New Ways to Use LinkedIn

I'll admit it. In the hip, ever-changing world of social media, it's easy to get caught up in the never-ending Twitter stream, and focus on new ways to capitalize on Facebook's internet dominance. If social media was a family reunion, Facebook would be the cool cousins trying to catch up, Twitter would be some relative's new baby, sputtering out short strings of words but garnering a lot of attention. LinkedIn, the simple, professional social networking site is the great uncle in the corner, never doing big, flashy things to demand attention, but a quiet wealth of resources nonetheless.

Small business owners shouldn't overlook this website in their social media plans. LinkedIn is a lot more than just a digital resume or a facebook page without party pictures. I personally know people who have used it to get informational interviews with companies they'd like to connect with, people who have used it to collaborate on projects with partners across the country, and people who have gotten wise advice from experts in their fields, all from simple queries. 

If you would like to connect with consumers and professionals over the age of 40 or a more affluent audience, it is crucial to build a LinkedIn presence. The average LinkedIn user is 41-year-old and makes more than six figures.

This great video from LinkedIn's marketing shares some different ways to use the site to learn, build connections, and grow professionally. Check it out: