If you’re going to do something, do it well. This may seem obvious, but sometimes, due to changes in our circumstances, a rapidly developing situation, or shifts in our perspective, we may not continue doing things well.
At times, when faced with exciting options, it may be hard to say no. There may be pressure to say yes. However, a half-hearted approach is for the individual who does not fully understand the value of their time or who is still uncertain about their goals.
Once you truly know what you want to work on, the areas you want to specialise in, and the projects you want to throw yourself in, there is no half-hearted behaviour.
What do I need to protect?
Ask yourself: What am I building?
When I first explored LinkedIn many years ago, I was just playing around. I had no clue what to do with it and what value it had. I was simply curious.
It’s been 17 years on LinkedIn, and I believe in the value of putting yourself out there — being visible and known for your experience and expertise. I believe in the importance of building visibility and credibility and taking a digital approach to support and extend your efforts.
However, it is not enough to simply have a digital presence — you must grow it. You must be active and incorporate thought leadership into your digital profile.
Your LinkedIn profile is a vital component of building your digital presence. You need a strategic approach to building visibility and credibility. You do this by developing a clear, robust profile and by extending your reach through a large and relevant network of individuals who appreciate your value and contribution, and who may choose to amplify your efforts.
You make yourself visible and relevant through your content – I call this your body of work.
I create my own rules about what I post, how often and more importantly, I house everything that’s important and relevant to me.
Protect what you are building
LinkedIn is a third party platform; you do not own it. You’re a guest and subject to their rules, which may change from time to time. Many of these rules serve to help you and the community at large. However, a good number are designed to support the platform holder. This can create a highly volatile environment as businesses are subject to all manner of changes – management teams come and go, companies get sold, merge, change direction, or worse, close down.
As a platform matures, its features and interactions may change. Existing features may be cast aside or transformed, often without user input. You might invest your time in aspects that later disappear, which can significantly impact your work.
But what if you owned your own platform? Take me, for example. I own my own domain, www.rowenamorais.com. I create my own rules about what I post, how often, house everything that’s important to me. This is my personal digital real estate.
Why create a website when you can simply use LinkedIn or other social media to publish articles etc? I consider my website my digital home, and LinkedIn or other social media platforms as the vehicles that bring people to my home. They are distribution channels.
Invest in your own platform
Owning your digital real estate can be a true and lasting competitive advantage especially if you prioritise developing your professional profile. This has grown in importance with the rise of the gig economy, remote work opportunities, and the coronavirus pandemic, which has made a clear digital profile paramount.
This is true for entrepreneurs and consultants but also for ambitious professionals everywhere.
I believe everyone should have their own personal website, especially if they are focused on developing their professional brand and career progression. Take the necessary steps to protect yourself.
Conduct periodic checks
Review your LinkedIn account settings periodically. This includes sign in and security preferences, communication settings, visibility management, and data privacy. Be aware of what you have intentionally or inadvertently set up.
Review your content and see how it continues to serve you, including long-form pieces and short posts. Assess how others engage with it and what resonates.
Grow your network purposefully
Key to developing visibility and credibility is the size and quality of your network. Set aside time to consider who should be part of your network, and create opportunities to build meaningful connections.
Maintain the connection you establish – send an email, schedule an introductory call, or arrange a face to face meeting over coffee. In-person connections can reinforce the impression you’re creating, and online calls can help bridge the distance.
But how do you begin establishing who should be in your network?
Be clear about what your profile represents and how you come across. Then, evaluate your target audience.
- Who are these individuals in terms of their job titles, locations, ages and gender?
- What industries do they work in?
- How might they be interested in you?
- What problems are you solving for them?
- How can you hook their interest?
- When searching through LinkedIn, what search filters should you use?
- What tasks could be automated to help you stay efficient?
- How can you remain visible and relevant for the right reasons?
Engage with relevant content online. Posting quality content is important, but part of staying active involves engaging with others’ content too.
A useful technique is to put yourself in someone else’s shoes – a recruiter, a hiring manager or business owner – when viewing your profile.
What impression does your profile convey? What are your key concerns? What are you hoping others will discover about you in the profile? What might others be looking for if considering hiring you for a role?
This perspective can help ensure your profile hits the mark and improve your outreach efforts.
Develop an online presence in multiple ways
Build your own digital platform alongside your LinkedIn profile. Whether you opt for a website or blog, it’s an opportunity to centralise your work.
You’re laying out a welcome mat, developing meaningful content, and engaging with your community on issues that matter to you. Owning your platform is also good risk management.
If you liked this post, please share it. If you need help with your profile, building your network, or getting started with writing, feel free to reach out.
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Headline image courtesy Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash.