13 LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid

From NewGradLife | Jan 2010

LinkedIn, the socially connected professional network, has made
numerous changes over the past few months to become more than a job
resource. The changes have made it a viable tool for people to connect,
discuss, get answers to questions as well as connect with people that
they just may be working with in the future. The future of social media
marketing is bright and the tools we use today are building blocks for
what is yet to come. Creating profiles that are complete and honest are
just the beginning. Many of these have been written time and time again
but as I look to connect with new people, I still see the same mistakes
being made.

13 LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid

1. Default URL. Increase your personal branding so
easily by changing the default to a personal URL. Click Edit Public
Profile Settings in the top right and then edit your Public Profile URL
to your name.

2. My Website/My Company. Keeping the default is
asking people to look above to see who your current employer is and
then go back and click on it. It is a simple change: On your profile,
click websites, then at the drop down, click "Other" and then type in
the name and descriptive terms

3. Private Profile. As social media is evolving with
Google's live search, Bing/Twitter as well as Google's Social Search
what was private is not anymore. Go public so people can find you.

4. Joining Groups. The maximum amount of groups you
can join is 50. While that seems like a lot, how many people are at the
max? There is so much information contained in groups - news,
discussions, slide shares - that failing to join groups is basically
like missing out on an opportunity to connect. 50 is not always the
easiest to keep up with and connect with all members but the
information shared in the groups is very valuable.

5. Lack of Participation in Discussions. Social media
is about connecting and building relationships - talking to people.
Taking part in discussions gets you noticed as well as keeps the
conversation going and the sharing of information, viewpoints and knowledge.

6. Not Asking/Answering Questions. Asking questions
and getting feedback from others is not only free, it many times does
give you answers that you were seeking. Answering questions allows you
to share what you know and build a reputation within your industry.



7. Linking Every Tweet. Pushing every tweet to your
LinkedIn status is noise. I am a very big fan of Twitter, on twitter.
Having people that I am connected with on LinkedIn to see every tweet
is not the proper forum. Selected tweets of articles that are good
reads are worth sharing absolutely, but every tweet, no.



8. Lack of Company Page. As a business owner, a
company page is another way to get found. Create a company page so that
people know you are there. There had been some hesitations as each
employee that adds you as an employer is linked to you and once they
leave, they can speak about the company in a manner that is not
consistent with company policy shall we say. Months ago this was a
factor but with the social media tools available there is no excuse for
not having a company page.



9. Incomplete Profile. Lack of a photo (or updated
photo), complete summary and custom title. President does not cut it
anymore. People do not search for president, CEO, etc. Your summary is
your chance to let people know what you do and how you can help them.



10. Connecting & Then Selling. It is not a forum
for a sales pitch. Similar to auto dm's in Twitter. People who connect
with you have to agree and they will look to find out what you do.
Sending a thanks for connecting with a sales pitch is asking to be
ignored.



11. Not Updating Status. Every tweet is overkill but
not updating your status is showing people that you are not active.
Inactivity is showing that you are an infrequent visitor. Be active.
Let people know what you are involved in, reading, etc.



12. Failing to Comment on Comments. This is similar to
comments on our blog. If someone comments, then respond to them. You
are asking them to read, they are responding, take time to acknowledge
their efforts.



13. Not Giving or Asking for Recommendations. Giving
is easier than asking. I do not like to ask for them as I think that if
I give one then that is sort of a nod back to that person to maybe give
one back. Bad strategy ... probably but the importance is to give and
then ask. As you go and look at your LinkedIn profile, look for ways to
improve. We are all on limited time and to check this profile, that one
and the newest one that comes out is not easy. Staying involved with
certain platforms that are making changes is a sign for what is to
come. Agree? What have you done to enhance your profile and stand out?