LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 750 million members worldwide. As a professional social media site, LinkedIn allows users to connect with others in their industry or related fields. One of the main benefits of LinkedIn is the ability to grow your professional network. But what is the actual power and value of LinkedIn connections? In this article, we’ll explore the ways LinkedIn connections can boost your career, increase opportunities, and enhance your professional brand. Whether you’re actively job searching, looking to be discovered for business opportunities, or want to strengthen your reputation – your LinkedIn connections matter.
The Size of Your Network Matters
On LinkedIn, size definitely matters when it comes to the number of connections you have. Some key advantages of having a large LinkedIn network include:
- Increased visibility – A bigger network means your profile and activity have further reach, which can lead to being discovered by recruiters and business contacts.
- Higher credibility – Lots of connections signify you’re well-connected and established in your industry.
- More opportunities – Access to the “friends of friends” network widens the pool of people you can connect with for job leads, business deals, partnerships, and investments.
In fact, according to LinkedIn, members with at least 301+ connections get up to 17x more profile views than members with less than 50 connections.
Ideal Number of Connections
While more is generally better, is there an ideal target to aim for? Industry experts often recommend 500+ connections as a minimum goal. 1,000 or more connections is even better.
Of course, it’s about quality not just quantity. But building a wider network boosts the chances of connecting with influential contacts. As your network grows, you gain social proof and credibility.
Get Recommendations to Stand Out
LinkedIn recommendations and endorsements allow you to gather credible testimonials to highlight your skills, expertise, and work ethic. Recommendations show you have the confidence and backing of professional contacts.
Here are some of the benefits of getting LinkedIn recommendations:
- Show you’re trusted and respected by colleagues
- Back up the claims on your resume
- Display your soft skills not just hard skills
- AddTo your credibility, especially useful when applying for jobs or business opportunities
When asking for a recommendation, make sure to customize the request and jog the memory of how you worked together. It’s best to target managers, colleagues, clients, business partners, or instructors who had lots of interaction with you and can speak to your strengths.
The more recommendations you have, the more reassurance it provides. Strive for at least 3 recommendations, but 5 or more is best.
Recommendation Examples
Here are two example LinkedIn recommendations showing specific, detailed testimonials:
John was my most talented software developer at Acme Inc. He consistently produced high-quality code and delivered projects ahead of schedule. John is especially skilled at understanding complex requirements and translating them into elegant technical solutions. He’s a creative problem-solver who improved our team’s processes. I would rehire John in a second.
As Jane’s marketing manager, I saw firsthand her exceptional skills. What stands out is her talent for creating viral social media campaigns on a tight budget. She actually increased our social media following by 30% in just six months through innovative contests and partnerships. Jane is also an excellent team motivator able to inspire quality work.
Get Endorsed for Key Skills
While less substantial than recommendations, LinkedIn endorsements still matter and add credibility. Endorsements allow your connections to vouch for your skills and expertise with just one click.
Here are some of the benefits of skill endorsements:
- Quickly showcase your strongest competencies
- Prove your skills are recognized by peers
- Attract opportunities related to those skill endorsements
- Rank higher in LinkedIn talent searches when endorsed for key skills
To get more endorsements, it helps to add all your applicable skills to your profile – at least 10 but ideally 15+ skills. You can then share skills when posting content to your network and endorse connections for their skills too.
Skill | # of Endorsements |
---|---|
Social Media Marketing | 25 |
Digital Strategy | 19 |
Content Marketing | 12 |
This table shows an example of someone’s top skill endorsements and number of endorsements received. Most recruiters agree at least 5 endorsements per skill looks solid.
Expand Your Network with Introductions
One of the most underused features on LinkedIn is requesting an introduction through a mutual connection. This allows you to expand your network by getting introduced to one of their contacts.
The great thing about an introduction made through someone you already know is that it comes with a built-in recommendation. This gives you instant credibility when connecting with someone new.
Some examples of powerful LinkedIn introductions include:
- Having a business partner connect you to an investor or client
- A colleague introducing you to someone at a target company you want to work for
- A friend connecting you to someone influential in your industry like a founder or leader
- A former manager, professor, or teacher introducing you to someone who could be a mentor
Make sure to customize the introduction request explaining why you’d like to connect with that person. Don’t overuse introductions or you could annoy your network. But used strategically, it’s a great way to build relationships.
Share Content to Get Noticed
Posting engaging content is a strategic way to get noticed by your LinkedIn connections and beyond. When you share articles, videos, images, and links you can expand your impact.
