Lately, I haven’t had the time to keep up on LinkedIn. I barely find the time to truly connect with my network, let alone write a post!
Yet my LinkedIn account is growing on its own.
Can you guess how is this so?
Well, that’s because I had a few good practices before I got too busy to take care of my LinkedIn. And it’s paying off now!
In this guide, I’ll review those best practices. You can use these for quick LinkedIn growth.
(Just btw, I still spend 5-10 minutes on the platform. Complete abandonment is unacceptable to LinkedIn. Why? Read this!)
#1. Get back to people
Comments, messages, or even likes – wherever people wish to interact with you, get back as soon as you can. Return the favor!
For anyone who thinks they’re overdoing stuff or being extra inquisitive or interactive, here are a few LinkedIn rules to follow:
- Do not send connection requests more than twice.
- Do not offer your services to everyone you connect with.
- Do not send connection requests without visiting profiles.
- Do not hesitate in asking for or giving endorsements.
- Do not request recommendations or endorsements from irrelevant people.
- Do not congratulate people when they update an outdated profile.
- Do not ignore recruiters even if you’re currently working somewhere else
- Do not respond to unprofessional messages.
- Do not tag people in your post only and solely for the sake of visibility.
As long as you’re keeping these rules in check, you’ll do well.
I know Rules have been long outdated on LinkedIn. But you know what? These ethical rules and boundaries are the only way to maintain a healthy and growing community.
#2. Contribute Value
By the rule of thumb, the easiest and quickest way to grow on LinkedIn is to post consistently. Post every day. Share valuable content from everyday life.
If you’ve trouble doing that every day, use PostDrips to schedule all your posts beforehand.
But if you can’t do that either, post at least once a week. And make the most of this post. Share something that your audience is looking forward to learning from you.
Consider my case as an example. I am a content creator. I know my network comprises entrepreneurs, influencers, and fellow content creators. The best way to help my network would be to share content creating tips that help them stand out. So, that’s exactly what I prioritize.
To produce quality posts:
- Know Your Network
- Share knowledge derived from experience (General information is only a Google-search away)
- Keep it as precise and actionable as possible.
#3. Be Appreciative and Authentic
Okay, so this is something I’d rather complain about. Just because everyone’s saying “Great post, Jane!” You don’t have to do the same. What if it’s not great? What if Jane isn’t sharing authentic information?
Mindless presence on the platform could win you a bunch of mindless follows. But it will never win a network you can grow with or benefit from. You will own just another random LinkedIn profile.
So, back to poor Jane’s post: before you engage with it, read it. Understand what Jane is saying. Assess it. And then leave a comment to either add another point to further Jane’s narrative, put your argument forward, or acknowledge her perspective. It will help Jane gain visibility.
Remember, when you align your activity to benefit others, it comes back to you in bigger and better ways. That’s a universal law, applicable on LinkedIn.
#4. Follow Relevant People & Hashtags
When you follow people, you can see their content. But they cannot see yours until they follow back or connect.
This can help you grow organically really fast with minimal input. How so?
Well, that’s because it eliminates the need to actively engage. If you’re following someone, they don’t expect you to engage with them. They know you’re here to learn from their content. You’re not being unprofessional, dormant, or an inconsiderate member of their network.
While on your end, your feed floods in with relevant information. You can use this knowledge at work and generate post ideas. The same applies to hashtags.
But one thing you’ve to take care of when following hashtags: do not follow only because it’s trending. Your feed will flood in with posts that won’t do you any good.
Use the following option wisely on LinkedIn to tailor your feed as per your taste and needs.
#5. Maintain a Comprehensive Profile
Don’t keep your visitors guessing about what you do!
And don’t confuse them either.
Be very clear and precise.
I do not recommend using fancy words to suffix and prefix your job title. Instead, use any of the following approaches to create an effective LinkedIn headline:
- State what you love to do
- State your current mission
- State your job title/role
Note: LinkedIn offers you 120 characters for the headline.
You can use emojis to stand out and mention multiple job roles/titles. But it’s best not to overwhelm your audience. Give them 1-2 words to associate with you. It helps them remember and recognize you better.
Good luck!
