug upon your profile from Day One.
These are just three of the many aspects of profile building at LinkedIn that can really elevate your chances for maximum success. Don't forget to claim your name, to write an ideal headline and to get your photo on your profile. You may also want to consider looking into a complete, systematic approach to LinkedIn use that will help you cover all of the bases as your involvement grows. Using a good blueprint that shows you how to use LinkedIn can make the process much easier.
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