How beneficial is LinkedIn?

[Thank The Universe]

Just a bit of light amusement, but how beneficial is LinkedIn? Does it provide more business for your company or simply give your company a platform to express their success's and opportunities?
I find it (or the people that use it) on the whole painfully self-aggrandising.

I use it to advertise my website and any updates to that, but try and manage the profile a bit more professionally than my related Instagram accounts...

 

[Deleted member 315707]

Massively - couldn't do my work without it. Regularly get 2k + views of my posts with plenty of engagement, leads and customers.

 

[Thank The Universe]

Massively - couldn't do my work without it. Regularly get 2k + views of my posts with plenty of engagement, leads and customers.

Great stuff... What industry are you in sir?

 

[Mark T Jones]

I use it extensively, mostly for connection-building and staying in touch.

Yes, there is plenty of B/S and scammy 'look at me' posts - You just need to see through them.

As with all marketing, the secret lies in quality interaction, not in flogging product

 

[Thank The Universe]

I use it extensively, mostly for connection-building and staying in touch.

Yes, there is plenty of B/S and scammy 'look at me' posts - You just need to see through them.

As with all marketing, the secret lies in quality interaction, not in flogging product

Ah OK... Is it a case of continuous use then? And contributing more frequently to get 'noticed'?

 

[Alyson Dyer]

Waste of time

 

[Thank The Universe]

Waste of time

Do you want to elaborate?

 

[Alyson Dyer]

Do you want to elaborate?

I suppose it might be that we are mostly B2C but I find it to be Facebook with suits, people telling me how good they are, how they work from dawn to dusk just to please their customers and a few from my industry posting articles which are preaching to the pulpit.

 

[Thank The Universe]

I suppose it might be that we are mostly B2C but I find it to be Facebook with suits, people telling me how good they are, how they work from dawn to dusk just to please their customers and a few from my industry posting articles which are preaching to the pulpit.

HAHA Facebook with suits... Love it! True though!

 

[Clinton]

painfully self-aggrandising

... people telling me ...

Unlike Facebook, you've got to put some effort into tweaking your network. Spend the time and you'll have a great feed.

I ruthlessly unconnect with (or at least unfollow) anyone who makes Facebook type posts...or any other posts I don't like (like virtue signalling posts, they're the worst)!

I also studiously avoid connecting with recruiters, and sales people (even if they call themselves "business development executives").

Every morning I check my feed and I have a fantastic selection of interesting stuff.

 

[intheTRADE]

It has become an integral part of our business.

The connections we have made that have opened doors we could have only dreamed of when starting out have been fantastic.

Remembering it isn't Facebook/Instagram and does require some work will stand you in good stead when using it

 

[fisicx]

I get all my leads from Google, Wordpress or referrals. No need to use linkedin. I could build a network but I don't need more work, busy enough already.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Ah OK... Is it a case of continuous use then? And contributing more frequently to get 'noticed'?

My business relies on lowish volume, quality introductions, so it's all about building relationships with people who can become those introducers - LinkedIn and specialist networking events are ideal platforms.

If you are in a high-volume fast turnaround game, I'd guess that Facebook or SEO will be more effective.

 

[HazelC]

LinkedIn really works for me. I post statuses on there a few times a day and have had a lot of clients through it.

I know you mention the 'bragging posts' but I won an small business award last year, shared it on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter. By the Monday (awards was Friday) I had 5 enquiries from LinkedIn that led to 3 new clients by the end of the week, that started message with "Congrats on the award..." - 2 contacts didn't know me / we hadn't engaged before, 2 only through LinkedIn, 1 we had spoken previously.

Like I say, it works for me when it comes to bringing in new business,

 

[Deleted member 315707]

I know you mention the 'bragging posts' but I won an small business award last year, shared it on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter.

I don't see this as bragging, you've won an award and that's great. I think the issue is with people claiming to be the #1 Social Media Guru or #1 International Sales Jedi... or simply just saying they are amazing, look what they've done.

 

[Clinton]

I don't see this as bragging, you've won an award and that's great.

Unless you say you've been really humbled to have been recognised by the industry's leading body blah, blah.

 

[Neil Lukins]

I used to treat LinkedIn like Facebook and so only connected with friends and ignored everyone else.
Then I went to a networking event and they said would you only network with just your friends?
I came away from this networking event and started to increase my connections which has taken a few years but now I am reaping the benefits and I get the majority of my leads through there.
It's like all social media platforms - you have to be prepared to put some effort in to get the rewards.

 

[HazelC]

I don't see this as bragging, you've won an award and that's great. I think the issue is with people claiming to be the #1 Social Media Guru or #1 International Sales Jedi... or simply just saying they are amazing, look what they've done.

Agreed - the ones that saw a homeless guy, employed him as their CEO and now have 5 speedboats with his kids name on?

 

[Mark T Jones]

Unless you say you've been really humbled to have been recognised by the industry's leading body blah, blah.

AAAGGHHH 'Humbled' WTF is that all about?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

AAAGGHHH 'Humbled' WTF is that all about?

But what if you already are the industry's leading body blah blah

Where do I go

Its is beneficial to remember peoples names
Its is beneficial for not much else

 

[Mark T Jones]

But what if you already are the industry's leading body blah blah

Where do I go

Its is beneficial to remember peoples names
Its is beneficial for not much else

I think I'd rather overt self promotion than false modestly - though it's a tough call.

What about the industry-leading, serial-entrepreneur CEO who is humbled by someone ordering his award-winning product?

 

[billybob99]

It's basically Facebook but used by people at work, whilst at work to post what awards they've won, their company car or the fact they've just bought a new house.

Just like nobody gives a hoot if you've got 1000+ Facebook friends, nobody gives a hoot if you've got 1000+ LinkedIn connections.

What is LinkedIn at the end of the day anyway, just a glorified CV.

 

[Victoria_V]

It really depends on the type of business you run and the type of engagement you're looking for. It's not as versatile as, say, FB, but LinkedIn can, too, adapt to your personal (and professional) needs. So whether you're expanding your professional network, or just trying to make your company more visible across platforms, LinkedIn can be a useful tool. t does not necessarily mean that you should rely heavily on just one platform, but rather use it as ONE of the tools in your SMM toolbox.

 

[mikespencer]

Great

 

[OhhEnnEmm]

Seems to be extremely dependent on the industry, must be since some claim it to be God's gift, whilst others claim it's crap... Slight discrepancies ey