The social media platform in a power suit: LinkedIn.
I field more questions from the campus community about how to use LinkedIn than any other social media network. And that’s for good reason. LinkedIn is tricky!
It’s important to remember why people log into LinkedIn. They’re cultivating and expanding their networks. They’re establishing themselves as professionals and experts within their industries. They’re looking for connections that could land them a business deal. They’re seeking out career advancement opportunities. They’re looking for jobs.
Groups
LinkedIn is all about linking people with people. One of the best ways to do that is by hosting a LinkedIn group.
LinkedIn describes groups as “a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to share content, post and view jobs, make business contacts, and establish themselves as industry experts.”
Groups are perfect for reaching a key audience: alumni. All eight CSU colleges, the CSU Alumni Association and many other units across campus host groups on LinkedIn. (As an aside, my team manages CSU’s company and educational pages on LinkedIn).
Tips to polish your LinkedIn group skills
1. Use your personal profile to post in groups. Don’t create a dummy account as the vehicle to post content into your group. First, that’s against LinkedIn’s terms and conditions. Second, remember that the whole reason why people are on LinkedIn is to link in with people. Real people. Like YOU!
2. Post fresh content at least twice month. Let’s be honest, LinkedIn user behavior is much different than user behavior on Facebook, Instagram, etc. People do not typically log into their LinkedIn accounts every day, several times a day. Realistically, people spend time on the platform for specific reasons such as seeking out professional opportunities. Don’t stress about posting new content in your group on a daily basis. Rather, post relevant information twice a month so that way if a group member peeks his or her head into the group discussion they don’t come across a ghost town that hasn’t been updated since 2013.
3. Share more than job listings. Your content mix could include networking events, alumni profiles, industry news/trends, listicles, how-to articles, infographics, awards/accolades/rankings, etc.
4. Post during business hours. According to LinkedIn, the best time to post is during business hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
5. Use links. Posts with links drive traffic to your site and also drive up engagement.
With more than 364 million registered users in roughly 200 countries. I am still discovering the power of LinkedIn and think it will continue to be a valuable social media platform for the CSU community to leverage. Someone’s got to be the adult in social media neighborhood. Thanks, LinkedIn.