LinkedIn profile crucial: social media expert

LinkedIn may have had a security breach, but it remains one of the most-used sites by professionals.

Despite a $5 million class-action lawsuit launched by Illinois resident Katie Szpyrka—along with a filing by her lawyers claiming the site uses weak encryption formats and improper security measures—I have maintained my profile. And I’d bet most advisors ands professionals have as well.

To date, it boasts approximately 120 million registered users, and is widely considered the most appropriate platform for business executives to use.

In fact, a LinkedIn profile is arguably more important than a company website, Melonie Dodaro, owner and operator of Top Dog Social Media, and LinkedIn expert and trainer, told Canadian Press.

She added, “LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful business tool. People should take it seriously and spend time on it.”

She often encourages executives to Google themselves. Their LinkedIn is likely the first item to come up during a search.

Given that most people now search online for services and companies, you want to show up as often and quickly as possible. A prospect should find your profile or website first, rather than a questionable review or mention of your business posted by an arbitrary source.

Read: 8 tips from a LinkedIn expert and Social media: where businesses build and defend reputation

Company websites regularly come much lower in search lists.

“The first thing people do when they consider doing business with you is Google you, and the first thing to come up will be your LinkedIn profile,” says Dodaro. “Make sure you put together a comprehensive and informative page.”

It should make you look professional and credible, and speak to your ideal client and what you can do for them. Also, consider using popular phrases and key words in your profile to ensure appear in more Google and LinkedIn searches. Along with your name and company name, list your title and areas of expertise.

Dodaro repeatedly comes up when people search terms such as social media trainer and speaker, or media consultant.

Almost half of LinkedIn users (45%) are business owners and 67% are business decision makers, so the site offers an incredible opportunity to find and attract people you can do business with.

You can build a massive network as well; the site is considered the boardroom of social media platforms, with Facebook and Twitter thought of as more casual, quick stop environments. Dodaro says she has 12,000 connections and derives most of her business from those connections.