Social Media Finishing School: LinkedIn

Social media. What a weird, and wonderful place. In a world where 52% of employers check your profiles ahead of interview, the average Facebook user has 338 friends, and we share over 1.8bn photos online per day...how do we do it with the proper etiquette that each platform deserves? Naturally, this got us thinking. So, welcome to SoGrow's unofficial finishing school – Making sure you're not "that person" on social media. Let's start with the platform that everyone loves to hate – LinkedIn.

Of all the social media platforms, LinkedIn has always been the suited and booted older brother. The Sell Out. The Ford Focus driver. The two weeks vacation with the wife and kids. Your very own virtual wine and cheese mixer. You kind of hate them, but well, there's nothing else quite like it, so you attend their barbecues and take up golf. With this maturity, comes certain golden rules that if disobeyed, will soon see you falling off people's radar faster than you can decline that random connection request from a friend you've never met. Here's the top 3;

1) LinkedIn is not Reddit.

There is a time and place for your “Dank memes.” It is not here. Equally so, no matter how many puzzles you solve in which “8/10 GENIUSES can't solve THIS puzzle!”, you will be cast to the very edges of the circle of trust if you can't communicate with clarity, and in a suitably professional way.

Leading figures suggest that profiles without a photo attract 7 times less views than those with a photo. And while I'm sure in a former life you were wonderful as Johnny “Flameboyz” Smith, it's time to put a tie on, and polish your shoes. Capitals on your name, and on the companies you work for - unless you work for a cool company that don't believe in them. Basically, imagine you're writing a CV to the world, and act accordingly.

2) Your number of connections means less than you think.

There's a little bit of explaining needed here. If you have absolutely no connections, you might be struggling to get yourself out there. If you have several thousand, the chances are, many of them aren't relevant to you. But certainly, don't boast about the number of followers you have. Anyone can sit and click connect on every single person they see. This might give you a large network, but it won't give you a quality network. When you press connect, do so with a reason, and introduce yourself. Even if there's nothing to talk about right now, a little “thanks for connecting” will go down well, and help you be remembered.

3) Contribute to the community.

There's something frustrating about making a LinkedIn post, and only having 20 people read it. Most people who write anything want it to be seen and read by millions, and find overnight success. They'll say “This. This is the thing the world needs.” The reality is, that not many will actually see your content. Which is why it's important to constantly produce quality content, and share it with the community. Sooner or later, good content will always rise to the top of the pile – like everything, success comes from effort or luck – and the first is far easier to get a mortgage with! Having something interesting to share adds to your credibility, helping you climb the contributor ladder and become a trusted figure.