LinkedIn is more than just a place to maintain your professional network and look for job opportunities. It also enables you to discover relevant events happening in your local area or industry. Attending events is a great way to expand your professional network, gain new skills, and raise your personal profile. LinkedIn makes it simple to find upcoming events, register to attend, and connect with other attendees. In this article, we’ll walk through how to use LinkedIn to find the right events for you and get the most out of your event experience.
Finding Upcoming Events on LinkedIn
LinkedIn offers a few different ways to find events you can attend. Here are some tips on discovering events relevant to you:
Search for Events
The easiest way to find events is to use LinkedIn’s search bar. Simply type in relevant keywords like a topic, skill, or industry. For example, you might search for “marketing events” or “project management training.” LinkedIn will display upcoming events related to your search terms. You can further filter results by location, date range, type of event, and more.
Browse Event Categories
Instead of using keywords, you can directly browse LinkedIn’s pre-defined event categories. Go to the Events page and you’ll see categories like Conferences, Seminars, Trade Shows, Networking Events, and more. Browse different categories to discover relevant professional events.
Check Company Pages
Often times companies will promote events they are hosting or participating in on their Company Pages. Go directly to the Company Pages of organizations you’re interested in to look for event listings on their page. This is a great way to find out about smaller local events.
Follow Companies, Schools, and Groups
When you follow companies, schools, or groups on LinkedIn, you’ll see their event postings in your feed. It’s an easy way to stay on top of events hosted or promoted by those organizations. Check their feed regularly for upcoming events.
See Recommendations
LinkedIn uses your profile, interests, location and network to recommend relevant events for you. Keep an eye out for the “Events recommended for you” section on your homepage. LinkedIn’s algorithm will suggest professional events happening nearby that it thinks you’ll be interested in.
Researching an Event on LinkedIn
Once you’ve discovered an event you want to attend, you can use LinkedIn to dig deeper before registering. Researching an event’s details and attendees can help you determine if it will truly be worth your time and effort to attend. Here’s how to vet an event on LinkedIn:
Check the Event Page
Every LinkedIn event will have its own Event Page with details like date, time, location, agenda, speaker list, organizing company, and more. Review the full Event Page carefully to understand what the event is about and whether it aligns with your goals.
Look at Past Events
For recurring events, check past occurrences of the same event by clicking “Past Events” on the Event Page. This gives you more context through photos, videos and comments from past attendees. You may also recognize some of the past speakers or attendees.
See Who’s Registered
LinkedIn allows you to see a list of other people registered for the event. Browse this list to see if any colleagues, friends or industry leaders you admire are attending. Having relevant contacts at the event makes it more worthwhile to attend.
Join the Event’s Group
Many LinkedIn events have associated Groups you can join to connect with other attendees before, during and after the event. Join the Group to introduce yourself and engage with others interested in the same event.
Follow the Organizer
Research the LinkedIn Company Page or personal profile of the person/organization hosting the event. Following them keeps you informed about this and future events. Their Page may also give insight into the quality and relevance of the event.
Registering for Events on LinkedIn
Once you’ve identified an event you want to attend, registration is simple. Here are some tips for signing up seamlessly:
Reserve Your Spot
Most LinkedIn events allow you to reserve a free spot instantly with just 1-click. Simply scroll down the Event Page and click “Reserve spot” then confirm. You can now easily manage or cancel your spot.
Connect Your Calendar
When reserving your event spot, check the box to add it directly to your calendar (Google, iCal, Office365, etc). This automatically blocks off time on your calendar and syncs event details and reminders.
Invite Friends
Help spread the word by inviting connections to register for the event too. On the Event Page use the “Invite” feature to select connections and message them inviting them to the event.
Join as a Group
If you want to attend with colleagues or friends, you can join an event as a Group. One member registers and then sends a Group invitation to other connections to join together.
Set Event Alerts
Using LinkedIn’s alert settings, you can receive reminder emails leading up to the event. Set alerts for 1 week before, 1 day before, 1 hour before, etc. so you don’t forget.
Getting the Most from Attending Events
Now that you know how to find and register for events on LinkedIn, here are some final tips for making the most of your event experience:
Connect with Speakers and Organizers
Identify key speakers and organizers of the event you want to connect with. Send them an invite asking to meet up at the event to network. Or engage with their content before the event to start a dialogue.
Engage with Other Attendees
Join the event’s LinkedIn Group ahead of time to connect with others attending. Arrange meetups or identify shared interests/goals with other attendees before you even arrive.
Craft a Quality Profile
Update your LinkedIn profile to showcase your background and experience before the event. Other attendees may check you out online after meeting you.
Follow Up Afterwards
After meeting new contacts at the event, follow up by sending them a LinkedIn invite and message referencing where you met. Nurture new relationships generated at the event.
Provide Event Feedback
Offer the event organizer constructive feedback about your experience at the event. This helps them improve, and they will appreciate your engaged feedback.
Conclusion
LinkedIn provides a powerful platform for discovering upcoming professional events aligned with your interests, goals, and location. With LinkedIn you can easily research events, register, connect with other attendees, and follow up to build your network. Implementing the best practices in this article will help you master event discovery and networking on LinkedIn. The connections you make and knowledge you gain at LinkedIn events can be truly invaluable throughout your career journey.
