12 Amazing LinkedIn Features You Should Be Using!

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What is the real purpose of LinkedIn?

The purpose of LinkedIn is toconnect business professionals on an engaging, widely used social media platform. “LinkedIn leads a diversified business with revenues from membership subscriptions, advertising sales and recruitment solutions.” (LinkedIn, 2019) Not only does LinkedIn offer business training and courses for users to get ahead in the business world; it connects businesses with potential qualified employees!

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LinkedIn: The Wonder Years

The ingenious idea of bringing diversified businesses and worldwide business professionals together on social media had its humble beginnings in the cozy living room of Co-founder Reid Hoffman in 2002. “LinkedIn began in co-founder Reid Hoffman’s living room in 2002 and was officially launched on May 5, 2003.” (LinkedIn, 2019) “In December 2016, Microsoft completed its acquisition of LinkedIn, bringing together the world’s leading professional cloud and the world’s leading professional network.” (LinkedIn, 2019)

During the earliest stages of LinkedIn, Hoffman, along with fellow Founders, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant were hoping to link professionals together by providing a trusted social media platform where businesses could post company information for educational purposes. The creators made LinkedIn for companies and businesses to be able to create personalized, professional company homepages while also allowing the ability for businesses to run company marketing advertisements.

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Was LinkedIn just another Facebook?

LinkedIn’s user perception is described as consumers who began using LinkedIn when it first came out to connect to other professionals. They were intrigued by this social media platform that brought together professionals. Although LinkedIn has come a long way since then, the innovative platform underwent multiple transformations over the years by offering advanced technological features to keep up with the current trends and needs of the users. LinkedIn offers features that are a hot commodity in the business world today. “Early in 2016, I was becoming quite disheartened with LinkedIn.  Like so many others, I was starting to feel as if LinkedIn was morphing into another Facebook as I saw funny videos and quotes of the day in my newsfeed. There was a glimmer of hope in June when we heard the announcement that Microsoft had purchased LinkedIn and we waited patiently for new and exciting things to happen.  And they did.” (Doherty 2016)

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6 Ways LinkedIn Can Help You Network Professionally

Currently, there are 560 Million+ users on LinkedIn! Today, subscribers connect with other professionals on their home computers, laptops and mobile devices. “LinkedIn leads a diversified business with revenues from membership subscriptions, advertising sales and recruitment solutions.” (LinkedIn, 2019) The users that either join the website for free, or have a paid subscription, form professional relationships and valued business connections. Users build their network of followers and choose what information they want to share. Users, businesses and companies add keyword hashtags to their posts, which help other users to search these keywords to connect them directly to a business’s main page or the specific hashtag page info. Businesses design engaging specialized company banners to draw in more followers.

Users join LinkedIn Groups to connect with industry professionals. These specialized groups help users to interact with each other through posting on the group. To date, there are thousands of groups on LinkedIn!

LinkedIn Learning offers professional learning opportunities that provide educational courses. These courses help professionals get ahead at their current employment as well as help them for future employment. These courses are taught by business professionals. Some of the courses that are taught on LinkedIn Learning are: sales, public speaking, communication, Java script, public speaking, Microsoft Excel, teamwork, spreadsheets, and SO much more!

LinkedIn assists businesses to sell with the LinkedIn Sales Navigator Q4. This handy tool helps businesses to find business leads and target certain potential buyers. “Advanced Lead and Company Search Find the right people and companies with a search experience that delivers the most relevant prospects.” (LinkedIn, 2019)

Another feature of LinkedIn is Campaign Manager. This business solution tool assists companies in designing, creating, and managing their marketing ads. “Create, measure, and optimize your campaigns all in one place. Campaign Manager is the LinkedIn advertising platform that streamlines all your marketing efforts.” (Business LinkedIn, 2019)

Finally, users are able to find current employment openings and, in turn, companies can research their ideal candidate. LinkedIn Recruiter is a fantastic asset for large companies! This feature assists corporations in finding the right employment candidates that come directly from the user’s profiles. “Advanced search filters and spotlights help you to define the talent you’re looking for.”(Business LinkedIn, 2019)

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6 MORE Ways LinkedIn Helps B2B Connections

LinkedIn also offers unique features that make it possible for businesses to make valuable connections with business professionals. They also provide an advanced search tool that helps subscribers find company competitors.They offer a unique experience where users can personally customize their profile pages that describe the user’s professional work and school history in a positive style, to entice companies to connect with them.

Productive Solutions is another tool which assists companies in delivering company content to their followers. This feature provides companies to display long form posts as well as using a SlideShare option. Long form posts allow professionals to share their work experience with their connections. Showcase pages allow Businesses to market company information to their connections also.

LinkedIn Audience not only gives a company detailed insights of the users who are viewing the companies posts, but also who is sharing the company’s posts. LinkedIn analytics assists businesses by tracking their followers which gives them valuable data on exactly what type of demographic is viewing their website.

LinkedIn also offers a technological tool called SlideShare. This powerful tool provides companies to post professional and educational business presentations, mini homemade movies, and allows the company to upload their own PowerPoint presentations.

LinkedIn users can also use an internal email service feature. This provides internal, private messaging services between B2B, B2C, and Company to Employee. Lastly, Open Candidates is a LinkedIn feature that the user sets by clicking the ‘on’ option to let recruiters know that they are available and interested in new employment opportunities!

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How are YOU taking advantage of LinkedIn?

The purpose of LinkedIn is to provide its 590 million+ members, businesses, and professionals a unique social media platform that offers features like no other platform around! Headhunters, hiring managers, and business recruiters can find potential employment candidates on LinkedIn. Businesses and companies can build their specific brand by putting up company posts that depict company information, which can be geared to reach their target markets! Adapting to the latest technologies, LinkedIn connects its users from around the world building a network of professional connections!

About the Author

Pamela Gerhard

Pamela Gerhard

Beauty Consultant/visual merchandiser/Marketing for CVS Health
Graduated Naugatuck Valley Community College Majoring in Marketing
Attends Southern New Hampshire University, Majoring in Marketing, minoring in mobile marketing

Sources:

  1. Doherty, Julia. (10/11/2016).”Have LinkedIn Forgotten Their Target Audience”. Retrieved from https://www.green-umbrella.biz/2016/11/linkedin-target-audience/

  2. LinkedIn. 2019.”About LinkedIn”. Retrieved from https://about.linkedin.com/?#

  3. LinkedIn. Learning. (2019).Retrieved from https://learning.linkedin.com/#

  4. LinkedIn Navigator.(2019). “LinkedIn Sales Navigator”. Retrieved from https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/sales-navigator

  5. LinkedIn. (2019). “Manage your ads with Campaign Manager”. Retrieved from https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions?#

  6. LinkedIn.(2019). “LinkedIn Recruiter”. Retrieved from https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/recruiter

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