12 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Networking Skills
Networking on LinkedIn can be a game-changer for professionals, and to get the inside scoop, we’ve gathered twelve top strategies from CEOs, Founders, and Directors. From leveraging LinkedIn’s own features to using a conversational tone in posts, these experts provide actionable tips to enhance your LinkedIn networking prowess.
- Proactively Leverage LinkedIn Features
- Host and Join LinkedIn Audio Events
- Update Profile and Support Others
- Cultivate Authentic Interactions
- Include a Personal Profile Photo
- Provide Value and Build Relationships
- Follow Up After Connection Requests
- Personalize Your Connection Requests
- Engage Genuinely and Consistently
- Actively Engage with Industry Content
- Build Genuine Relationships
- Use a Conversational Tone in Posts
Proactively Leverage LinkedIn Features
Like any other tool, LinkedIn will work to the extent that you use it and leverage all of its features. You have to be proactive. Don’t wait for others to contact you.
Determine what type of person would be meaningful for you to connect with and seek them out to start a conversation. Are you in a job search? Connect with people at companies you’re interested in. Maybe you’re a business owner? Identify your ideal customer and start building relationships.
With all connections, make sure to include a short, personalized note to avoid the perception that you are spamming large groups of people without a true purpose for connecting.
Lorraine Rise
CEO / Career Coach, Career UpRising
Host and Join LinkedIn Audio Events
If you’re someone trying to improve your networking skills, join LinkedIn Audio events that are in your industry, and consider creating your own. Contributing to and facilitating conversations not only positions you as a thought leader but also gets you more comfortable with speaking online and in real life.
Crystle Johnson
Founder, Design Your Soft Life
Update Profile and Support Others
Get clear about the type of people you would like to network with; think job title, organization, industry, etc., and what pain points they are experiencing that you could help them with. Before you do this, you need to ensure that your profile is up to date and reflects exactly how you can help them. Be a cheerleader and support their posts, offering advice where you can.
Jane Ferré
Talent Management Strategist, Jane Ferré Coaching
Cultivate Authentic Interactions
To elevate your LinkedIn networking, infuse authenticity into every interaction. Start by personalizing your connection requests to show genuine interest in the individuals you’re reaching out to.
Engage with their content regularly by commenting meaningful insights, which demonstrates your active presence and investment in the relationship. Make an effort to share valuable content that adds to conversations and showcases your expertise without overshadowing others.
Remember to message your connections with updates or articles that align with their interests or could benefit their professional growth. This approach transforms networking from a numbers game to a community of mutual growth and support. Above all, patience and persistence are key; meaningful connections take time to develop.
Valentin Radu
CEO & Founder, Blogger, Speaker, Podcaster, Omniconvert
Include a Personal Profile Photo
Make sure to include a photo of yourself in your profile. Don’t worry too much about it being a professional headshot. If you can afford to get one, then get one; but if all you have is a cropped selfie, that will work.
It’s more important that people see your face, making it easier to connect with you on LinkedIn. And if that connection leads to an online or face-to-face meeting, they’ll already know who you are from that profile photo.
Roberto Torres
Owner, The Local Marketer
Provide Value and Build Relationships
Focus on providing value first. Share insights. Make introductions. Build real relationships before selling anything. Authenticity is key. Treat LinkedIn connections like in-person professional contacts. Invest the time to truly connect.
Casey Jones
Founder, Head of Marketing, CJ&CO
Follow Up After Connection Requests
Are you adding a note to your connection requests but still not hearing back from someone, even if they accept your request? It’s not always obvious to the recipient that you’ve sent that little message along with your connection request. So, even if you felt like it was perfectly written, don’t take it personally if you don’t hear from them.
The good news is that if they accepted your request, now you can follow up with a direct message through LinkedIn. You can restate what was in your connection note, but you’re no longer character-limited, so feel free to expand a bit more on who you are and why you’re reaching out to them.
And if they still don’t respond to that DM, click the “contact info” button on their profile headline box. Many users allow their connections to see an email address, so you could always reach out that way (just remind them that you connected on LinkedIn and that’s how you found their email).
