My time with the Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner Questions on LinkedIn
I was recently honored to be the “Guest Expert” on Michael Stelzner’s Social Media Examiner Facebook Page. If you don’t use Facebook, I didn’t want you to miss out! Here is a transcript of the Question and Answer session.
Topics covered were:
- LinkedIn Visibility and Video
- LinkedIn Share Buttons
- LinkedIn and Niche Markets
- Engaging with Others
- LinkedIn Tips and Tricks
- Location Searches on LinkedIn
- Cross Promotion between LinkedIn and Facebook
- Group Communication and Spam
LinkedIn Visibility and Video
Brenda asked: How do you get more people to look at your profile and how can you put a YouTube video on LinkedIn?
Answer: I recommend both keywording your profile and making sure you have a decent network – first of all so that you can even be seen (LinkedIn doesn’t tell you that you are only as visible as the size of your network) and then that you can be found (Your LinkedIn profile can be optimized just like your website – but easier!) On your home page you can see how many times you show up in a search and how often people click on your profile. Monitor that regularly to make sure the numbers are going up. You can also check to see where you fall in the LinkedIn search by testing your own keywords in the “people” search. Also something you want to monitor regularly. Finally – the best way to get seen is to actually communicate with people – in Answers and Groups and my suing your tags in “My Contacts”
Re: video – use Google Presentations app. Open a Goggle Presentation (Google Docs) embed your YouTube video and upload with the LinkedIn Google presentation app. Video will show up right in your profile J
LinkedIn Share Buttons
Bob asked: How do I get a visitor who clicks on a link in my email to a LinkedIn group page not one that tells a little about us and asks them to sign up.
Answer: I’m not entirely clear on the question, but it sounds like you have the Company Share button in your email signature? And you want your group link in your signature as well? Here’s what I did – I went to LinkedIn About section and grabbed the official image for the LinkedIn group logo http://press.linkedin.com/logo-images and then attached my LinkedIn group URL to it http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=1241227 (when I say I did it – I really mean my IT guy did itJ) That will send people to your group rather than your company page.
Engaging with Others
Pamela asked: I’m trying to develop a network with people in a specific business area. I know you’re only supposed to contact people you know in LinkedIn, but I don’t have connections in this new are at all. I’m joining related groups, but any ideas on how to contact specific people? Thanks.
Answer: Personally I don’t exactly follow LinkedIn’s “suggestions” (it’s no longer a rule in their EULA). You can do two things: Join groups in the specific business area you are interested in, and then in the member section you can use the search to refine your search for specific individuals. Because you share a group, you can send these folks a message even if you are not directly connected. You can ask them a question; invite them to connect with you, etc.
The other option is to use the “People” Advanced Search and use specific search terms or keywords to find these people. Just be aware when you invite them, you might get an IDK. And whatever you do, when you invite them DO NOT send a sales message. Tell them who you are, why you want to invite them to join your network, and you might write something like: “If you feel you have received this message in error or simply don’t want to connect, please just ignore this message.” I’ve send over 2500 invitations and have only received 5 IDK’s using this strategy.
I really recommend the Group thing though!
Erandi asked: Would you have a detailed outline of what really needs to be done on LinkedIn? In the sense of getting people attracted to the company group and company profiles?
Answer: It’s all about relationship building and helping people out. “Answers” is a great way to engage. You might also try my 3/3/3 rule – Three times a week I will reach out to someone I know and someone I don’t know and “catch up”. A great question (Thanks Bob Burg) is: “In your business, who would be a good referral for you? I’d be happy to pass people along your way when I come across them.”
Right now Company Profiles are still pretty static (although that is changing) At the very least you can make sure your company profile is properly keyworded so it shows up in the Company Search.
Companies aside – it’s you as an individual who needs to build relationships.
Niche Marketing
Paula asked: I am a teacher, but was told LinkedIn is not the place to find other contacts in the teaching world since it is not well represented. What do you recommend?
