How to use LinkedIn for an SEO Boost like no Other
One of the most effective ways to use LinkedIn or any social media platform is to enhance your profiles using search engine optimization. But – did you know that not only can you use SEO techniques to help prospective employers or partners find your LinkedIn profile, but you can actually use SEO techniques within your LinkedIn profile to improve your website's ranking in search engine results pages?
How to Use LinkedIn to Boost Your SEO
1.Complete your profile
Making LinkedIn successful for either kind of SEO starts with your profile. Make sure that you have completed all fields of your profile, from start to finish. It sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed at how many people do not do this. Use your full name to increase the likelihood of being found on search by your first or last names. 2.Optimize your profileGetting your LinkedIn profile to be noticed by search engines is itself a SEO strategy! There is a good deal of debate and controversy within the world of LinkedIn, especially when it comes to using keywords in your profile. The fact is this – LinkedIn uses a fairly simple search algorithm that is keyword driven. So having appropriate keywords in your profile is useful. Some people make a list of every variation of keyword and repeat this list over and over again in their profiles to "game" the system. Make sure your profile is optimized without being unethical. 3.Form relevant connections and relationshipsIf part of your SEO strategy includes getting bloggers in your industry to connect with you and maybe even review your product or services, LinkedIn is a great tool to begin forming those connections. Many industry specific blogs and websites, though, just have generic contact information which is, shall we say, less than helpful. LinkedIn can give you the back door you need to find the "real people" at the organizations you're hoping to connect with. Search with and without quotes, and search a variety of keywords and locations that might help you hone in on the connection you're hoping to form. Send a personalized connection request and reference something specific about their blog as well as something that shows you've read it. Chances are good that they'll respond and connect, and after fostering a conversation for a while, you may well be able to get a link in from a mention in a high authority blog, or maybe even have an in to be able to guest blog on that site. 4.Choose your anchor link text wiselyUse links that reflect keywords in your niche. Don't go overboard with keywords, but when you use links within your profile, use a few appropriate keywords. Over time, this will boost your SEO. 5.Post links to your siteAgain – it might seem obvious, but there's a lot of people who forget that LinkedIn is a social media platform that you can put your content on! Make sure you're adding (linking to) your content from your LinkedIn profile. How are you using LinkedIn for an SEO boost? Leave a comment below!
