Useful new tools in LinkedIn for speakers 2019

Here are some of the changes in LinkedIn that are useful for speakers. Many of these relate to the mobile app which indicates that LinkedIn recognises the increasing use and importance of mobile. If you haven’t already installed the LinkedIn mobile app, make sure you do.

Use LinkedIn Pages to connect with prospective clients

LinkedIn Pages are a major overhaul of LinkedIn Company Pages. Use these to engage with prospective clients by learning about and connecting with relevant people behind the organisations you want to speak for. You can:

• stay up to date on the company’s latest company news
• view information about the company; investor information, funding, company size, headquarters, etc.
• view employee profiles,
• view employee statistics including:
  • employee count over time (is this company growing?),
  • distribution and headcount growth by function,
  • new hires over time including recent senior management hires,
  • notable company alumni and
  • top job openings

Take a look at Apple’s LinkedIn page for an example.

All of this information can be useful to you as a speaker if you are serious about using LinkedIn to grow your business. We run email outreach and prospecting campaigns for a growing number of speakers and we use this information in conjunction with LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Prospect.io to run these programmes. See other posts for further information on how to run your own campaigns using these tools.

Add voice recordings to your messages

It is so much quicker and easier to record a quick voice memo on your phone than it is to write an email. You can now do this on the LinkedIn mobile app. Simply click the microphone icon when composing a message and follow the onscreen instructions.

Create native video on LinkedIn

This change indicates that LinkedIn want to encourage users to share content that originates from LinkedIn. This is a good idea because this content is more likely to appear in the feeds of your contacts. However, bear in mind that posts on LinkedIn that don’t contain video perform better than those that do, according to Foundation Inc. (#32). in their post back in January (2019).

I recommend that you test the results from posting native LinkedIn video before diving in with a full-fledged campaign.

Try LinkedIn Live Video

LinkedIn are also piloting live video which will let users share live events. The feature is currently only available to a few broadcasters but you can request access to become a broadcaster. If you are currently active with live events, I recommend you apply and give it a try.

Share your posts beyond LinkedIn

Now anyone can see your posts on LinkedIn even if they are not logged in. So, whenever you post to LinkedIn, share the URL of the post on your social media networks.

Add photos to your posts

You can now add multiple photos to your posts. This is great for sharing images from an event or conference where you have recently spoken.

Use instant messaging

LinkedIn messaging is transforming into instant messaging. You may already have noticed the green dot on some people’s profiles when you are on the platform. This tells you that they are currently active and, if you message them when they are live, they will receive your message immediately.

Move contact information into your CRM

You can no longer download an archive of emails and phone numbers for your LinkedIn contacts. Blame GDPR. You can only access this information now by visiting profiles. I recommend that you migrate vital contact information into your CRM. If you don’t currently use a CRM, get one. There is plenty of choice and some that are particularly suitable for speakers. If you need help migrating your data, that’s a service we provide. Get in touch.