If ever there was a time to get serious about LinkedIn, it’s now. It’s the most trusted social network in the US, and the platform saw a 55% increase in conversations over the course of 2020. What’s more, 4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn drive business decisions.
So, how can we become more visible on the platform? LinkedIn gives every user a Social Selling Index score (SSI for short). It’s a ranking based on how well you communicate your personal brand, build relationships, find the right people and engage with insights. You can find your SSI score here.
A good SSI score is anything over 60. Anything less than that, and you’ll see your account become penalised with less views and exposure on your content.
Based on LinkedIn’s algorithm, we’ve rounded up 4 simple areas that you can target to improve your score this year.
1. Establish your brand
- Complete your profile. It’s important that you have all the basics covered, from profile picture and headline to summary and experience.
- Post relevant content. Start sharing relevant articles, projects and insights with your community. It might feel a bit like a broadcast at first, but if you identify a few areas you’re passionate about, you’ll soon find yourself with lots of content ideas you can post.
- Ask connections for endorsements. Having feedback from people who’ve previously worked with you is always going to reassure employers. Make sure you invite your references to add endorsements – and be generous about giving them to others too!
2. Find the right people
- Grow your connections. LinkedIn is a networking community – it’s built for you to grow your connections. So reach out to people who are currently 2nd degree connections and see if you can get the conversation started.
- Join groups. Find like minded people. Connecting with others from the Dweet Community is a great place to start.
- Engage with others. When someone views your profile, reach out to them and make the connection.
3. Engage with insights
- Check your analytics. Insights will be limited unless you have a premium account.
- Interact with your network’s content. Engagement is a two way street. Make sure you like, comment and share links on your connections’ posts too. LinkedIn will boost your profile and you’ll strengthen your working relationships too.
4. Build relationships
- Strengthen existing connections. Referrals are a key part of LinkedIn – people prefer to work with people who they’ve been introduced to by someone they know. So regular check-ins with your connections over time is always going to boost your score.
- Engage with decision makers. Make sure you’re not just engaging with your peers, but also with those who are further along in their journey. You’ll also benefit from hearing about their experiences and gaining insights into their working life.
For more insights on how to boost your visibility and develop your independent career, follow us on LinkedIn and join our community.