Here are some valuable benefits of sharing regular content on LinkedIn:
- Gain a broader audience for your brand or business
- Highlight your expertise and thought leadership
- Increase your profile visibility and discovery
- Connect with professionals interested in your niche
- Build relationships with those who actively engage with your content
To maximize views and engagement, post content optimized for LinkedIn. Focus on industry trends, career tips, business advice, and topics relevant to your target audience. Use LinkedIn’s publishing platform or tools like Feedly to share articles. Stay consistent by posting at least 1-2 times per week.
Sample LinkedIn Posts
Here are two examples of strong LinkedIn content:
Article Headline: 5 Ways Digital Marketers Can Prepare for the iOS 14 Privacy Changes
Video Title: How to Ace a Zoom Interview and Make a Great Impression
Participate in Groups and Discussions
Joining LinkedIn Groups in your niche allows you to connect with like-minded professionals, share knowledge, and get involved in fruitful discussions. But beyond just joining, actively participating raises your profile.
Here are effective ways to participate in LinkedIn Groups:
- Post thoughtful questions to spark discussions
- Share helpful tips, resources, and links
- Provide constructive feedback and advice
- Reply to other members’ posts and comments
- Offer different perspectives to enrich conversations
Thoughtful interactions in niche professional groups strengthens relationships with members. It shows off your capabilities and passion for the industry.
Just make sure to avoid self-promotion and overly salesly tactics when participating in Groups. Focus on adding value for others.
Examples of Engaging in Groups
Jeremy replied to a post in the Digital Marketing group discussing the latest Google algorithm update with his insights on how it will impact rankings. His unique perspective informed the other members.
Sarah posted a helpful article in the Human Resources Professionals group on strategic retention strategies. Her peers found it useful and applicable to their roles.
Connect at Live Events
Attending industry conferences, trade shows, networking meetups and other events allows you to connect face-to-face. Meeting professionals in person can lead to more meaningful, lasting connections.
Here are tips for maximizing LinkedIn connections from live events:
- Mention the event in your LinkedIn profile to spark conversations
- Connect with other attendees before the event on LinkedIn
- Set a goal for number of event connections you’d like to make
- Collect business cards or contact info and send LinkedIn invites promptly after
- Announce project updates and milestones to recognize team members
- Tag and congratulate colleagues on accomplishments
- Post photos and videos from team project meetings or events
- Give public shoutouts to people you enjoy collaborating with
- Exchange feedback and recommendations on LinkedIn
- Follow pages of employers you’re interested in
- Like and comment on companies’ updates
- Share news from company pages relevant to your network
- Tag companies you admire in relevant posts of your own
- Subscribe to company newsletters and alerts
It’s also a great idea to post photos from events, share takeaways, and tag the attendees you connected with. This continues the conversations.
Following up with your event connections by liking and commenting on their posts strengthens those relationships even more. Offer to connect any contacts who would mutually benefit from knowing each other too.
Sample Event Connection Goal
Industry Conference | Connection Goal |
---|---|
Social Media Marketing World | 15 new connections |
Collaborate on Projects
Working on collaborative projects not only accomplishes great results but also brings you closer with team members. Leverage LinkedIn to deepen those bonds.
Here are ways to use LinkedIn for strengthening work relationships:
Colleagues who collaborate well together often become ongoing career connections. You never know when they may become future recruiters, partners, or key business contacts down the road.
Project Partner Example
John found working with Jane on the global brand strategy project to be highly collaborative and fun. Jane was essential in getting European focus groups organized and scheduled. Her local marketing knowledge was invaluable. Now connected on LinkedIn, John looks forward to future chances to partner with Jane.
Keep Up with Company Pages
Following company pages on LinkedIn is an easy way to stay in the loop on their products, services, news, job postings, events, and culture. Engaging with company pages strengthens your relationship.
Here are ways to connect with companies through LinkedIn:
This shows the organization you are active in keeping up with them. When job opportunities arise, this gives you a competitive edge.
Company Page Example
John follows and interacts with XYZ agency’s company page on LinkedIn. When they posted about a Marketing Manager opening, John already felt closely connected to XYZ as a result of liking and sharing their page updates over the years. He applied right away.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn offers incredible power when you strategically manage your professional network and activity. By reaching out to make meaningful connections, engaging with your contacts, participating in discussions, sharing valuable insights, and more – you can build a powerful LinkedIn presence that takes your career to the next level. Focus on quality over quantity and always look for ways to add value for others through LinkedIn. When your network thrives, so does your reputation and influence.