Does anyone like LinkedIn? How do you use it for your business?

I love Linkedin. It is a great place for finding groups that correspond with what you are selling or your preferred client base.  It is a globally-oriented Buisness site, not a chat page.  If you sell something globally ( like books, art, illustrating, etc) Linkedin is a terrific resource.  Not so much if your business is a storefront that is mainly local.  They are also good for finding you a job that suits your talents, or staff that fits your needs.  Joining several groups that fit your interests, and picking the brains of established members can lead to great things or business advances.  Like any online resource, the secret is to join the right groups and become an active member - help others where possible and they will help you when you need it.

Magic Carpet of 16 Books
"MS Content" Edits + Writing Promo Help

Linkedin is my preferred site.  No cat videos or much other junk.  Some really interesting articles and people tend to use it intelligently.

I find it very useful to keep up with colleagues in my profession.  As we move from job to job we can still stay in touch.  Plus I receive a lot of professional announcements there from influencers.  Also, we have a local LinkedIn Local chapter so we can take our on-line relationships off-line.  For me, LinkedIn is all about relationships and mutual support.  Also making new contacts.  I also find it helps build credibility with new contacts.  I can refer them to my LinkedIn profile if they want detailed background info.  It builds trust. 

If you need information on LinkedIn and how to properly use it for your business, contact Dr. Belinda Wilkerson. She is amazing and does a great workshop that is very informative. 

LinkedIn is starting to really become way more interesting for B2B conversations. While we are seeing a decline in organic engagement on Facebook we are seeing a huge increase on LinkedIn. Definitely worth investing time into growing your content/presence on LinkedIn

I feel I don’t have time for it. I’m on Instagram and can’t deal
with too many social media networks.

Yes I do like it but probably not for the reasons LI would prefer. I use it as a site I can direct potential clients or hirers to when they want to see examples of my work and get a sense of my professional background. So I use it as one big digital c.v.  It's convenient, succinct, and includes reviews from professional peers - so it spares me the redundancy of repeating my accomplishments or samples of my work. One-stop shopping for the people who want to learn more about me professionally.

Seems to me that the social media/internet outreach site you prioritize depends on what your purpose is. I found Linkedin useful when I was applying for jobs and looking for contracts. I have a profile there that I could cut and paste in an outreach e-mail for e.g. and that made for a quick read/scan for a contact. The fact that Linkedin makes possible recommendations from people you have worked with is also good. I agree with Margot Finke that any media will produce results only if you invest strategically and seriously in it. 

Like with any platforms, are your ideal clients are there?

Whether you like the platform are not, most people make a mistake on one thing: they think of themselves rather than 1) finding where their ideal clients are 2) utilizing the platform to serve their ideal prospects.

While all platforms function differently, understanding your clients and where they are at will help you understand how to position yourself on any platform.

Jennifer

Pretty pixels and colors may look attractive, but what matters is the experience felt with the heart and soul.

As far as I know, ...

LinkedIn and LinkedIn for Business let you do a number of things.

Because of that, what I would do:
> List all LinkedIn allows you to do with your account
> Sort what hits your bottom line - then exploit them [but do not over do any]

Make sure that ...
> You don't just click the "Like" icon without making a comment, which shows who you are