When was the last time you opened up your LinkedIn profile? When was the last time you thought of using it to market your business?

LinkedIn is the “afterthought” social media site. It’s a site you use to put together your profile – your resume – then you head off into the sunset for more promising sites.

Yet LinkedIn has a lot of benefits that can not only help bring in clients through LinkedIn, but can also help you gain traction in other ways. For instance, did you know:

LinkedIn is a search engine that has a ton of authority within Google.

If you Google your name, and you have a LinkedIn profile, chances are you will find your LinkedIn profile in the first page of results.

Yep, LinkedIn is powerful. So why not use it?

Boost Your Search Engine Optimization On Your Profile

When you first set up your profile, your profile will provide up to three links to your sites. They will be listed as “My Website” and “My Blog”. Instead of leaving the links with these titles, click on the edit and change those to a keyword phrase that describes your business.

For example, I use Photography Business Tips for my VirtualPhotographyStudio blog.

While you can have up to three different links, keep in mind that you can change these as frequently as you desire. If you don’t have three sites, why not use your Facebook Page? The more ways to connect with you the better.

Keep The Content Fresh With Your Blog

With just a few clicks, you can connect your blog up with your LinkedIn profile. Then every time you add a new blog post, your LinkedIn account will be updated with fresh, new content.

While WordPress is one of the main applications I would recommend using, LinkedIn has a variety of applications you can use to populate your profile.

Try SlideShare, and incorporate a slide presentation using your images and graphics.

Or try Portfolio Display, and create a unique way of showcasing what you can do for your clients and customers.

Create A LinkedIn Ad Campaign

Facebook Ads aren’t the only way to advertise your business on social media sites. Why not give LinkedIn Ads a try?

Because LinkedIn is a professional site used by business people, they are less likely to click around on things that are of no interest to them. When they are in need of a product or service, they move straight to the source and find exactly what they are looking for.

LinkedIn has 100 million members worldwide, 40 million in the United States. You can reach out to 1.3 million small business owners, 4.2 million corporate executives, and 7.9 million business decision makers. And with an average household income of $108,000 US, it’s definitely the right place to find a few customers.

It’s possible to start your campaign in minutes with as little as $50. Be sure to use your branding any time you start something new so people will start recognize you from platform to platform.

Are you using LinkedIn? How is it working for you?

LinkedIn is the social media site that’s geared a little more towards business and careers, and can help you make connections on a business level as opposed to a general consumer level.

If your photography is centered around attracting a more professional level of clientele, than you may have luck with LinkedIn.

Just like other social sites, LinkedIn has its own nuances. If you’ve tried LinkedIn and haven’t had any luck, take a look at these 3 tips.

1. Creating a complete profile

LinkedIn has a variety of items you can use to complete your profile, and make it rich and full of information. Never discount content; the more the better. When people search out your profile, they want to be able to get a feel for who you are and what you do.

Also remember that a profile isn’t necessarily synonymous with a resume. If you were applying for a job with a resume, the reader would care that you are President of ABC Photography. But on LinkedIn, your title doesn’t matter. Instead, think from a keyword perspective, and list yourself by things people would search for. Then fill your summary and experience areas with relevant terms people will most commonly be searching for.

Also focus on utilizing as much space as possible. Hook up your RSS feed from your blog to your profile to generate content on a regular basis. Get your clients to offer recommendations. The more you have, the more you will attract people to want to connect.

2. Joining the right groups

When you start searching groups, it’s easy to jump in and find your own industry groups, and start joining as many as possible. I just did a quick search and came up with 1,385 results for the word photography.  Yet are photography groups your best choice?

Maybe. Maybe not. If you target photographers, it’s a great choice. But if you target property management companies hoping to hang your artwork in their buildings, you’ll never meet one property manager in a photography group.

Instead, take a minute and think like your potential customer. Who are they and what are they interested in? What types of groups would they hang out in? Do a search for that type of group, and start posting and getting involved.

Remember, being in a group doesn’t equate to talking about you and your services. Instead, it’s about building relationships. Don’t sell. Answer questions, and find ways to connect with the members without deliberate selling. They will seek you out when they are ready – it’s only a click away to your profile.

3. Advertising your business page

LinkedIn also has a company section that allows you to create a company page in addition to your personal profile. It’s free and it’s a great way to add everything you can about your company and the services you offer.

People can follow your company page to keep up with your latest information, and you can even advertise your company page throughout the LinkedIn community, driving more people to your information – and hopefully to connecting up with you.

The key to LinkedIn is involvement – just like all of the other social media sites. The more you use it, the better chance you have of connecting up with the right people who can do business with you.

Choose your social site, and start connecting.