How to develop your LinkedIn network? 10 Tips to get you started!

80% of BtoB leads generated on social networks come from LinkedIn. 🤯 80%! Yet, at all levels, many people neglect their business and don’t think about developing their LinkedIn network.

The reasons? «Too time-consuming», «my prospects aren’t there», «I have no network experience», «I don’t like networking»… 🔗

However, LinkedIn can be a powerful lever for your career and business. ⚡

How do you develop your LinkedIn network?

The truth is, you can develop your network in 20 minutes a day. 👀 Just 20 minutes with an incredible return on investment!

Because in those 20 minutes a day, you can: 👇

• Reach many people with publications that land on their news feed.
• Make yourself visible by posting relevant comments.
• Approach 80 to 100 prospects a day.
• Meet new collaborators and networking.

Not to mention the fact that it’s a great opportunity to exchange on common interests and a good way to develop a file of interesting contacts. 📄

All you need is a simple 20-minute-a-day routine, ⌚ a clear strategy, and you’re on your way to generating hundreds of qualified sales leads a month.

Here are our 10 tips to get you started! 👇

1. Optimize your LinkedIn profile

To optimize your LinkedIn profile and make it more attractive for your professional goals, 🌟 here are the key steps to follow:

• Profile photo and banner: use a professional photo that represents you and a banner that reflects your industry to create a positive, professional first impression. 📸
• LinkedIn title: pay attention to your title so that it’s clear, concise, and relevant to what you do and what you want to bring to your network. 👁️ This is the first description people will see when they interact with you on LinkedIn.
• Introduction/Summary: write a compelling summary that highlights your skills, experience, and what sets you apart from others. Use relevant keywords to improve your visibility and include a clear call to action. ⏰
• Education and professional experience: detail your educational and professional experience, focusing on acquired sales skills and key achievements, relevant to your current goals. 🎯
• Skills and recommendations: choose the skills most relevant to your field and encourage colleagues to endorse these skills to you, 👄 boosting your credibility.
• Personalization and engagement: add customized sections such as projects, certifications, or publications that showcase your expertise. 🏆 Interact regularly with your network via publications and comments to maintain a positive presence.
• Be Multilingual: translate your profile into other languages if you’re targeting international markets, increasing your ability to reach a wider audience. 🗣️
• LinkedIn SEO: use strategic keywords in different sections of your profile to improve your visibility in searches related to your sector. ✅

💡 Here’s an example of the profile of our LinkedIn content creator, Felix Freyss :

As you can see, all the elements mentioned above are present in his profile. Well done to him! 👏

2. Use your Personal Profile vs. your Company Page

Using a personal LinkedIn profile instead of a company page offers several advantages, particularly in terms of engagement and visibility on this professional network:

• Increase personal engagement: on LinkedIn, personal profiles tend to receive more engagement than company pages. Users are more willing to interact with individuals than with brands, which can lead to better engagement on publications and a wider network. 🧲
• Authenticity and trust: personal profiles convey a more authentic image, essential for building trust. 🤗 People prefer to connect and communicate with real people rather than an anonymous organization or company.
• SEO on LinkedIn: personal profiles often rank higher in LinkedIn searches than company pages. 🤫 This is because algorithms prioritize human interaction, making personal profiles more visible when searching the platform.
• Network flexibility: with a personal profile, you can join groups, comment as an individual and send direct connection invitations, 📨 something not possible with a company page.
• Simple management: managing a personal profile is often less complicated than managing a business page, which requires a more complex content and marketing strategy. 🤔

In short, while company pages are useful for an official brand presence, personal profiles provide a more effective way to create meaningful connections and foster professional interactions on LinkedIn. 🤝

3. Expand your network on LinkedIn

In reality, the competition isn’t tough here if you want to prospect and expand your LinkedIn network. 🧐

Unlike social networks like Facebook or Instagram, where competition for visibility is fierce, LinkedIn is still an under-exploited network when it comes to content creation and publishing. 💡

What’s more, it’s effortless, with a few tricks and good content, to gain thousands of views on publications and attract the right people. 👀

Then, who says thousands of views, says hundreds of potential customers and new contacts, so expand your network thanks to our tool (we’ll see how to use Waalaxy in detail below)! 💰

4. Showcase your business

Generally speaking, if someone searches for you by your first and last name on a search engine, the first result will match your LinkedIn profile. 🔍 It’s your professional storefront on the internet that allows you to find customers or get the attention of recruiters!

