In today’s market, to be successful, you will want to network by taking advantage of the latest technology.
The world’s largest professional networking service is called LinkedIn, a service that boasts over 120 million international members. LinkedIn is best known for connecting trusted professional contacts with one another. It helps them exchange ideas, information and opportunities with other networking professionals.
So why should an author consider using LinkedIn?
One very good reason is that LinkedIn profile pages have the uncanny ability to rise to the top of Google search results. So you can really control that ever-so-precious first impression.
In addition, if you’re looking for freelance work or some other sort of career opportunity, connections made through LinkedIn can serve as introductions to new clients. You can use LinkedIn to enhance your professional reputation, as well as to find ideal business partners. Such prospects are easy to find with a simple search.
In addition to the basic feature of LinkedIn, which is your professional profile that puts you out on the Web, there are also other resources and applications.
LinkedIn offers regular, weekly training courses in the form of webinars. The first class anyone new to LinkedIn should take is the regular Wednesday class titled, “The Basics of LinkedIn: Your Profile, Joining Groups, Settings, Searches and more.”
After you have built your profile, LinkedIn has an “Improve Your Profile” tool. As LinkedIn says, “think of it as a virtual profile adviser.” This “adviser” goes through and analyzes your profile and offers personalized recommendations for improving it.
Other tools include “Answers” and “Groups.” These tools will help you find and interact with specific experts by means of what they describe as, “trusted introductions.” These tools provide a means of checking out current trends. Current trends might lead to ideas for you next article or project.Because of the way LinkedIn’s networks are set up, after you make an initial contact, that contact should never go out of date. Users continuously update their own profiles, and insert their most recent employment. LinkedIn will give you regular access to your contacts’ newest projects and to their current contact information. Who knows? Such current information might provide an opportunity for you to pick up some freelance work.
LinkedIn gives writers the ability to promote personal websites, blogs, articles, books, and other areas of expertise, and thereby win over new readers.Because of the millions of users connected to the service, LinkedIn provides the chance for you to connect with old friends and colleagues. Such reconnections should expand your reach.
Whether you’re answering questions in your areas of expertise, building connections, or researching your next project, LinkedIn is a great resource for increasing your exposure.