Hey there, my amazing listener, welcome and thank you for tuning into episode 297 of the Small Business Made Simple Podcast.

Have you had a chance to listen into last week’s episode? Laeitia Andrac was my guest and we talked about alignment in business and in our persona life and values. It was a really interesting chat. I’ve been listening to Laetitia’s audio book too and really enjoying it. It’s called Light It. Make sure you go and check it out after listening to today’s episode. The link: www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/296

But before we get into today’s episode, I’ve got a couple of announcements – firstly my Nine Week Marketing Transformation program is on a special for half price – so just $500 and you get 2 x 30 minutes chats with me included which is valued at $497 – so basically you get the course for free! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/MarketingWithJenn

And my LinkedIn Retreat with Jules Brooke only has 3 spots left – so if you’re on the fence, jump off it and get involved. It’s in August for 2 nights, I’m hosting with Jules Brooke, and we have spaces available. Want to learn more? Go here: https://bit.ly/linkedinretreat

Coincidentally, today’s episode is all about LinkedIn because I think, actually I know, it’s underutilised by so many small business owners. My goal in this episode is to have you think about it as not another social media platform – but a business tool. And as a business tool, it’s got some pretty cool features that can help you.

So, is LinkedIn for you?

If you want to grow your network, do online networking, set yourself in your industry as the expert, the go to person, create opportunities including employment and/or business ventures, then I it’s for you. Or if you’re sick of algorithms, trolls, no ROI and begging for engagement on the other platforms, perhaps it’s time to rethink your strategy?

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the Google ranking of LinkedIn.  Google anyone’s name and if they have a LinkedIn profile – chances are it will come up in the first couple of search results.  We can spend $1000’s on keywords to get a ranking like that or we can have a LinkedIn profile!  Money for jam, I’d say!

Despite the social nature of the business tool that is LinkedIn, it is very different than other social media networks like Facebook or TikTok, so that’s why I thought I’d give you some tips for using it or using it better here today.

1. Must Do: Keep Your Profile Basics Updated!

Many people forget to keep their LinkedIn profiles updated. Whether you’re a total newbie, just starting a new job, or starting to explore new opportunities, there’s no excuse to have outdated information on LinkedIn.

Here are two quick and easy areas you must check are up to date:

Professional Headline: The job of any headline is to entice people to click. At minimum, you can use your headline to highlight your current position and company (e.g., “Director of Inbound Marketing at ABCXYZ Corporation”), but you can and should go further. Highlight your expertise (e.g., “Content Marketing Strategist and Copywriter”) or awards or showcase skills you want to turn up in searches (e.g., “Speaker, Trainer, Author, Consultant, Evangelist”). Tell everyone on LinkedIn who you are, what you do, and why you’re someone they need to connect with.

Location and Industry: Are your location and industry still accurate? If not, fix them now!

Doing these two simple things will help more people find you and help you find more relevant potential contacts.

2. Only Use Professional Photos

LinkedIn profiles that have a picture are 11 times more likely to be viewed. So, if you’re still showing a silhouette, it’s time to make a change and reveal yourself.

However, some friendly advice:

Your LinkedIn photo shouldn’t be from 20 years ago. It shouldn’t look like it belongs on a dating site, stock photo site, or social network (e.g., Facebook or Instagram). And don’t feature your pet or significant other. Just. No.

LinkedIn is for professionals. Be one.

Of course, iphones can take amazing photos there’s days and you can use that sort of photo – not a selfie though, but honestly, having some updated, quality professional photos should be just part of what you do as a professional.

3. Brand Your Profile With a Background Photo

If your LinkedIn profile still has the blue LinkedIn background, then it’s time to change that.

Give your profile page a bit more personality, or branding, with a visually appealing background image. If the image can let your audience know what you do, then even better.  For example, if you’re a speaker, maybe your photo is of you on stage speaking.

