executive brand|LinkedIn strategy|online brand

Three Misconceptions About LinkedIn That Could Be Hurting You

In my roles as an executive branding expert, coach and speaker, I often hear misconceptions from both my clients and audiences about LinkedIn. When we accept these misconceptions as fact and operate on them, where we end up is not where we intend. This month I share three misconceptions and why they lead you astray on your journey to be memorable and to find opportunities – clients, customers, and new challenges – that are right for you.

Misconception #1: LinkedIn is Just for Job Seekers

Although this may have been true in the past, it is certainly not the case today. LinkedIn is where many people will form their first impression of you. It’s where they look for evidence that they may be able to know, like and trust you – all prerequisites for doing business with you.

Today, executive leaders are waking up to the idea that sharing their authentic brand online is an asset for their company, because when they share their purpose, business passion and principles, they attract the talent they seek to hire.

If you are operating under the misconception that LinkedIn is just for job seekers and you are not seeking a new position, you are unlikely to tell your business story in a way that helps you stand out and be memorable. You are unlikely to sow the seeds of know, like and trust into your profile, and unlikely to be found by LinkedIn’s search function for opportunities that are right for you.

Also, if your company decides that they can do without you (it happens!), you are unlikely to be ready to search for your next role.

Misconception #2: Less is More

There are many situations when less is more. When the customer is already sold, we should stop talking. We appreciate white space in written documents; we know they will be less of a chore to read. And every Marie Kondo fan rejoices when they’ve achieved a kitchen counter devoid of all clutter.

But on LinkedIn, less is NOT more. This is because LinkedIn is a search engine in search of keywords. One of the primary determinants of whether you appear on page one of the results of someone’s search is the number of times the keyword being searched for appears in your profile.

People who write their LinkedIn profile as though less is more are likely to have a very brief About section (or worse, no About section at all). They are likely to have little information in other sections as well. These people have no chance of ranking well on a keyword search: because they’ve used little text, their keywords don’t show up often.

In contrast, people who take full advantage of the LinkedIn character limits for each section by “writing to the margins,” will rank more highly because their keywords will naturally be used more often. See my article “If You’re Not “Writing to the Margins” on LinkedIn, You’re Missing Out,” for LinkedIn’s character limits as of this writing.

Misconception #3: Getting Thousands of Connections is THE Winning Strategy

My inbox overflows with offers to automatically generate leads for me with little effort on my part. It is as though getting leads (connections) is the most important strategy, to be pursued above all else.

Although the search algorithm works better when we have over 500 connections, once we’ve reached that threshold, there is a strategy that is much more important than adding new connections. That strategy is nurturing relationships – growing connections into friends; creating a true network of people whose expertise we trust. For LinkedIn nurturing strategies, see my article: Nurturing Your Most Important Business Relationships on LinkedIn.

Named one of six top branding experts in 2022 by The American Reporter, over the past ten years, I’ve helped countless C-level clients use LinkedIn to frame conversations, impress suitors and customers, and introduce themselves before their first conversation takes place. If you are a C-suite executive or senior leader, I can make this easy for you. Based on my knowledge of how LinkedIn works and how people respond to what they see there, I can ensure everything is ready and your profile conveys exactly the message and impression you’re aiming for. Let me help you attract the talent you want to hire, increase your visibility and influence, and steer your career.

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My award-winning book, LinkedIn for the Savvy Executive-2^nd Edition received BookAuthority’s “Best LinkedIn Books of All Time” award, was named one of the “Top 100+ Best Business Books” by The C-Suite Network. For your author-inscribed and signed book or quantity discounts, order at: https://carolkaemmerer.com/books

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