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Archive for the ‘LinkedIn’ Category

Visualize Your LinkedIn Network

February 24th, 2011 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn | No Comments »

Social media and networking are no longer just about status updates and sharing information. These days people are just as concerned about visualizing their contacts and connections as they are about hearing what they’re up to.

Twitter has many of its own visualization tools – like Twiangulate and MentionMap. Now, LinkedIn has joined in on the visualization fun by developing what they call InMaps.

If you’ve ever wondered what your personal network looks like – now you can see it. In January, LinkedIn launched InMaps as an experimental project that lets users visualize the connections within their business networks. InMaps technology filters through a users connections to see how everyone knows each other – and then groups people together into network clusters based on their associations.

InMaps can basically shed light on who the major connections and influencers are in your network. People with bigger dots and larger fonts have more connections – and typically more influence.

This application will no doubt help business executives branch out and raise their profiles within certain network clusters. With the help of InMaps, you can make targeted recommendations based on the most influential people identified.

Check it out and see what InMaps reveals about your own business network. What you see may surprise you.

 Tags: linkedin inmap, visualize linkedin, visualize linkedin connections

LinkedIn Groups: Glitches Get Fixed – Sort Of

September 29th, 2010 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn | Comments Off

It’s no secret that LinkedIn revamped its Groups section over the summer. Among some of the changes LinkedIn rolled out include:

- An ability to track contributions to a story or discussion.

- A revolving carousel of stories which gives users a new way to browse and participate in the most popular discussions.

- A new box that highlights the “top influencers” of a group, which is based who contributes to discussions.

- A “like” or “pass” button.

Based on these features, it may seem that LinkedIn Groups is now more of a popularity contest than a place to share and exchange. But people are digging the whole social network vibe. They really, really are.

LinkedIn says its new interface has already significantly increased member participation – a number they measure by user comments and visits to Groups. LinkedIn says it was also listening this summer to several complaints about how the new features effect users’ abilities to moderate – or lack thereof. So, now, in true LinkedIn style – the site has presented its first set of improvements. And while, they won’t fix some of the other common complaints – such as speed – they do make life easier for moderators. Here are the highlights.

1. Delete threads directly. Moderators can fight spam by simply deleting inappropriate content from the “More” tap on any groups’ thread.

2. New email notifications. Sure, email notifications are not new, but now group managers can get email alerts for every new post and DELETE SPAM and INAPPROPRIATE POSTS straight from those emails!

3. Find other users to help moderate. Group managers don’t have to take on the work of moderating the group alone. They can now deputize trusted members to help moderate.

4. Encourage others to flag inappropriate content. All users can help weed out spam and inappropriate content by flagging. All posts and comments flagged as inappropriate are then added to the group managers’ new moderation queue. In one swift move, they can delete or clear flags from posts as well as blacklist spammers with the powerful “remove member, block & delete contributions” button.

While the new LinkedIn Groups may look like a three-ring circus compared to the old version, it has improved the quality of conversations and it works very much like a social network. But, LinkedIn says this is just the first in a series of improvements. Perhaps the best is yet to come…

 Tags: changes LinkedIn, common complaints, glitches, improvements, inappropriate posts, linkedin groups, new features, new interface

LinkedIn for BlackBerry is Missing Something

April 7th, 2010 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn | No Comments »

Apple iPhone’s red-headed stepchild, BlackBerry, is sportin’ a new application.

LinkedIn for BlackBerry is out and it’s loaded with all sorts of modules and integration features – BUT it’s missing something, something very important.

First, the good.

BlackBerry users have been waiting anxiously for this LinkedIn app for quite some time and when it was unveiled, the big “Ta-Da” generated a lot of buzz  from bloggers on Twitter.

“It’s here, it’s here!”… some of them wrote. But after really examining the app, their bubble burst. Alas LinkedIn for BlackBerry is not as feature-rich as LinkedIn for iPhone. (And why would it? BlackBerry apps are never as good as the iPhone’s.)

The app is divided into six key modules: Network Updates, Search, Connections, Invitations, Messages and Reconnect – all of which are pretty self-explanatory.

In addition to the six modules, LinkedIn has also gone ahead and integrated the app with three of BlackBerry’s native apps: Contacts, Messages and Calendar.

1. Contacts: Take your LinkedIn connections and drop them directly into your BlackBerry contacts. This gives you quick access to the LinkedIn profiles of your business associates.

2. Messages: LinkedIn messages appear directly in your BlackBerry Inbox as if they were e-mails.

3. Calendar: If an attendee of an event on your calendar has a LinkedIn profile, you can quickly pull it up.

That, by far, is probably the coolest feature and the app’s greatest strength.

Now, here’s the downside and it’s a BIG downside.

The application is missing a module that allows users to interact with LinkedIn Groups.

To me, Groups is one of the most important components of LinkedIn. It’s where users interact, engage each other, and establish new connections. It’s where I spend most of my time. I don’t spend time browsing my connections. And, I certainly don’t read the network updates. They’re all spill-overs from Twitter anyway.

The other hitch with this new LinkedIn for BlackBerry application is its software and hardware limitations. You’re going to need a BlackBerry Tour, Curve or Bold with BlackBerry OS v4.3 or later in order to really operate it.

Yes, I’m disappointed about this app. I had high hopes for it too. But, as it stands, it’s just taking up precious space on my BlackBerry.