Answer: Have you done a search for “teacher” groups? Use all the synonyms for “teachers” that you can think of! Most group moderators don’t know they should be keywording their Group descriptions with all the synonyms for what their group offers.
Also – are you using the advanced search? With synonyms? One possibility might be that your network is too small. Under “contacts” and Network Statistics – how big is your entire network (not just your first level of connections?) I just searched on “New Teacher” and 1676 people showed up. I also searched on the word “teacher” and 173,000 people showed up – so I think you might have an audience J
Claudia asked: I live in Mexico but I work as a Social Media Adviser for companies in Switzerland, Germany, USA, Mexico etc. The country in my LinkedIn-Profile is Switzerland, so if somebody searches for a Social Media Adviser in Mexico they will not find me… Is there not something like “international” or “everywhere”? Or what else can I do? I think I’m not the only one with this problem. Thanks! Claudia
Answer: There isn’t much you can do (although in the US you can put 00000 in the zip code area and at least it will just show USA) That being said, make sure you have all the countries you work or listed in a few areas – the description (and title) in the Experience section, in your summary, in your “specialties” section and maybe even in the “Contact Us” section. That way I someone just does a keyword search rather than a location search or “Social Media Germany” your profile will show up. (hmm – I should probably be doing that too!)
Group Communication and Spam
Sarah asks: I was wondering if it’s possible to send a batch e-mail to a group that I’m a member of? If yes, would it be perceived as Spam?
Answer: Only I you are the group’s manager / creator – and then in the form of an announcement once a week. Be VERY careful with that because it can absolutely be seen as spam. I was recently working on an article about spam and most people defined it “As a form of inline communication I didn’t ask for or don’t want.” How do you make people want what you have to share? Become one of their sources or resources or valuable information – and then I you want to throw in the occasional pitch (80/20 rule) they are more likely to pay attention. Otherwise it’s the delete button for you.
Cross Promotion between LinkedIn and Facebook
Sabine asks: Is it bad form to post an event to a group you belong to on LinkedIn. I’ll be holding a series of SM seminars which will deliver a lot of value to local businesses, so would it be a good idea
Answer: It really depends on the group – best to make some “friends” within a group that can promote it for you (Like the RT on Twitter”) Then it won’t sound promotional 
Do you know the group moderator? You could contact them and ask them to promote it or you – especially if you can give a special offer to the group – I just recently did that with the Electronic Discovery group on LinkedIn. The moderator, Ryan Speir was happy to promote my webinar series and I offered his members the first of the series for free
Topic: Invitation Limitations:
Asked: Is there a limit to the number of invitations you can send?
Answer: You can send out 3000 invitations in a lifetime – which LinkedIn doesn’t tell you until you are down to your last 1000 – which is a real problem when you use the Connections tool LinkedIn gives you to upload your mailing list. I you use that tool, just make sure to only invite people you really want to invite and people who are already on LinkedIn.
You can accept up to 30000 invitations though J
You CAN’T but more invitations, even with a paid account. Although you can ask customer_service@LinkedIn.com really nicely if they will give you some more!
Topic: Company Profiles
Brittany Asks: I’d like to get started with the new Company Page addition to LinkedIn. What key pieces (content, photo or otherwise) should I have ready to go upon creating the page (versus others that I can add over time)?
Top of Form
Answer:A Answer: Logo, 2000 character description (Use your keywords – verb, noun, synonym, Acronym as well as benefits – why should someone hire your company?) and finally you might want your keywords in your Company name – ie. – SmartBlondeMedia: Social Media or Women
Bottom of Form
Topic: LinkedIn Signals
While it is still in beta mode – LinkedIn Signal is now available! Woohoo! Go here: http://www.linkedin.com/signal/trial I love it because it allows you to search or updates by keyword, industry, 1st, 2nd, 3rd level of connections, etc. More about Signals here: http://blog.linkedin.com/2010/09/29/linkedin-signal/