LinkedIn advises users to use an image (PNG, JPG, or GIF) with a resolution of 1400×425.

Canva.com has templates already set up for you to do your LinkedIn banner – it’s easy!

4. Write a Ridiculously Good Summary

This is where you really sell yourself to potential connections, collaborators and, of course, clients. Your summary should expand on what appears in your headline, highlighting your specialties, career experience, noteworthy accolades, and thought leadership.

There has been much discussion about whether it’s best to write in first-person versus third-person narrative here. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter either way — just stay consistent with whichever you choose. Don’t go back and forth between first person and third person as it’s confusing and signals a lack of attention to detail. But when you think of using LinkedIn as a business tool, first-person is best, I believe, because you are you on LinkedIn – not a business.

In summary of LinkedIn summaries: keep your ego in check, focus on the most relevant details about your career, avoid meaningless jargon, and ensure it’s easy to read.

Consider customer centric language that makes the reader believe that they have found the person they’ve been looking for!

Oh, and make sure there’s no typos!

5. Use Keywords With Intent

Words are so incredibly important, especially when search is a big part of the equation. Using the right keywords in your profile is the difference between being found and being invisible.

Identify the words you want to be found for when people use LinkedIn search and use those keywords in your headline, summary, and profile. Using the right keywords will expose you to more potential connections and opportunities.

6. Neat Trick: Pick the “Other” Website Option

Under your Contact Info, LinkedIn gives you the option to link to a website or blog. But by default, the text that shows in your profile is the extremely dull “Blog” or “Website.” Anyone visiting your profile has no clue where they’ll end up if they click on that.

Want to use your actual brand or business name? You can! Here’s a simple little trick.

When editing the Websites area of your profile, select the “Other” option. Now you can add your own website title and URL.

7. Personalise Your LinkedIn Profile URL

When you created your LinkedIn profile, it had some ugly combination of letters, numbers, and backslashes that had no value for your personal branding. You don’t still have this, right?

If you do, it’s time to customize your public profile URL. For example, my customized URL is https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenndonovan. LinkedIn makes it simple to keep your profile consistent with your other social profiles.

How? Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage. Click View Profile. On your profile page, click the Edit icon next to Public profile & URL on the right pane. Under Edit your custom URL on the right pane, click the Edit icon next to your public profile URL.

8. Add Shiny New Sections to Your Profile

LinkedIn lets you add several sections to give your profile more visual appeal and depth. You can add sections for posts, volunteering, languages, honours and awards, patents, causes you care about, and many more.

All these sections open you up to more opportunities to make new connections.

9. Tidy Up Your Endorsements

People are going to endorse you for all sorts of skills — sometimes even skills you don’t actually have. But just because you’ve been endorsed for Fire Eating, Chewing Gum, or Showers (yes, these are all real “areas of expertise,” according to LinkedIn) doesn’t mean you have to show other LinkedIn users — unless, of course, fire eating plays a critical role in your professional life.

LinkedIn lets you remove any irrelevant skills and endorsements. You should avoid “lying” about your skill set, even if it is by omission.

10. Connect With People You Don’t Yet Know

One of the biggest mistakes people make on LinkedIn is failing to reach out to connect with people you want to know but don’t yet. That’s the whole point of networking — getting to know new people, not just established connections.

Building out your LinkedIn network has many benefits. You get in front of influencers. You get more endorsements. More people see your best content, share that content, and visit your website. And it’s great for personal branding.

11. Personalize Invitations to Connect

“[Insert name] Follows you and is inviting you to connect”

The default message LinkedIn provides is so dreadfully boring and impersonal.

When you invite someone to connect, make it more personal — mention where you met or why you’d like to connect or read their profile and mention something you’ve got in common. This personal touch will increase the odds they’ll accept your request and not only that, respond back, create a conversation and perhaps, fingers crossed, be a LinkedIn friend!

And when someone accepts your request to connect, don’t start pitching your service or product. This is a relationship killer and oh so dirty.

