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Speaker: Jeff Erickson
LinkedIn, the world's largest professional networking platform, has evolved beyond a simple digital resume. It's now a hub for career development, professional connections, and sharing valuable insights. In this article, we'll explore the key takeaways from Jeff Erickson's insightful talk on effectively using LinkedIn. Jeff, who works with Carta, specializes in cap table management software and has a background in mentoring, advising startups, and angel investing.
Why LinkedIn Matters
Jeff began his LinkedIn journey with fewer than 100 connections but soon realized the platform's potential. By actively engaging with the community, he found exciting opportunities and established meaningful relationships. His LinkedIn presence helped him join Carta and expand his network, which is the key to realizing the platform's potential.
The Benefits of Using LinkedIn
LinkedIn offers several benefits, which Jeff has successfully harnessed:
Discovering Opportunities: LinkedIn is not just a platform for job hunting. It can connect you to exciting career opportunities or partnerships.
Building Relationships: As you engage with your network, you can develop meaningful connections that may lead to collaborations or even friendships.
Establishing Your Personal Brand: By sharing your passion and expertise, you can build your personal brand on LinkedIn. This attracts like-minded professionals and can make posting about your interests feel less like work.
Networking in New Ecosystems: LinkedIn allows you to tap into different ecosystems and expand your professional reach. Jeff found this especially beneficial when he ventured into new territories during the pandemic.
Increased Visibility: Regular posting on LinkedIn can increase your visibility, with an average of 2500-3500 views per post. Engaging content and consistent posting can lead to your brand reaching a larger audience.
Key Takeaways and Strategies for LinkedIn Success
Jeff's experience has yielded some valuable insights for using LinkedIn effectively:
Consistency: Regular posting and interaction with your network are key to maintaining visibility and engagement.
Timing: While midweek days like Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are generally considered good for posting, don't limit yourself to specific days. Jeff found success with weekend posts as well.
Visual Content: Visual content, such as images and videos, tends to attract more attention on LinkedIn. It's also a good way to provide additional context to your posts.
Tagging and Mentions: Tag individuals and companies relevant to your post to increase the visibility of your content. This encourages interaction and conversations.
Hashtags: Use a few relevant hashtags to categorize your posts and make them discoverable to people interested in those topics.
Sharing and Engagement: Engage with others' content, especially in your areas of interest. This can help you expand your network and attract like-minded professionals.
LinkedIn Stories: Utilize LinkedIn Stories to provide your network with a behind-the-scenes look at your professional life. It's an excellent way to humanize your brand and share your personal and professional experiences.
Dealing with "Awkwardness"
LinkedIn can sometimes feel awkward when self-promotion is involved. Jeff's advice is to focus on adding value and providing insights to your network. This approach can make your posts feel genuine and beneficial to your audience.
Connecting with the Community
The power of LinkedIn lies in its professional network. If you're part of a group like this one, consider collaborating and supporting each other by engaging with and sharing each other's content. By building a supportive community, you can leverage the platform even more effectively.
Conclusion
LinkedIn offers a wealth of opportunities for professional growth, networking, and personal branding. Jeff Erickson's success story is a testament to the potential of this platform. By applying his insights and strategies, you can use LinkedIn more effectively to enhance your career and professional connections. So go ahead, update your LinkedIn profile, engage with your network, and let your professional journey unfold on this dynamic platform.
Q&A
Q1: How do you approach a new ecosystem or get involved?
To approach a new ecosystem, I typically start by researching and identifying key players, companies, and organizations in that ecosystem. I'll use LinkedIn to connect with people in the region and follow them to see what they are posting. I often look for newsletters or blogs that provide insights into that specific ecosystem. Additionally, engaging with people's content and making meaningful comments on their posts can help establish connections and get involved in
new ecosystems.
Q2: Are there specific days that are better for posting on LinkedIn, like Tuesday or Wednesday?
While some people suggest that certain days of the week, like Tuesday or Wednesday, may be better for posting on LinkedIn, I find that consistency and relevance matter more. I've seen engagement on my posts over the weekend, including Saturdays. So, it's best to focus on the quality of your content and the interests of your network rather than sticking to specific posting days.
Q3: How do you balance personal and professional posts on LinkedIn without feeling awkward?
It's crucial to strike a balance between personal and professional posts on LinkedIn. To avoid feeling awkward, I make sure that my personal posts somehow tie into my professional life. For example, I may share a personal story about my daughter's graduation but also connect it to a broader topic, like advice for young professionals. This way, it becomes relevant to my network and adds value while maintaining a personal touch.
Q4: Can you share some insights on using LinkedIn stories?
LinkedIn Stories allows you to share more casual and personal content with your network. While I haven't consciously used it for professional purposes, sharing stories about personal activities like hiking or events can help others get to know you better. However, as mentioned by others, you can add text or captions to your LinkedIn Stories to make them more engaging and relevant to your professional domain.
Q5: How do you deal with LinkedIn direct messages (DMs)?
Managing LinkedIn direct messages can be challenging, especially if you receive many of them. While I try my best to respond to relevant messages, it's essential to prioritize and organize your DMs. You can use folders in LinkedIn to categorize and manage your messages efficiently. I understand that responding promptly to messages is essential for maintaining connections, but I may not always have the capacity to respond to every message immediately.
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