Memo: Best LinkedIn Practices

MEMORANDUM

To: Members of The Scribes Writing Team

From: Michaela Basciano, The Scribes Writing Team Member

Date: June 26, 2020

Subject: Best Practices for Personal LinkedIn Pages

As mentioned in the assignment outline, professional LinkedIn networking pages are to be created over the next week for the main purposes of networking and showcasing professional and volunteer experiences. Below is a compiled list from research outlining the ten best practices for using LinkedIn as a professional networking platform.

1. Be sure to use a professional photo. Although a professional photographer isn’t needed, be sure to have a photo that is neat and flattering, and do not have no photo appearing on the profile (Shore).
2. Make sure the profile is up to date. Do not wait every few years to update the platform on experiences. Failure to update frequently will cause a user to appear “spammy”. Make sure information is up to date with all professional details and endeavors (Shore).
3. Connect with the appropriate people. LinkedIn is all about making connections! Do not throw out requests to connect everywhere you look, as this will deter other professionals from connecting with you. Connecting with the right people can help drive attention to your platform (Shore).
4. Make it personal. When connecting with someone, write a message outlining why the connection is meaningful, especially if you don’t know them personally or are unfamiliar with them or their business.
5. Share content. Keep the feed on the platform exciting and active. When connections and followers engage with posts, it can assist in driving traffic and social reach (Shore). Share some news, updates, thoughts, and strike up conversation on industry topics.
6. See who is viewing your profile. LinkedIn grants the ability to see who is viewing your profile. By not looking at this feature, impactful connections could be missed (“LinkedIn Etiquette…”)!
7. Keep things positive and professional. Unlike regular social media, LinkedIn is about driving connections, encouragement, change and ideas. LinkedIn is not the place for heated debates, bullying, and hurtful criticism. Keep comments positive and do not waste time in pointless debates, as this can hurt the trust your network has developed (“LinkedIn Etiquette…”).
8. Adjust your privacy settings. It is important that everyone on LinkedIn can view your full name, photo, industry, connection list, and be notified when you are trending or in the news. If you are uncomfortable sharing this kind of information with others, they should not be a connection (“LinkedIn Etiquette…”).
9. Do not be afraid of visuals! Visuals and images can help attract attention to a post or discussion. If it’s appropriate, do not be afraid to use one when posting or commenting (Marx).
10. Tag strategically. Similar to other social media platforms, hashtags are used on LinkedIn. Hashtagging posts appropriately can help in finding connections and drive attention to updates. Do not over hashtag, however, as it can come off as “spammy”. In addition, do not be afraid to tag people or institutions using the “@” symbol. Had a ground-breaking meeting with someone? Giving them a tag in an update post can cause connections of mutual connections to reach out (Marx)!

Hopefully these tips will be beneficial in the creation of this week’s LinkedIn pages. LinkedIn is a great place for career advancing, making new connections, job searching, and more! Be positive, be creative, and showcase the best you have to offer. Thank you for your interest.

—————–

Sites Cited:

“LinkedIn Etiquette Rules and Best Practices [20 Do’s and Don’ts].” Top Dog Social Media, 25 Mar. 2020, www.topdogsocialmedia.com/linkedin-etiquette-and-best-practices/.

Marx, Wendy: “10 LinkedIn Best Practices That Will Accelerate Your Business.” Business 2 Community, 26 Feb. 2018, www.business2community.com/linkedin/10-linkedin-best-practices-will-accelerate-business-02018010.

Shore, Jennifer. “17 LinkedIn Marketing Best Practices.” Smart Bug Media, 16 Jan. 2020, www.smartbugmedia.com/blog/17-linkedin-marketing-best-practices.