Start slow. Comment on, share, or Like their posts. Endorse one of their skills, if appropriate, or give a recommendation.

Build the relationship and trust before you start asking for favours or sales!

12. Publish Amazing Posts

LinkedIn posts offer another way to grow your influence, gain more visibility, and acquire new followers.

Your existing and engaged connections are notified whenever you publish. New people can discover your posts via search.

Always think about the audience you want to reach. Highlight your expertise and interests by posting awesome content. Just make sure your posts are appropriate for the 15 million Australian business professionals who use LinkedIn on a weekly basis.

13. Ask for Recommendations

So, you haven’t received as many LinkedIn recommendations as you’d like? What can you do? Ask for them! LinkedIn makes is super easy, providing an “Ask to be recommended” link, where you can specify what you want to be recommended for, who you want to recommend you, and write a personal message.

Pick specific people. Don’t just randomly ask all your contacts if they can recommend you. Be selective.

Share details in your message to your connection. If there are specific skills you want your contacts to highlight in his or her recommendation, don’t be shy, tell them.

Another way to increase the likelihood that you’ll get a great recommendation: Give a great recommendation to someone you’ve worked with. This increases the odds that your contact will feel obligated to return the favour.

New things for LinkedIn in 2024:

• A dedicated services section in your profile – it’s a little section at the top of your profile that immediately tells people what it is that you do! In this section you can set up your prices, request reviews, upload work samples and add up to 8 media formats to showcase your skills and experience – or offers!
• You can have up to 5 newsletters per account. So you can niche a newsletter for audience type one and then another newsletter for audience type two etc.
• A super cool premium feature is the new custom button – I am very jealous of this one not having premium myself. But basically a link to your store, website, blog etc basically follows you around the platform when you comment, post etc. It’s pretty cool [insert sad face].
• And of course we couldn’t have updates without talking about the AI updates. LinkedIn gives you an option to write with AI. This includes sections on your profile as well as connection notes and messages. Personally I haven’t published anything it has written for me, but I am sure it will get better!

Bonus Tip: Export Your LinkedIn Connections

One last helpful tip: Remember to occasionally download your connections. After you’ve gone to all the trouble of building an amazing network, you don’t want to risk losing their contact info!

1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2. Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown.
3. Click the Date Privacy tab on the left hand side of the page.
4. Under the How LinkedIn uses your data section, click Get a copy of your data.
   • Note: You may be prompted to sign in.
5. You’ll be redirected to the Download your data page where you can select Connections.
6. You will receive an email to your Primary Email address which will include a link where you can download your list of connections.

Now you have a file containing your contacts’ first and last names, email addresses, job titles, and companies.  Which you could then upload into Facebook and serve them an ad for something you think they would be interested in.

Summary

Now you know everything you need to do to refresh your LinkedIn profile. Make yourself look amazing, wow future connections, and grow your influence. It all starts with a killer profile.

What are you waiting for? Get updating now!

Be a Unicorn in a Sea of Donkeys and if you want some help to be that unicorn, then come along to the LinkedIn Retreat in Daylesford in August. There’s only 3 spots remaining.

Now – go get social and continue this conversation in my Facebook Group – Like Minded Business Owners.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

But that’s it for episode 297. If you loved this episode and found it valuable, please take 30 seconds out of your day to leave me a rating and review if you want where you are listening.

Do you have a friend who might like to listen in too? Can I ask a favour, and have you share this episode with them? I’d love that and appreciate it SO much.

Again, I’d love you to join in the community in the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group. You can join the group here https://www.facebook.com/groups/LikeMindedBusinessOwners

See you next week on the podcast for episode 298.

But in the meantime, let’s hang out on social and get social on social – you’ll find me on Instagram, Facebook and my fav LinkedIn.

But whatever you do,

…….. remember small business peep, as my opening song says, there’s no point in dreaming small!