Taking Your Business Online? How LinkedIn’s New Features Can Help

LinkedIn has long been known as a premium professional networking site helping to connect users with prospective employers, to enhance professional relationships and help in learning new skills that may benefit users in their careers. However, in recent months, LinkedIn has begun implementing new tools for its users to enhance brands and businesses online presence. If you haven’t been utilizing these new features, now is the time.

So, what is available to users, and how can these new tools help? Let’s explore some of the top new tools now available on LinkedIn.

• Live Video - It’s no secret live video is a great tool to utilize when growing your business online. Live video is more personable, more creative and tends to attract more users than printed text and images. Its conversational style allows users to connect and feel more comfortable. LinkedIn Live Video is not currently available to everyone. Users must first apply to use this service.

The review process considers the following factors:

• The overall content creation history and video

• The size of the audience and engagement history

• If the member and/or page account is in good standing

• If Two Factor Authorization (2FA) has been enabled in the account settings

In addition, you must use a third-party streaming tool to host a LinkedIn Live video. While it seems like a lot of steps, once you are set up, you may stream live across multiple platforms increasing your online presence.

• Name Pronunciation - This new tool has been a great addition to the LinkedIn site. Users now have the ability to record a 10-second audio clip with the correct pronunciation of their name and add it to their profile. This feature promotes inclusion in the workplace and is a great asset to those that have a uniquely spelled or pronounced name. At this time, you can only use this feature through the IOS or Android Apps. It is not currently available on the desktop site.

• Reactions – LinkedIn is different than most social media sites in that it is more often used for professional networking. However, it has recently taken more steps in giving users the ability to react to certain posts by liking, loving, being curious about, celebrating and so forth on posts. While adding a little more personal feel, LinkedIn has designed these reactions with the intention of maintaining its professional networking image.

• Polls – If you’re looking to drive quick reactions to your posts, LinkedIn Polls is the way to go. Regardless of the topic, creating a poll on your page will engage readers and generate a reaction, giving you the ability to see who is paying attention to your content. You can also engage readers by asking them to share personal stories or suggestions in the comments.

• Organic Carousel Posts – Carousel posts are not new on LinkedIn and don’t even “officially” exist on the site. However, users have created these by using interactive scrollable posts over the last several months. So how are they doing this? LinkedIn Documents. Using carousel builder tools, users can create click thru or scrollable posts to engage readers.

• Lead Generation Forms for Product Pages – This is a great new LinkedIn feature designed to collect customer information when they express interest in a certain product. Similar to a business ad, customers are called to action to click on a form. When they do, the information from their profile is shared with the business. Businesses can then contact these consumers directly, thus creating a lead for the business.

With the ever-changing technology today, businesses now more than ever are seeking to create and establish their online presence. With so many options out there, social media sites are making it easier for users to succeed. LinkedIn is continuing to increase its tools for users as well. As more and more businesses take their brands online it will be interesting to see even more tools from these social media and networking sites in the future.