LinkedIn for Startups

There are so many social media websites out there, it's hard to know which ones your new company should partake in. LinkedIn is one of the most popular ones for businesses. Not only is it a great place to get your name out there, but you can use the site to make valuable industry connections, share updates on what you're doing and even find employees. Here are some tips for using LinkedIn for your startup:

Establish a Business Profile
You might already have a personal profile on LinkedIn, but it's necessary to create a business one as well. This is where potential job-seekers and possibly even customers may turn to find information on your company. Include your company name and logo as well as a summary of what you do. If you have a motto, be sure to add that as well. At the very least, use all the information you include on your business cards. As the page administrator, you'll have access to important data regarding who is looking at your page. Plus, you can join industry-related groups to make helpful connections and stay on top of trends.

Reach Out
LinkedIn is not just a static webpage that holds your business information. Treat your page like the interactive resource it is. To make the best of the networking site, you'll need to reach out. You can gain followers by adding your LinkedIn page to the bottom of your email signature and also placing a link on your regular webpage. Use your personal page to let people know they can also hear about your company happenings and updates on the business LinkedIn page. This is also a good place to befriend others who have startups. Join groups related to entrepreneurship and attend meetings and gatherings where your LinkedIn network congregates. You can make connections with people who have great advice to share about the startup world just by reaching out on this social network. 

Make Some Posts
To keep your page up to date, make a few posts a week. Share articles from your company blog, news about exciting upcoming products and the dates and times of events. You can also post pieces that are relevant to your industry or startups in general (think trade magazines, statistics and news). When you post, it shows up on your followers' feeds, reminding them to check out your page and potentially buy your goods or services.

Start a Group
Groups on LinkedIn are like sub-networks where niche-related discussions occur. Let's say you're in the dental field and you do pro bono work in Africa. If you want to talk with others who do similar volunteering, consider starting a group. Here you can share photos and stories from the time you've spent in the field, as well as point out advancements in dental care and cool companies you've worked with. You'll be spreading the word about your business just by hosting the group and making comments here and there, and you may learn something from the other users.