Your LinkedIn connections are the way you grow your following. Use this checklist to help you grow your LinkedIn Connections.
- Connect with anyone who engages with your content or where you’re mentioned.
- Provide value in everything you post.
- Like and comment on other people’s posts to gain new connections.
- Groups allow you to connect with every level of connections.
- Share consistently.
- Respond to questions, inquiries, and comments from your followers.
- Engage and join in conversations with others.
- Invite people to your conversations by @mentioning them in your content posts.
- Share valuable content that relates to your industry.
- Don’t be afraid to show your personality when you post.
- Personalize your connection requests. Instead of simply clicking the “connect” button from LinkedIn’s list of “people you may know,” go to their profile page and click connect there. This allows you to add a person note to your connection request.
- Follow up with people you meet at conferences, tradeshows or at the local coffee shop. Contact your healthcare provider, yoga instructor, former classmates, owners of businesses you frequent.
- Set a monthly connection growth goal. Set a goal to connect with a specific number of people over a set number of weeks instead of trying to get 500+ connections quickly. Remember to maintain proper LinkedIn etiquette and don’t spam people you don’t know.
- Post consistently and often. Your connections like, share or comment on your status update. Their connections will see the original post in their feed as well. They may take the step to send an invitation to connect to you if the content is relevant.
- Post images on your social posts to increase exposure to potential connections. Visual content can increase views by 11 times.
- Engage with your existing connections to put your profile directly in front of their network connections. Like or comment with personal insights or questions on their posts.
- Add your LinkedIn URL in your bio on other social channels.
- Promote your LinkedIn profile by adding a link in the status updates of your other social channels.
- Add your LinkedIn profile link to your email signature.
- Use keywords in your profile. People are more likely to search connections that perform certain functions instead of by formal titles. Instead of Content Manager, for example, use keywords like copywriter, blogger, editor, creative writer, and more.
- Publish your own articles on LinkedIn. Articles published as native content on your profile establishes your personal brand and expertise.
- Your network is notified when you publish an article, giving you more opportunities for engagement from your network and their connections.