On today’s Grey Matters, we focus on how creating a LinkedIn account can benefit Baby Boomers, with help from expert Viveka Von Rosen.
Creating a LinkedIn Account and More with Viveka Von Rosen
[0:00] – Introducing this episode of the Grey Matters podcast: Understanding LinkedIn with Viveka Von Rosen.
- As LinkedIn fits the needs of Baby Boomers like no other social network does, it’s the one place where people from that generation should be comfortable. To help explain that is LinkedIn expert Viveka Von Rosen, the author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day.
[3:07] – The nature of LinkedIn, and how Baby Boomers are shifting to the platform.
- In pivoting to LinkedIn or using it in a new way, you think of yourself as the product rather than selling a product or service.
- Adjusting the security settings can help LinkedIn users maintain their privacy across their professional networks while still reaping the benefits of being on the platform.
[6:02] – Looking for community and relationship-building on LinkedIn.
- LinkedIn groups don't really work that well for building communities online. The platform definitely offers some advantages, though.
- First of all, it can be used for research: What kind of companies are out there? How active are their employees? Do their employees look like they're happy? What kind of a company culture is there? Etc.
- It also makes a lot of sense to land and expand, see who we’re connected to, and utilize LinkedIn to lubricate these professional relationships.
- It’s really just about doing what you would normally do, except now, you've got a tool that lets you see a little bit deeper into the spiderweb of connections that you have.
[8:15] – Strategic opportunities on LinkedIn.
- A social profile on LinkedIn can turn you into authority, or can help you change the conversation about your skill set in preparation for whatever pivot you happen to have.
- “How do I start bringing in the next thing into my profile? How do I start making relationships that will be able to benefit me in this next thing, and how do I start to build my brand around that next thing while still being very set in my existing thing?”
[11:45] – LinkedIn’s digital assets, and what they can do for you.
- Your profile is your personal brand.
- Your professional headline is your opportunity to grab the attention of your network, your audience, your prospects, and speak to them. Your About section or your summary builds on that. You now have 2,000 characters to build on who you help and how you help them.
- The key thing about a profile is it's not a race. It's not a resume, but a resource for your reader.
[15:27] – Next digital asset: Recommendations and proficiencies.
- Your skills may actually limit or increase your visibility to the recruiter, as well as your chances of actually getting the job.
- Once a week, twice a week, or three times a week, ask for a recommendation and spread it out: not just for your current job, but for a couple of past jobs as well.
[17:46] – User-generated content and assets on LinkedIn.
- Mainly, it gives you the ability to possess, you position yourself as a trusted adviser, as a thought leader, as an industry leader, and it gives a platform for conversation.
[23:58] – LinkedIn compared to other platforms in terms of community-building.
[25:42] – Regular content creation on LinkedIn.
- If you want to develop your brand on LinkedIn a little bit more: upload native videos, and keep an eye on the conversations on your timeline.
[27:47] – Why users need live streaming and LinkedIn.
[29:24] – LinkedIn’s acquisitions, and how they would integrate into the platform.
[34:14] – A quick review of LinkedIn culture.
[35:58] – The key to having successful conversations on LinkedIn.
[38:34] – Reasons to pivot to LinkedIn.
- While there is a lot of spam on the platform, the key is to know how to control your own conversations. You can absolutely build real relationships on LinkedIn.
Resources
