On LinkedIn, “Your Connection is your net worth!” – It’s all about the quality and size of your professional network.
First things first, I want to share below 3 fun facts that you may not know about LinkedIn Connections:
- If a LinkedIn profile achieves 500 or more connections, it will rank higher in search results. This works like keyword optimization for LinkedIn’s search engine.
- 30,000 is the maximum number of connections LinkedIn allows you to have. Once you hit this magic number, you can only continue to grow through your followers.
- Sick of someone spelling your name wrong or vice versa you can share your LinkedIn QR Code
If you already know the above three fun facts, kudos to you. This means you understand that the more people you know and are connected to, the wider your professional network is and the higher your chances of unlocking new opportunities: Whether that’s a job recommendation, potential leads, prospects, partnerships, and more.
To help you get started, here are the 8 simple ways to connect to quality LinkedIn connections:
Back to basics: Connect with people you already know – treat this like a refresher.
They could be your family members, friends, classmates, coworkers, instructors or anyone else.
#1. Import your email contacts
Add as many personal contacts from your email address via multiple email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook and it will send out an invitation to those people and ask if they would like to connect on LinkedIn. This is a great way to connect with people that you already know.
#2 Finding personal contacts via search bar
Go to the search bar and type in your friend’s name here (For example Kate O’Leary). Once you locate the person you know and wish to connect, with on their profile you can see this blue “Connect” Button and if you click on it, you can click send now or add a note. Once you click to send the invitation, Gary will get notified and if he accepts it, he will be my first degree connection.
Pro tip: I highly recommend adding a note to your connection request. Research shows you will have a 75% higher chance of getting accepted.
#3 The “People you may know” feature” on the “My Network” tab
LinkedIn does a great job of recommending people that they believe you’d like to connect with based on your work experience, where you went to school, your interests, the country you’re based in, and more.
Friendly reminder: For me, I always prefer QUALITY over QUANTITY. If your network is filled with people you know personally, it is real and usable and every connection has the potential to impact your professional life positively – whether that’s a job referral, a recommendation, an introduction, or career advice. These personal connections who likely know you best can speak to your core strengths and who you are as an individual.
Moving beyond your friends and family circle, here are 5 BONUS HACKS that you may not know:
#4 Adding someone “who’s viewed your profile” on “Your Dashboard” tab
Why did those people look at your profile? Most likely because they’re interested in you or of something you wrote on your profile that enabled them to find you. Whatever the reason, this is a sign of potential interest and enough for you to spark off a conversation by adding a note or simply pressing the ‘Connect’ button next to each profile.
#5 SEO of your LinkedIn Profile
The more you write a particular keyword in your profile, the greater weighting the LinkedIn algorithm gives your page. So, fill your profile page with a popular search term that people on LinkedIn are likely to be searching for.
And of course a complete All-Star LinkedIn Profile. Click here for the cheat sheet on how to build one.
After you accomplish the above, your profile will rise to the top of keyword searches made by other people, who have a high likelihood of adding you if you fit what they’re looking for.
#6 “Add Contacts” feature on mobile by importing and syncing your mobile address book
When you import and sync your mobile address book, your contacts who are already on LinkedIn appear on the “Add Connections” Page. If they accept your invitation to connect, they’ll become a first degree connection.
#7 Leverage “Scan LinkedIn QR Code” feature on mobile
Sick of people spelling your name wrong or vice versa. This feature could help you to completely avoid this. You can either share your own unique QR Code by asking the other person to scan it. Or you can scan theirs and connect within seconds.
#8 Leverage your LinkedIn Profile URL
Once you click your icon, in the “View Profile” mode, click on “edit public profile & URL” at the top right of your profile. This takes you to a new page where you can copy or personalize the URL for your profile and promote it via your website, blogs, and other social media channels or even add it to your email signature or business card to make it easy for people to connect with you.
Conclusion
Lastly, take some time to consider what your game plan will be when building your own LinkedIn network. Some people are open connectors meaning that they’ll connect to just about anyone who sends them a request. Other people have a rule about wanting to only connect with people that they’re personally close to and know. This really comes down to your preference and what feels right for you!
Remember that not only will you reach out to connect with people, but you’ll also start receiving invitations to connect with others. You will want to decide who it is that you’d like to connect with. Consider what you want your professional network to look like. Think about your goals that you have for using LinkedIn and decide what feels right in terms of making these connections.
Set a goal to try at least one or two of these tips each week. You’ll be able to track your success as your number of connections starts to march toward 501+ and beyond.
Which are the hacks you found most useful for you to connect to people you want? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