Delete app!

 Tags: blackberry application, linkedin application, linkedin for blackberry, linkedin groups

7 Ways To Get The Most Out Of LinkedIn

November 11th, 2009 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn | No Comments »

Have you checked your LinkedIn account lately?

I haven’t – and chances are you haven’t in quite some time.

What has long been considered the social networking site for professionals, is now losing steam to sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Facebook status updates are now riddled with sale pitches and blog posts.

And, Twitter updates – well, we ALL know what they look like.

Unfortunately, with the Facebook and Twitter fad – numerous LinkedIn accounts have gone untouched.

Let’s end the neglect!

While it may not be as dynamic, LinkedIn can provide a lot of value – if used correctly.

So whether you’re new to LinkedIn or ready to reconnect, human resources consultant Sharlyn Lauby presents these strategies to help you get the most out of LinkedIn.

1. Include a photo avatar.

Some media reports claim that because organizations can use any criteria they want to make hiring decisions, photo avatars provide companies with information they may not have otherwise known about you based on a resume alone and could actually hurt you more than help. But, not including a photo with a social networking profile flies in the face of conventional wisdom when your goal is to build relationships and community.

2. Build your network of connections.

While we might be inclined to say quality is better than quantity, it could be possible that the number of connections you have says something about you. Greg Koutsis, corporate and international channel recruiter for Aplicor LLC, says, “if someone has 20-50+ connections then I know they probably check LinkedIn at least once a week. If someone has 1-19 then I realize they probably either haven’t begun to pop the hood and look inside or gotten past the initial threshold of their friends, family and past colleagues. They might be a great prospect for me to reach out to but this might not be the best use of my time. This combined with the profile they have listed lets me realize quickly if I am wasting my time with someone who has no interest or trust in LinkedIn.”

3. Use status updates to your advantage.

The one space where you can keep your connections informed is the status updates section.

Lori Burke, director of human resources at Neighborhood America, explains that updates are not only an interesting read, but very valuable. “I’ve found new networking groups I may not have thought about. Additionally, it allows me to learn what others are involved with or in, who they may be connected to, etc. In total, it widens the scope of knowledge for me.”

4. Seek meaningful recommendations.

A terrific feature of LinkedIn is the ability to provide recommendations. This is a place for your connections to comment about your work. Recommendations can be thought of as beefed up thank you cards. Instead of telling one person how you feel, you’re telling the world that person does good work.

5. Optimize your profile.

Your LinkedIn profile should not just be an online version of your resume, optimizing for search engines is key. The format of your LinkedIn profile might depend on whether you are currently employed and whether or not you are seeking new opportunities. If you are looking for a new position then you might want your profile to look more like a resume, but maybe not so much if  you are currently employed.

6. Use groups to expand your reach.

Groups are a beneficial networking tool and a great way to expand your network.

Today’s rule of thumb should be that anything you post in an online profile may as well be listed on your resume or bio. If you belong to a LinkedIn group that is inconsistent with the business image you wish to portray, then that could be a challenge for you.

7. Consider whether to link your profiles.

Burke believes that accounts should be kept separate. “I believe that this strategy allows me to keep my professional personae separate from my personal. Case in point was the one time I posted a social media article to both applications. My Facebook family and friends found the information of little value to them and I believe the same may be true in reverse. However, I will post general information about me (i.e., speaking engagements) with both networks. In essence, it depends on the content,” she says.

On the other hand, Lance Haun, vice president of outreach at MeritBuilder, explains that LinkedIn is “a snapshot of your life at the time you updated your profile so including Twitter, Facebook, or a blog helps to add living context to your profile.” With the lines between work and life being blurred, posting something business related at 1:00 PM and a picture of a cat at 1:00 AM helps “bring the picture of a person together completely.”

In the end, Koutsis asks, “if people see no reason after viewing your profile to connect with you, then why did you reach out to them in the first place?” The most important thing we can do is create a complete and compelling profile. Because the bottom line is the value proposition you propose when you try to connect with someone on LinkedIn.

 Tags: linkedin connections, linkedin strategies, linkedin tips, linkedin value

Small Business Blogs, LinkedIn Generate Leads

August 7th, 2009 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn, Small Business, Twitter | 1 Comment »

Here’s more proof that social media CAN work for small business.

According to a new DemandGen Report of business-to-business marketers, business professionals claim social networks are a powerful source for driving leads.

So which are the top social media channels?

Leading the pack was, of course, LinkedIn (58%), followed by company blogs (36%). Surprisingly, Twitter came in third at 31%.

Sites like Facebook (17%) were found to be basically useless – and MySpace wasn’t even on the radar.

More nitty-gritty:

- Small business users say they’ve generated 10 to 15% new leads using social media
- Other small business departments joining the social network fray include: Sales – 41%; Product Management – 21%; Engineering – 13%.
- Top 3 most useful social media tactics: Joining industry groups – 25%; Starting conversation threads – 25%; Answer questions, participating in forums – 23%.

If you have the time, and a little know-how, social media can help ramp up a small business.

Look into lead generation on LinkedIn.

Send out some tweets.

Post to a blog.

It’s all about sharing your brand and spreading the word – just make sure to leave out the sales pitch.

No one wants to read that.  No one.

 Tags: business to business marketing, small business blogs, small business linkedin, small business twitter, social media marketing