Pat Fligge
Director of Temple Professional Network, Temple University
Personalize Your Connection Requests
One effective strategy to improve LinkedIn networking is to personalize your connection requests. Instead of using the default connection message, take a moment to write a brief note explaining who you are and why you would like to connect. This personal touch can significantly increase the likelihood of your request being accepted.
Reference a specific detail that shows you have a genuine interest in them, such as a recent article they wrote or a project they’ve worked on. This shows that you are not just building connections for the sake of numbers but are genuinely interested in forming a professional relationship.
Once connected, keep the conversation going by sending a follow-up message thanking them for accepting your connection and suggesting a small action, like checking out a particular piece of content you’ve created or asking a question about their expertise. This shows appreciation and sets the stage for ongoing interaction, turning a new connection into a potential long-term professional relationship. Networking on LinkedIn is about quality and meaningful interactions, not just quantity.
Vaibhav Kakkar
CEO, Digital Web Solutions
Engage Genuinely and Consistently
I’ve had ample opportunities to explore and refine strategies on LinkedIn that enhance networking and build meaningful professional relationships. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for business growth and networking when used strategically. Here is one unique tip that can significantly improve your LinkedIn networking skills:
Engage genuinely and consistently. Don’t just connect with people and disappear; stay active by commenting thoughtfully on posts, sharing relevant content that adds value to your connections, and participating in groups within your industry. These activities increase your visibility and credibility, making others more likely to engage with you in meaningful ways.
It’s also beneficial to share your own experiences and insights through articles or regular posts on LinkedIn, which establishes your thought leadership and invites conversation. Furthermore, initiating discussions by asking questions or proposing ideas can spark engagement, fostering a dynamic exchange that reinforces your network relationships and enhances your profile’s activity level, which in turn boosts your visibility on the platform.
Jason Hennessey
CEO, Hennessey Digital
Actively Engage with Industry Content
A highly effective tip for improving LinkedIn networking skills is to actively engage with the content posted by your connections and industry influencers. This means more than just liking posts; it involves leaving thoughtful comments, sharing insights, and even posting questions that invite further discussion. This strategy helps to elevate your visibility on the platform, as engaging with content consistently puts your name and profile in front of your connections more frequently.
For example, if you consistently comment on posts by a prominent figure in your industry, not only do you get noticed by them, but also by their network. This can lead to meaningful interactions and potentially open doors to new opportunities.
Over time, this active participation helps establish you as a knowledgeable and engaged professional in your field, making others more likely to reach out for advice, collaborations, or job opportunities. This approach transforms passive LinkedIn connections into active professional relationships, enhancing the value of your network.
Bruno Gavino
Founder, CEO, CodeDesign
Build Genuine Relationships
We are a marketing agency that frequently leverages LinkedIn for networking and brand growth, so we’ve discovered several effective strategies for enhancing LinkedIn networking skills. Here is one tip that can significantly improve your networking effectiveness on the platform:
Focus on building genuine relationships rather than just increasing your number of connections. Start by engaging with your existing network through meaningful comments on their posts and sharing relevant content that adds value.
Personalize your outreach messages by mentioning specific details that show you’ve taken the time to understand their profile or company. This approach helps establish a foundation of trust and mutual respect, which is essential for meaningful professional relationships.
Additionally, aim to provide support by sharing opportunities, introductions, and resources that might benefit your connections without expecting anything in return. This generosity fosters a positive reputation and encourages others to reciprocate, further strengthening your network and enhancing your influence on LinkedIn.
Marc Bishop
Director, Wytlabs
Use a Conversational Tone in Posts
Many people tend to write unnaturally formal or academic language when writing LinkedIn posts. This can be counterproductive, as a more conversational and friendly tone is likely to reach more people, elicit more comments, and build your network. So, when you’re sharing an update or an insight, frame your post as authentically and naturally as possible.
Before you post it, ask yourself whether the post reflects your unique voice, style, and tone of communication. There’s a plethora of mediocre self-promotional content on LinkedIn, and the only way to stand apart is to build your authentic voice.
Rob Clegg
Senior Content Manager, Exclaimer
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