Ok so a friend sent you a LinkedIn invite and you signed up. Now what?

This article will show you how to turn LinkedIn into a powerful tool.

Tip #1 Get Your Profile 100% Complete

Why? When you google your name what is the first thing that appears? Chances are your LinkedIn page is one of the first results. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. LinkedIn can help you have the best first impression possible. Remember, if you are an author people will be googling your name.

How: After you log on click “profile” in the left hand side of the screen. When you do that you should see something that looks like this:

You will see how complete your profile is and what you need to do to improve your score. All Judith needs to do is type up her specialties and she will complete her profile. What do you need to do?

Tip #2 Upload Your Address Book

Why? This is the primary way to build your LinkedIn network. One client I worked with went from 4 connections to over 100 connections in less than a week after uploading her address book to LinkedIn.

How: If you use gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL this is as easy as typing in your password. If you use Outlook or Apple Mail you will need to follow these instructions. Once you upload your address book make sure to send invitations to everyone you want to add to your LinkedIn network.

Tip #3 Join Groups

Why? Joining groups can be an easy way to build your network.

How:

1. Click on groups in the left sidebar.
2. Find a group you want to join.
3. Click “join group”

Can’t find a group you want to join? LinkedIn allows you to create your own group for free. I created an alumni group for my university.

Tip #4 Ask Questions

Why? Because experts all over the world are waiting to give you awesome answers. I asked a question about book proposals and had a manager at Random House and an Executive Editor at BankInfoSecurity.com answer it. Only LinkedIn would give me that kind of access to expertise.

How: To ask a question click on “Answers” at the top of the screen.

Tip #5 Answer Questions

Why? After someone asks a question they select a “best answer.” If your answer is chosen as the best answer then you will get props on your public profile. This will help you look like the expert.

How: Click on “Answers” at the top of the screen and then “answer questions“.

Tip # 6 Upload a Photo

Why? People may not remember a name but will remember a face. If you add your face to LinkedIn you will build your network faster.

How:

1. Click Edit my profile on the left hand sidebar.
2. Click Add Photo
   
3. Brows to the photo on your computer and click upload.
4. Crop the image with the cropping tool. Tip: Zoom in on your face as close as possible. This will be a tiny photo.
5. Click save settings

Tip #7 Write Recommendations

Why? What goes around comes around. The more recommendations you write for others the more people will recommend you. Recommendations greatly improve the performance of your LinkedIn page.

How:

1. Browse to the person you would like to recommend.
2. Click “Recommend This Person” to the right of their photo/name.
3. Follow the steps provided.

Tip #8 Add a LinkedIn Button To Your Website

Why? This is an easy way to build your LinkedIn network. Once you set it up it takes no extra effort. It just runs in the background.

How:

• Visit the LinkedIn buttons page.
• Pick the code for the button you want.
• Paste the code into your blog or website.

Tip #9 Add Your Blog to LinkedIn

Why? Adding your blog to LinkedIn will bring extra traffic to your blog as well as boost your search engine ranking.

How:

• Visit the LinkedIn Applications page.
• Select the application for your blog
• Follow the steps to add your blog

What do you think? Leave a comment or question below and let me know.

Related posts:

1. 4 Reasons Why Every Author Should Use LinkedIn
2. How to Create a Facebook Page in 3 Easy Steps
3. How to Get Started on Twitter in 5 Easy Steps
4. 7 Ways to Integrate Facebook into your Online Platform
5. 4 Reasons Why Authors Should Avoid MySpace

LinkedIn is a social network for professionals.

If you want to be a professional writer you want to be on LinkedIn.

Here are four ways LinkedIn is better than Facebook.

Two Minute Video Introduction

If you don’t know what LinkedIn is, please watch this two minute video from our friends at Common Craft.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Reason #1 – LinkedIn Boosts Your Search Engine Rankings

Unlike many other social networks, LinkedIn gives you “google points” for the sites you link to from LinkedIn. It also ranks very well on google itself. If you google Thomas Umstattd, my LinkedIn page is the third result. The other top results are sites linked to on my LinkedIn page. If you have a common name having a LinkedIn page is vital.

Reason #2 – LinkedIn Answers Questions

Several years ago I had a question about book my book proposal. An editorial director and a marketing manager at Random House answered my question. Only LinkedIn could give me that kind of access to expertise. I have yet to ask a question on LinkedIn that I did not get an amazing answer.

Reason #3 – LinkedIn Establishes Your Credibility

After you answer someone’s question on LinkedIn the questioner rates the answers and picks a best answer. If your answer gets selected as the best answer you get props on your profile. That is the same profile page that shows up so high on google. This is an easy and effective way to establish your credibility on a subject. It’s also part of the reason why the experts are so willing to answer your questions on LinkedIn.

Reason #4 – LinkedIn Connects You with Agents and Editors

Many of the top agents and editors are on LinkedIn. You may have no idea your brother in law went to college with Michael Hyatt. Don’t forget that you still probably have to comply with their submission guidelines. But having a friend put in a good word for you can go a long way.

How LinkedIn Helped Me

I wanted to speak at a writers conference but didn’t know how to contact the director. I was able to use LinkedIn to connect him and he  invited me to join the faculty.

What do you think? How do you use LinkedIn? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Related posts:

1. 9 Tips for Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn
2. 4 Reasons Why Authors Should Avoid MySpace
3. Is Facebook A Fad?
4. Social Media & Authors – An Interview with Dave Evans
5. 6 Things Readers Want from Your Author Website