Now, I’m not going to say that having «+500 relationships» on your profile makes THE difference. But it does show that you’re invested professionally and lets your visitors believe that you can have reach in your professional network. 💥

In any case, the larger your LinkedIn network and the more optimized your profile, the more your company’s name will be associated with your profile in Google searches (especially if you’re in a company with a small workforce). 👉 An opportunity to gain visibility for yourself!

I remember when we started posting on LinkedIn: all the people around us and the entrepreneurial ecosystem we met were saying: «Wow! They’re moving your business forward, I’ve seen your publications on LinkedIn». 🤯

Yet nothing had changed, we were just making public things that previously weren’t…

How to launch a LinkedIn Content Strategy?

5. Expand your network with Waalaxy

With Waalaxy, the automation tool for LinkedIn, you can develop your network strategically and efficiently! 🧨

Here’s how to use Waalaxy to send invitations and search for profiles on LinkedIn:

1. Search for your target profile: start by defining your target audience using specific criteria such as sector, location, etc. 📍 Waalaxy offers advanced filter features that allow you to find profiles exactly matching your professional needs.
2. Send personalized invitations: once you’ve identified the right profile, start on Waalaxy to send invitations automatically. 📩 The advantage here is the ability to add a personal touch to each invitation. You can use a template or create your own personalized message to increase your chances of receiving an invitation.
3. Automatic follow-up: after sending the invitation, Waalaxy also lets you set up an automatic follow-up system. 🤖 This means you can send follow-up messages to people who didn’t respond initially, increasing your chances of building a stronger network.
4. Analyze results: Waalaxy doesn’t just send invitations; it also provides analysis tools to assess the effectiveness of your networking campaigns. 👋 You can see how many people accepted your invitation, the response rate to your messages, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
5. Respecting LinkedIn limits: most importantly, Waalaxy is designed to respect the activity limits imposed by LinkedIn, reducing the risk of your account being restricted due to excessive use or «spam».

Indeed, there are many ways to develop your network on LinkedIn than simply sending invitations, you can also: 👇

1. Post relevant comments on publications that interest you.
2. Follow and visit profiles in your industry or potential prospects to draw their attention to your profile.
3. Publish relevant content, talk about your business, take an interest in your prospects’ problems, etc.

Test Waalaxy for more info on how to boost your network growth on LinkedIn: 👇

Find out more 🔥

In the next part, we’ll tackle the subject of content creation! 🚀

6. Make a LinkedIn content strategy

To create an effective content strategy on LinkedIn, it’s important to follow structured steps and apply recommended methods to engage your audience.

Here are some key tips: 🗝️

1. Identify core themes: start by identifying your content topics using the TOFU-MOFU-BOFU method. 👉 TOFU (“Top Of the FUnnel”) targets a broad audience with general topics, MOFU (“Middle Of the FUnnel”) targets a narrower audience with topics specific to your sector, and BOFU (“Bottom Of the FUnnel”) focuses on very specific topics about your expertise.
2. Plan ahead and be regular: post regularly, ideally 2-3 times a week, to stay visible in your contacts’ news feeds. 📣 Alternate between different types of TOFU, MOFU and BOFU content to maintain interest and reach different segments of your audience.
3. Engagement and interaction: use interactive formats such as videos, polls and carousels to attract attention and encourage engagement. 🗣️ Make sure your video is short and visually appealing, and consider including subtitles.
4. Value-added content: focus on creating content that adds real value to your audience. 🎁 This can include practical tips, industry-specific information and personal reflections that demonstrate your experience and skills.
5. Measure performance: analyze the performance of your publications to understand what resonates best with your audience. 👂 Review KPIs such as views, engagement rate and profile visits to adjust your content strategy based on the results.

In this example of a LinkedIn post, we see that Felix focuses on a subject that affects everyone: “How to make your day perfect”; thanks to the routine of a Hollywood actor! 🎥

This type of content is very engaging because it is in a carousel format, and this means light and entertaining reading for the viewers. 😁

Here, we are sure to reach a large audience (TOFU) so that they subscribe to your content, 🛎️ and then post on more specific subjects, such as B2b prospecting techniques.

