Remember my recent post about having social media rejection syndrome? Well, did I ever learn a lot! It seems that most of the people who commented here at the Daily Fix, and in my LinkedIn discussion groups, use this social networking tool similarly. And, it’s not what I had anticipated. I decided to compile the results and share them with you.
It appears that I am in the minority of those who responded. (Now, I’m really getting a complex!) If you’re staying on top of social media, and using these channels to market your products or services, you’ll want to see this compilation of comments. It was certainly revealing to me. Who knew?
Maybe you’ll agree with what has been said, or maybe you see things differently. Either way, here’s the link to the white paper.
Now, to continue the discussion… if we assume that most people will only connect to the people they know, where does that leave marketers? How are you using LinkedIn as part of your social media strategy? Is it working? Got any good examples?
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Thanks to Alejandro Reyes for tweeting the link to this post!
What a great compilation of qualitative data! I love that you made the WP available without registration. Thanks for putting this together, I think this will prove to be good fodder for future discussions on how/why to use social media platforms.
Elaine, thanks for putting this together.
This is one great tool to expand our understanding with regard social media platforms, the effects of the same, effectively establishing “digital” relationships, as well as knowing how to build trust online.
They’ve fully prepared to throw themselves into the revolution.
All things have passed; nothing remains of its former glory.
I love boot answers…
Just kidding.
I used Linkedin for some marketing activities, such as back in touch, sharing of information about my company, and results were rather good.
Still I agree that we should be ready for more openness when somebody we may not know is asking to get in touch.
Well, if it is not a clear commercial message, why do not accept invitation to connect? If I accept only people I already know, the term social seems rather overrated.
Thanks, Paul. I purposefully offered the WP without registration because I figure that if someone wants to receive my company’s monthly newsletters, the link is easily available. That way, only really interested people will sign up.
@Strategic Growth Advisors: Thanks – glad you’re finding it valuable.
@Gianandrea: I agree 100% – why not accept an invitation from someone in our profession or with a similar background? I don’t have to recommend that person for a job. Get real.
Excellent post, and thanks for adding to our understanding of LinkedIn with your excellent social media whitepaper. I think success on LinkedIn comes down to the same as on any other social networking site: without being social and truly contributing, you will make no friends and secure no business. Plain and simple to me.
- Neal
Thanks, Neal. Glad you liked it. Are you linking to people you don’t know personally?
?There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way.
I am having no success at downloading this white paper pdf. The page linked above has a fairly obvious link, but that link apparently does nothing — I can’t save a file, no pdf appears in a browser, nothing.
I use LinkedIn exclusively for my professional connections. It has been a great tool to find vendors, inquire about companies, connect with past colleagues, gather information, etc.
However, I was taken aback when candidates for a recent job that I had listed found me on LinkedIn and sent me generic invitations to connect. Both were unqualified for the position and I had no reason or desire to link with them. Using the service to find a referral is exactly what the site is intended for — but to ask to permanently link to someone you sent a resume to seemed inappropriate.
LinkedIn is not a “Social” networking site. It is for professional connection between those who have worked with each other in the past or some how professionally have met face to face (on the ground connection) and know each other. Even if someone has worked at the same company that I have worked at but don’t personally know them, I neither ask to be connected or accept their connection. If someone does, I do not consider it inappropriate or rude of them, they just don’t know the sprit of the site. It would be better if the notice you received from LinkedIn would explain the sprit and the reason’s why.
LinkedIN connections are made through personal/professional face-to-face connections people have either directly or through someone they both know personally.
Here is a link to LinkedIn’s answer to “What is LinkedIn?”
It does a better job than I did in explaining what the network is used for.
http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=what_is_linkedin&trk=hb_what
You know, this all sounds just a little too snarky for me. I connect with people that I only knew on the phone (granted, for 7 years) or students with whom I only had 20 months contact. My purpose to be there was to connect *others* to each other. I was in recruiting, and at this stage in the game, I would think any connection, initiated in earnest, is important and we could operate on a level of maturity that allows us to try to introduce ourselves to new people…even if only connected in the most oblique way. Speaking (again) as someone who worked with students trying to secure interviews and gain employment, I think it paramount to encourage them to try new things. THOSE are the people who make impressions, get in the door, get the job and do new things for companies. Otherwise, the whole thing just smacks of encouraging cronyism and nepotism. Sorry, my blunt two cents.
I should qualify that last….LinkedIn’s response and the response of the “if I don’t know you, go away” folks.