April 14th, 2010 by Dan

LinkedIn is one in a long list of social networking tools that has gained favour among webmasters and SEO services. SEO has become a generic term for all aspects of internet marketing, i.e. getting high rankings, and transferring these into successful conversion figures. One of the best link building strategies there is is to get a profile on one or more social networking sites.

LinkedIn is relatively little known to those without a commercial interest in social networking, but in fact it has been around for a while. Sites like Twitter and MySpace are all well and good, but if you’re looking for a social media site geared towards professionals, LinkedIn is the one to join. It’s equally suited to the online webmaster or the company employee, and is the ideal place to gain professional kudos and business networking links. Most important of all, unlike overcrowded sites like MySpace, it’s straightforward enough for even the most novice of SMM newcomers.

If your social media marketing aim is to fill noisy, video-streaming media sites with as much linkbait to your products as possible, then you’re barking up the wrong tree with LinkedIn. LinkedIn isn’t like other social networking sites. It doesn’t have the streaming video allure of YouTube and MySpace. It doesn’t have the social news appeal of Digg. It certainly doesn’t have the instant micro blogging appeal of Twitter. But if you tell yourself that the only reason you’re not heading into the City each day to do business is because no company there is good enough to deserve you, then LinkedIn should definitely form part of your internet marketing plan.

So, if LinkedIn isn’t a public link building site, what use is it to you, as an internet entrepreneur who relies on links for business? The answer is a great deal, if you’re prepared to act as a professional. It gives you valuable links to other professionals and opens doors into new areas of commerce, conferences and real-life business meetings, for example. It’s of particular use to those whose site relies on an academic background, rather than hard-pushing sales techniques (i.e. service, rather than retail).

To create linkability on LinkedIn, you first need to build a professional profile page. It’s the first place people go to find out if your site is worth linking to. Use it to build a portfolio, listing recent projects and skills, and make sure it’s updated regularly. List your educational qualifications, and use your status box to detail professional achievements or ground-breaking news. This is where you can post links to press releases, but remember that you’re not on Twitter.

LinkedIn is an excellent way to manage your contacts. However, it’s still not that widely known, so don’t assume all your former colleagues and B2B contacts are going to be there. Once you’re a member, cast the net wide and add as many people as you can to your network.

Internet marketing means professional, as well as public recognition. Whether you’re an SEO company or simply someone who uses their services, remember, there’s no better way to gain a positive reputation than by joining a peer group.

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