29th
July 2010
Read More
First there was this blog. Then there was Facebook, Twitter and now… Linkedin too!
So if Linkedin is your social media network of choice, visit our group at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3261105 and follow our latest updates on there!
27th
April 2010
Read More
Now you’ve got your shiny new Basekit site – or sites – up and running, it’s time to get out there and promote yourself, and when it comes to digital marketing, any fule kno that social media is the place to be –at least right now. But with all the attention Twitter and Facebook are getting as promotional tools, there may be a network you’ve been unfairly dismissing – LinkedIn.
Over the past year, Linked in has undergone some dramatic changes that have transformed it from a business contacts site into a viable networking and promotion tool that gives you direct access not only to your customer base, but also to fellow professionals –meaning LinkedIn has forum capabilities sorely lacking from sites like Facebook. LinkedIn’s profiles are directly aimed at the business market, so they are likely to be open and honest, giving you great information on your allies – and rivals – in a complicated marketplace.
If you’re setting up a business empire using Basekit to build your sites, then you need to be in touch with the movers and shakers out there and LinkedIn is a great way to do it. Despite this, the majority of users still seem to be primarily using Linked in as a job search and employment site – big mistake! Make sure you get the jump on your competitors by avoiding the mistakes they are making and properly utilising the site. Here are ten quick tips to get you ahead of the pack:
1: Default Lies With You
Almost every profile I come across on LinkedIn has the same problem – settings left at default. With the URL it’s a fixable problem, but with My Company it’s a nuisance. If you haven’t taken time to enter your current business or employer name in this field do it right now (Click websites, then ‘other’ in the options to fill this out), otherwise people have to scroll back up to see who you are and what you’re pushing, then scroll back to click it. Remember the old maxim –if content is not reachable in 3 clicks then people won’t bother. Exactly the same principle here. Above all else, eliminate extra effort for people trying to find you.
2: Who Are U(RL)?
Make sure you take the time to change your URL. Much like Facebook’s much publicised move last year, you can set a personalised URL in LinkedIn, so make sure you exploit the branding and marketing potential this offers. Head up to the Edit Public Settings button at the top of your profile and change the Public Profile URL to your- or your business –name.
3: Complete your profile.
OK, so you may have a face more suitable for radio, but that doesn’t mean you can afford not to have a clear, businesslike photograph on your profile. Likewise, don’t be tempted to cover up with a logo or a gravitar -LinkedIn is about people, so brush yourself off and smile. Recognition and personality is key in generating new business. Also, make sure you’ve really thought about that job description keyline -nobody is typing ‘CEO’ into their search boxes, so think about your job title and how it relates directly to the service you provide. ‘Copywriter’ will work, ‘Internet Guru’ won’t.
4: Keep your friends close..and their friends closer
You can currently join up to 50 groups on Linked in –sounds like quite a few right? And how many people are there in the larger groups –and perhaps more importantly, what do they do? The average Google employee has about 40-50 connections on LinkedIn, but a group may hold hundreds, even thousands of talented people interested in what you are doing –people you haven’t contacted previously. Not joining up is a massive failure in your networking plan, so get out there and share. Even if you can’t keep an eye on all the groups you’ve joined your name will still be out there.
5: Go Public
It’s called Social media for a reason. Google’s offering live and social searches now, so make sure you’re profile stands out and is counted! LinkedIn is great for this because you can offer specific business information, and not worry about it being watered down or undermined by pictures of you feeding a dog cider at last year’s Christmas party. Don’t set your profile to private, but DO take care what you put on it. If it isn’t public then you may as well not bother in the first place.
6: Too Much Twitter
The easy option when linking Twitter is to set it to automatic and let it run itself. The smart way however, is to take five minutes a day and update manually – post relevant tweets and links –your customers don’t want to know that you’re meeting Steve for a pint later, they want to know “Ten great ways to find the perfect Lawnmower.” Whatever you’re selling, keep it relevant if you want to drum up extra business. All your tweets go on Twitter, things worth talking about and promoting go on LinkedIn. In essence you should strive for a balance, don’t put out too much noise – instead let people know what you are involved in, your interests or projects you’re helping on, not your laundry list.
7: Who’s Company?
Again, LinkedIn is all about business, so having a separate page clearly detailing yours is just common sense. The added bonus? You’re automatically tied into your employee’s networks, giving you broader influence and opening up new marketing opportunities. Initially businesses may have been concerned about receiving bad word of mouth from ex-employees because of this, but given the reach Social Media has these days then any negativity will find it’s way out, so you really can’t afford to miss out on the positive side of a full business site because of any hesitation you might have about this – and hey, you aren’t the kind of business that treats people badly anyway are you?
8: Only 100,000 Links On The Clock Honest Mate…
Don’t being a dodgy salesman. OK, so the bottom line is you’re here to promote your site and your business, but don’t go at it like a market trader. LinkedIn is not the place for your sales pitch. If you do, you’ll end up looking like a spammer. Send out thanks for connecting notices, but don’t add a salesline, it’s crass and off-putting, especially when the people connecting to you are already taking an interest in who you are and what you do. Don’t go for the heavy sell.
9: We Don’t Have To Talk About It – But You Should
Again, Social Media is about connecting, and while it’s great that people have a list of your stats on hand, talking to them is the best way to make sure they remember you and your business. Take part in relevant discussions whenever you can. In addition to great opportunities to promote yourself, you’ll end up with valuable information and the people you are questioning will remember your name. Get talking as often as possible. Getting feedback is free and sharing your own viewpoints and expertise will help you build an industry reputation –even if you’re a relative nobody, you can still advise Bill Gates on why your product will unblock his sink.
10: Are You Even Listening To Me?
Not responding. If someone comments, get back to them in a timely fashion. You wouldn’t ignore emails at work, so don’t forget to comment on comments. Exactly as you would with a blog, if someone is checking your profile out and questioning or suggesting something, get involved and create a dialogue with them. Letting them know you’re listening by responding to or making recommendations – just don’t dole out opinions too readily or you’ll end up seeming self-satisfied. It’s fine to give the odd recommendation to join a group -hopefully your connections will be savvy enough to offer them back so that you both benefit. It’s not a direct approach but it’s a friendlier one that will work better if you’re playing the long game (as any good business should be).
Guest Post from Matt Owen of Epic Win Media – Want to write for the BaseKit Blog – Get in touch!
20th
November 2009
Read More
Thanks to the wonderful people at NESTA we at BaseKit were able to attend the ‘Social Media – A Force For Good’ talk as part of the ‘Silicon Valley Comes to the UK’ series of events. The talk and general discussion was from Biz Stone – one of the founders of Twitter, Reid Hoffman, social networking trendsetter and LinkedIn supremo and the UK’s foremost Twitterer – Mr Stephen Fry.
The talk itself veered wildly from the idea as social networking as a force for good, and in to the general area of what social networking means for individuals and organisations, the future of social and a discussion of the recent events that social networking has had an impact on. Insightful and entertaining it was a great event. Rather than give you all a blow by blow recap we suggest that you have a look at the video here.
We would also like to point at that from our vantage point we noticed that Stephen Fry was wearing socks that looked like shoes with laces up the front….
