LinkedIn is still one of the most underrated social networks around. Twitter, G+, and Facebook get a lot of attention in the media and in the tech world. LinkedIn can be as useful for bloggers. LinkedIn can not only help bloggers connect with other professionals, it can be used to develop post ideas too. Here are 8 ways to use LinkedIn to expand your blogging business:
- Connect with other pros: networking in the blogging world is much easier these days thanks to tools such as LinkedIn and MeetUp. There is no reason you should not connect with your favorite tweeps and Facebook fans on LinkedIn. Reaching out to other professionals in your field is a good idea too.
- Join LinkedIn groups: there are a ton of groups available on LinkedIn. These groups can be used to share your ideas, learn new things, and even promote your blog. You do want to take your time to provide some value to other group members to get the most out of your efforts.
- Ask and answer questions: answering questions on LinkedIn can get your profile and the sites you have listed on it more attention. Are you stuck with a problem? There is no reason not to ask for advice from other professionals in your field.
- Build up your credibility: some folks assume that if they call themselves a “guru” enough times, people will believe them. You may be able to fool some folks with that approach. By answering other people’s questions and sharing your great content on LinkedIn, you can build yourself up as a real “guru” and gain the respect of your community.
- Share your content: LinkedIn gives you multiple ways to share your content with others. You can always link your blog’s RSS feed to your profile. Sharing your top articles in your timeline is not a bad way to get them more attention. The sky’s the limit here.
- Mine for product and blog ideas: by looking at what people are asking and what issues they are dealing with, bloggers can easily come up with new product and blog ideas. You’d be surprised to see how many people have had success with this approach.
- Look for partners: looking for people to bring on-board to help you take your blog to the next level? The LinkedIn community is a great place to start your search for the right people. You can use it to hire people, find JV partners and even affiliates.
- Keep up with news: tools such as LinkedIn Today make it so easy for LinkedIn users to keep up with the latest news going on in their industry. It is always nice to know what other users are reading and sharing.
LinkedIn may not have as many members as Twitter and Facebook. But it is a superb community and can offer bloggers a lot of value. It should be a part of your social media strategy.