LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professionals. It allows you to connect with other like-minded people and learn more about their work and accomplishments, as well as share your own.
LinkedIn can be an excellent way to bolster your resume or make connections that could lead to new opportunities in the future.
However, there are also some mistakes that many newcomers make which should be avoided at all costs!
In this blog post, we will cover 5 such mistakes so you can avoid making them yourself.
Poor Profile Picture
First impressions are important, and this is no different on LinkedIn.
When you first sign up for an account, your profile picture will be the very first thing people see when they visit your page, so it’s essential that it makes a good impression right from the start!
It should be: A) Clear B) Professional C) Something you’re happy to have associated with yourself for a long time and D) Not too distant from your actual appearance (because let’s face it, we all look different in real life than our profile pictures).
If you don’t already have one of these four criteria met, then now is the time to fix that before your account becomes more popular.
Bad Profile Details
It’s also important that you fill out your profile details to the best of your ability.
The headline, summary, and specialties sections are where people will decide whether or not they want to get in touch with you, so it’s essential that these are both accurate and interesting!
You can find some inspiration for writing a good summary here.
In addition to this, don’t forget about uploading a professional-looking picture for your cover photo as well!
Another mistake that some people make is to include their personal mobile number on their public profile, which any can see of the millions of users who have access to LinkedIn worldwide. Make sure you change these settings to either a custom URL or only visible to people with who you’ve connected before.
Using Default Message Invitations
When you invite someone to connect, it is polite and courteous to inform them why you’d want to do so, even if you’ve just met them – a quick note expressing thanks for their time and encouraging them to stay in touch will go a long way toward building a positive connection.
However, it’s important to avoid leaving the default message, which is something along the lines of “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”
Firstly, this doesn’t tell them why they should accept your invitation and secondly, well who wants to be added as a connection just for saying ‘hello’?
It can feel a little bit intrusive and impersonal, so just take a few moments to compose a personal message instead.
Not Adding People To Your Network
It makes no sense to only connect with people you know if the objective is simply to meet new people, and it makes no sense to go to a networking event and solely communicate with individuals you already know!
In order to grow your network on LinkedIn, you need to add people who are worth connecting with and whose work is relevant.
This means adding fellow professionals in the industry or companies that may be of interest while also encouraging them to connect further by leaving a personal note!
Sharing Sales Pitches Everywhere
It’s perfectly fine to share articles that are relevant and interesting on LinkedIn, but if you’re only posting about your own work or products, then people will stop following you very quickly.
Keeping this in mind, it is also important not to overdo the sales pitches!
You can sprinkle these into your posts sparingly so they look less like advertisements, but if they make up more than half of your postings, then it’s likely time to stop.
The key is to strike a balance between offering helpful tips and useful information versus simply promoting yourself or your company!
Similarly, there are certain sections that LinkedIn has designated for specific purposes (such as groups), so be sure not to cross the line with these.
It’s important to have a personal branding strategy that works for you, but keep in mind what content is most effective and makes people want to engage further!
Conclusion:
So now you know what not to do on LinkedIn, but the most important thing is that you’re aware of how much work it takes to keep up a social media profile. It’s only as good as the time and effort you put into it!
