LinkedIn and Instagram

The lesser known and used social media platforms present a great way to get ahead of your competitors. It’s easy to get started and this blog will help you to effectively use them to their full potential.

LinkedIn

Millions of people from around the world use LinkedIn, the social media platform for professionals. It is one of the best ways to connect with likeminded users from your industry which can be useful for referrals and increasing your clientele. It can get your business much needed exposure or help you get one foot in the door at finding your dream job. Whatever your profession you should get on LinkedIn and create an effective profile.

Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is pretty much an online CV giving details about your employment, achievements, interests and well you! However this CV is visible to anyone. Make sure the people you want to see it can by including all the keywords relevant to your profession so it is search visible. Easily use the edit profile tool to ensure you have got as much on there as possible. A good tool is being able to submit examples of your previous work and to list awards and projects, there’s definitely room to show off a bit on LinkedIn and why wouldn’t you? Link your profile to your blog and Twitter so people can get an even better idea of who you are and what you?re interested in. Don’t forget to upload a suitable profile picture, users like to be able to put a name to a face!

Connections

Connect with other users for a virtual networking experience, perhaps there is a company you are interested in working for or a dream role you would love to have, connect and get a unique insight into a particular role. It is also beneficial to add yourself to groups which may be industry related, here you can discuss relevant topics and share ideas whilst promoting you and your business. Connections are beneficial because if you have worked with them they can utilise the endorsement tool where they recommend your expertise in the skills you have listed in your profile, adding credibility to the statements you have listed. You can see who has viewed your own profile on LinkedIn, this is a good opportunity to connect or message someone who may be working in or looking into a certain field that is your area of expertise.

Job Boards

A big feature of LinkedIn is its job boards. This is somewhere you can fill a position at your company or look for a new opportunity. Many jobs are advertised here and you can search for a certain industry and location. A particularly unique feature is that each job has a saved list of applicants and it can compare your profile with theirs! Save your job searches and LinkedIn will be able to recommend jobs for you, presenting a great employment search engine.

Instagram

Showcase your photos on the top image sharing social media platform. You can easily edit simple photos you have taken to give them a professional and eye catching look. By connecting with users you can interest potential customers by giving an insight into your business and products through pictures.

A step by step guide to a perfect instagram picture

1. • Take a picture. Pretty straightforward really! But to make your photo as effective as possible get your subject right – take a photo of a new product, your shopfront or something related to your industry – this is the best way to interest your users. Ensure your capture is easy on the eye by getting the composition to be the best it possibly can be by taking a few shots. Humour or a beautiful setting/landmark is always popular so bear that in mind, selfie anyone!

1. • Choose your filter.  There are 17 filters on instagram designed to enhance colours and add a suitable editing effect to make your picture really stand out. From vintage style effects to a sepia filter there is a great range with one bound to suit your snap.

1. • Other effects. You can crop, brighten, sharpen and more with the use of the spanner tool whilst in the edit mode. A popular tool is the tilt-shift where you can move the focus within the photo to a particular subject/face blurring out the rest of the photo.

• • Comment and tag. Add a caption to your picture to tell viewers a bit more about it. Instagram is very hashtag friendly and by tagging relevant keywords, you increase your photo’s reach as many users will search for various hashtags particularly those that are trending. You can also tag your location and friends that you have connected with within the social media platform.

1. • Save and share. You are given the option to share your picture to all your followers or directly to a certain few which is good if you are targeting a particular audience. You can also choose whether to just share it on your Instagram profile or on several social media profiles. This is particularly useful if you have a greater following over Twitter or Facebook so you can maximise your reach.

• • Connect with users. Instagram and Facebook are connected so you can easily, Find your Friends in settings where it will show you all your Facebook friends profiles. You can also explore your local area and photos trending with your followers by using the explore tab. Search for users and hashtags that may be other businesses in your area or even search for your business via a hashtag as a customer may have tagged you. This is particular popular at restaurants or music venues where it is easy to capture a particularly eye-catching photo! The more followers you have the more likes and comments you’ll receive; so get connecting!