LinkedIn, the 11-year-old social media site that aims to be ground zero for professional networking, has added a blogging platform to its growing cache of capabilities.
The site now offers a blog-style interface for users to show off their professional smarts. Posts are added to your profile, then you have the option of sharing with your connections only, the public, or your connections and the public (the most search-friendly option).
The interface is similar to Facebook’s homepage design, in that you type your post into a blank bar at the top of the page, with the option of attaching videos, photos, and—with LinkedIn—slide shows.
“When a member publishes a post on LinkedIn, their original content becomes part of their professional profile, is shared with their trusted network, and has the ability to reach the largest group of professionals ever assembled,” wrote Ryan Roslansky, director of product management at LinkedIn, in a blog.
Conan O’Brien, a LinkedIn Influencer, gets bloggy (screenshot courtesy of LinkedIn).
LinkedIn has been beefing up its features and functionalities for the past two years, in an attempt to keep the site relevant and not simply a repository for résumés. In 2012 it launched its Influencers program, where business tycoons including Bill Gates, Martha Stewart, Richard Branson, and Deepak Chopra signed up to share their career insights. There are around 500 Influencers posting to the site currently.
In November, the network replaced its LinkedIn Today news creation app with social news reader Pulse, and this year the network purchased Showcase Pages, which promotes content from brands and businesses.
LinkedIn has been rolling out its blogging platform incrementally. The intitial rollout, in late February, offered 25,000 users the ability to post. It has since provided the options for all users.
As a jewelry retailer, you’ve probably already sourced local talent through LinkedIn—the network has altered the way modern recruiters hire by offering up a huge pool of candidates, many characterized as passive job seekers (they’re not actually seeking new employment, but are open to a good offer).
The new blogging platform, for a jewelry retailer, offers a slickly packaged opportunity to showcase his or her company by sharing expertise with other jewelry professionals and the larger business community.
What to post? Thoughts related to your everyday operations may be most impactful. Do you have an innovative inventory system? Maverick thoughts on bridal trends? A great recommendation for a digital P.O.S. system? This is the place to share those insights.
Posts don’t have to be opus length. In fact, shorter is better. But whatever your subject, get right to the point. And don’t forget to link each post back to your website and other social networks for maximum visibility—which is what all this is about.
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