If you network with other entrepreneurs, but you’re not using LinkedIn, then you need to be! We’ve talked about the networking powers of LinkedIn before in a previous post, particularly if you’re in the process of marketing a new business. But there are a number of little tips and tricks you could be using to maximise LinkedIn’s potential as both a tool for networking with other entrepreneurs and recruiting employees. Here are our 9 favourite things you need to know about LinkedIn:

Our 9 Tips for Using LinkedIn to Best Effect:

Personalise your URL: The generic URLs LinkedIn generates are not only long, they’re also unattractive; claim your personalised URL under your profile settings.

Optimise your profile’s SEO: You can optimise your LinkedIn profile by adding certain keywords you want to be associated with into various sections of your profile.

Be resume friendly: LinkedIn offers a resume builder tool, which allows you to turn your LinkedIn profile into a printer-friendly PDF. Just select a template and LinkedIn imports all of your information that you can then save, print or email.

Join LinkedIn Groups: As a member of a LinkedIn group, you’re able to message users that you don’t have a first-degree connection with, a feature only available to members of that group. If you do decide to message someone you don’t have a first-degree connection with, however, remember to observe the rules of netiquette!

Optimise your company page design: Add a cover image and upload images for your products and services page, at the very least. Also publish company status updates, and target them to specific users by using LinkedIn’s targeting options.

Generate leads and sales: Include a link to the landing pages of your marketing offers in each of your company updates, and, where appropriate, in LinkedIn groups.

Use group statistics: LinkedIn allows you to access statistics for any LinkedIn group—even those you’re not a member of. Aside from showing how many people are members of each group, LinkedIn stats also provide other key insights, such as locations, seniority, function and industry. Use these statistics to generate leads, create better product pages, and better target LinkedIn ads.

Ask for recommendations: Each time you work with a new client or employer, ask them for a recommendation on LinkedIn. If you ask each client as you do work with them, it’s a much easier task than asking for recommendations all at once. Recommendations are a powerful word-of-mouth marketing/referral tool that can also be used as testimonials on your website.

Promote from within: Don’t forget to promote your LinkedIn profile on your website, Facebook and Twitter pages, and make sure to include your (personalised!) URL on your business card.