Social media is not just about Facebook and Twitter, networks like LinkedIn are equally strong in their own niche. LinkedIn happens to be the most popular social media network in the “professional” world. Anybody trying to connect with the right people in their industry can use LinkedIn to socialize.
What many bloggers fail to realize is the fact that LinkedIn is also a great way to drive targeted traffic. It’s a social network where building real-world relationships can be done through sharing your expertise. This activity could lead to more exposure to your own blog or site.
Before you start wondering how exactly you can leverage LinkedIn for this purpose, let me give you a few working tips that you can apply right away:
1) Have a relevant profile: First and foremost you should try to make your LinkedIn profile more relevant, approachable and interesting. Don’t make it read like a boring resume. Your profile on LinkedIn should offer a strong introduction to your online goals and what you seek to achieve. The credentials/experience that you display in your profile have to be relevant to your blog’s subject and content.
2) Leverage LinkedIn Answers: The good thing about LinkedIn is that it gives professionals a platform to interact in the best possible way. LinkedIn Answers for example is a great feature when it comes to showcasing your expertise. By helping others who ask questions related to your blog’s topic, you’ll be able to build an authority and thus drive back traffic to your blog.
3) Make your mark with LinkedIn Groups: The best way to make an impact on others is to become an active part of your target community and contribute to it. LinkedIn Groups are a great way to do that since they’re highly active. You can either join existing groups with your target audience or go ahead and start your own group if you can’t find a relevant one. The point is to start and nurture relationships with others who would be interested in your blog’s content.
4) Add value with your best blog content: Now LinkedIn is not the place to spam. That’s the last thing that should be on your mind. But that doesn’t mean you cannot give more value to your audience hanging out on the social network. If you’ve got superstar blog content that will make a difference, don’t be afraid to share it. Don’t overdo it though because again, you don’t want to be confused for a spammer. If your blog’s content is truly awesome, you’ll find that the little traffic that LinkedIn brings you will snowball into something much bigger overtime.
5) Use automation for best results: With LinkedIn automated features, you can get more involved into the site’s social scene. You can have links to blog posts posted into a group you belong to whenever you publish new content. This helps you bring in direct and relevant traffic to your blog. You should also ensure you’re signed up for email “status updates” to keep an eye on your connections so that you can join into ongoing conversations and build better relationships.
Have you tried getting blog traffic with LinkedIn? If yes, then we’d love to hear about it! Do share your experience in the comments below.
