Five Simple Tips To Use Linkedin To Grow Your Business

Are you wondering how to use LinkedIn to grow your business

? One common misconception about LinkedIn is that it is a tool for job seekers. The truth is that LinkedIn is also a great tool for anyone ranging from a student exploring different career paths to HR professionals looking for top talent, to small business owners looking to grow their business. LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool that can be adapted to almost anyone in the job market.

Here are 5 ways on how to use LinkedIn to grow your small business:

1. Get answers to tough questions

LinkedIn Answers and Groups are amazing resources that tap into the wisdom of your network and people who are facing the same challenges as you. Post a question in the targeted category or on the discussion board of a related group, and the answers will start pouring in almost immediately. Check out hundreds of questions on related topics here.

2. Attract new clients by answering questions in your area of expertise

Get noticed as an industry expert by helping other businesspeople solve their problems. Answer questions in LinkedIn Answers or respond to questions posted in the discussion section of groups that you belong to. Also check out your connections status updates on your Home feed to see if they have any questions or are tackling new projects you might be able to provide some assistance with. This is a great opportunity to win new business or at least find prospective clients to pitch your business to by , soft pitching your skills and experience.

3. Conduct Market Research

Using LinkedIn you can conduct polls, or organize an in-person focus group for free. Send out a poll via LinkedIn Q&As and status updates to get the opinion of industry professionals or laypeople about new product ideas, a new web page, or where you could use some improvement. Crowdsource and conduct market research for free!

4. Market Your Business with Company Pages

New company pages, released in November 2011, are a great way to market your business online. By thoroughly completing your company page on LinkedIn and optimizing it for target keywords, you can increase your changes of getting found online. First, start by populating your company Overview page using informative descriptions that contain the type of keywords your ideal customer would search for. Include your companys area of expertise in the specialties area and populate it with more keywords. Also be sure to include your blog posts by inserting your blog feed URL. Integrate multimedia elements such as a YouTube video and photos to make your page more attractive and stand out from the crowd. Update your status frequently to stay in front of your followers, subtly reminding them that youre an active player in their field.

5. Spy on the Competition

The company pages are not just a way to sell your brand, but they can also provide useful information about your competition. By keeping an eye on who the competition is connecting with and their new product releases, you can learn a lot about their next moves. You can even get an HR report by following your competitiors company pages, viewing who has been hired, who has left, and what job openings are available. Check to see what kinds of questions their employees are answering.

Ilene Rosenblum Guttman is a freelance web developer and social media strategist in Jerusalem, Israel. She blogs frequently about social media news and winning social media techniques.

by: Andreea Ayers

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