Grow your LinkedIn Following

LinkedIn is an American company that was launched on the 5th of May in 2003. The company is patented by none other than Microsoft and is headquartered in Sunnyvale California in the United States of America.

LinkedIn is a social network and therefore falls in the same category as Facebook, Instagram etc. However, the main aspect that sets LinkedIn apart from the rest is the fact that it is career oriented; i.e. it is mainly used for gaining exposure in your professional field, putting your ideas on the map and looking and applying for jobs.

LinkedIn is the perfect platform for those aspiring for greatness and for companies that have already been well-established. Naturally, as with any other social network, people vie to be seen and heard, and therefore make use of the resources at their disposal to gain a following. This is where a lot of users have trouble however.

Why Strive for Followers?

The entire point of using a social network is to be, you guessed it, social. Posting content and updates are to let your friends, followers etc know how you are, where you are, how your life is etc. This helps one stay in touch with their family and friends without having to have a mandatory call that just ends up being awkward because there isn’t a lot to talk about. When it comes to LinkedIn however, friends – or in LinkedIn’s case ‘connections’ – are even more important. The whole point of posting your ideas, job opportunities, about your company is so that people see it and reach out to you and your post leads to a professional relationship where everyone benefits. Without an adequate number of followers on your LinkedIn profile, your ideas and all the things that you have to offer, would simply go unnoticed. It is quite a task to gain followers on LinkedIn or any social network for that matter. There are however, different ways to go about putting yourself on the map.

How to Gain Followers

It is of paramount importance though, to become seen so that you or your business can truly thrive. Surrounded by aspiring writers, musicians, artists, businessmen all trying to scream why they are worth it at the top of their lungs, it can become very easy to feel drowned out. Luckily, there are ways to adopt and steps that can be taken to stand out from the crowd.

Build Your Profile

The first step of course to becoming recognized on LinkedIn is to have a profile that speaks volumes and is truly attractive. The main thing to do here, is of course, to gain experience in the real world. Look for jobs, internships, extra-curriculars, anything you can really; explore your own interests and add skills to your repertoire. Then it comes time to set-up your profile. With the hard part out of the way – adding more to your arsenal of skills – the times comes to present them fully and to let others know that you are accomplished. Add your skills to your profile on LinkedIn and make sure to really highlight the skills that you are particularly proud of or consider really important. With an attractive profile you are bound to get more clicks on it than you would with only a sub-par profile.

Join LinkedIn Groups

Like on any other social network, LinkedIn provides you with the option of forming or joining groups. This option can act as one of the gateways to becoming recognized if made use of to the fullest. Groups are where it’s at, meaning that groups are the place where you can befriend peers, brainstorm, throw ideas off one another and basically cement your identity. It is a wonderful idea to join and take part in groups and group discussions. Find groups that are relevant to the field you operate in and join them. You can even start a group of your own and launch your own discussions. The number of participants of the group are basically almost guaranteed to look at, at least some of what you have to say. You can use this feature however you want; i.e. you can promote your company, you can talk about your experience or you can talk about your interests. Groups are a great way to form and build new connections which can end up being of great use.

Make use of Visual Aids

You’ve probably heard a handful of people complaining about a book being boring because it has no pictures. This is a simple rule that can go a long way in helping you maintain the following that you’ve built. It is of utmost significance to ensure that your posts are aesthetically pleasing. No one wants to read big chunks of text because it is simply not eye-catching. Not only is it not eye-catching, but rather it deters them from even giving your content much of a chance because it may show to them that you are not invested enough in the work that you are doing. One way of ensuring that your content is aesthetically pleasing is by making use of visual aids such as pictures. Pictures not only help attract the attention of the reader but they can also be really useful in conveying the message you are trying to send and it can help others better understand what you are trying to say.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is one of many social networks on the internet. What sets it apart is the fact that it is to be used for professional purposes. In the age of technology, it is an excellent way to build an audience and a following and to let the world know what you believe in. The key to having more followers on LinkedIn, is obviously to just put in the work. If you post content regularly about the things you care about, engage in discussions and use all the means you have to promote your profile, you will surely make it to the top.