By applying this technique, you can develop a strong presence on LinkedIn, while effectively engaging your professional network. 👌

7. Boost your network’s engagement

LinkedIn is a network of professionals. 🤓 However, any topic can be discussed there. It’s not about saying you’ve just met the woman of your life or posting your vacation photos from Malaysia… 🌴

But you can talk about political, cultural, marketing strategy, economic, societal and even personal topics (your motivations, your opinion on a debate, your issues, etc.). 👀

There are so many topics to talk about when it comes to publishing and getting your name out there!

Bonus: ⚡ Use Podawaa to go even further

Podawaa is a tool designed to increase engagement on your LinkedIn publications using «pods», which are groups of users who interact with each other with their content. 🧠

To use it effectively, follow these steps: ⏬

1. Join a “pod” or group: register on Podawaa and join a group that matches your niche or industry.
2. Schedule publications: use Podawaa to schedule publications at strategic times when your audience is most active.
3. Interact with other people’s posts: to benefit from mutual interaction, interact with the posts of other members of your group.
4. Analyze the results: follow the analyses provided by Podawaa to measure the effectiveness of your publications and adjust your strategy if necessary.

To test Podawaa, click here! 😎

How to launch a Prospecting Campaign on LinkedIn?

8. Run prospecting campaigns with Waalaxy

What better network than LinkedIn if you’re selling to B2B companies to test a market, an idea or a target? 🎯 We use it every day for this purpose!

On LinkedIn, you can address a particular target by making a qualified search, with a precise invitation and message: 👇

Do you have an idea for a product you’d like to test? 🤔 Simply create a dedicated landing page offering to sign up for a beta release, send an invitation campaign to the potential target on LinkedIn, and you’re done. 🪄

Want to test a new pitch? 🤔 A new target? New sales techniques? Then iterate on other acquisition channels (advertising, cold calling, emailing, trade shows…)?

Set up a targeted Waalaxy campaign with an automation tool to measure your performance. 🦾 That way, you’ll get incredibly rich, qualified data.

This way, you’ll exchange with your potential customers (this is the basis when you launch a new product or service) who will give you feedback on your offer and product! 🤲

9. Generate qualified leads

I’ve been talking about it since the beginning of this article: LinkedIn is the social network for finding new BtoB customers. 👉 Today, LinkedIn boasts 1 billion users, a very significant proportion of whom are decision-makers. Chances are, your customers are among them!

To find out, all you need to do is carry out a few keyword searches to find YOUR prospects, then start sending out invitations and follow-up messages. 📧

You can do this manually (if you’re a bit of a masochist) or with an automation tool like Waalaxy 👽 if you want to save time and like simplicity.

Discover Waalaxy 🪐

10. Build (Professional) Relationships on LinkedIn

Finally, tell yourself that if your customers aren’t there, your potential partners are! 🤗

Obviously, not all types of customers are there. 🤷 It all depends on who your targets are.

If you’re targeting ✂️ hairdressers or archaeologists, there aren’t many of them. On the other hand, you can find investors, mentors, entrepreneurs, potential partners… So you need to make yourself known!

Since we’re all victims of «the Mere-Exposure Effect», a persistent cognitive bias which shows that the more we’re exposed to something, the more likely we are to like it. 😮

Maybe these people won’t buy your product, but will recommend it…

Bonus: ⚡ Use the Waalaxy Inbox to manage your contacts

Finally, let Waalaxy make your life even easier! 😍

We’ve enhanced LinkedIn messaging, so it’s directly accessible from your Waalaxy page, saving you time in your prospecting efforts. 💪

Need to get a prospect out of your sequence? Want to have saved responses? Want to identify interested prospects more easily?

Boom! 💥 It’s all possible with the Waalaxy Inbox:

Click this button if you’re ready to take it to the next level! 💫

Test the Inbox now 🔥

Conclusion: How to develop your LinkedIn network?

Unlike Facebook or Instagram, on which companies communicate under their brand names; LinkedIn is first and foremost a people-based social network. 🤝

Company and brand pages have relatively little “organic reach”. 🍃 Content is published and shared by accounts.

This is the strength of this social network, which enables you to develop notoriety around a particular profile and work on your «LinkedIn personal branding». 🤩

Developing your LinkedIn network is an opportunity to create real relationships with other users, 👋 who may soon be new customers or new ambassadors for your brand.

Now you know why you should use LinkedIn (and Waalaxy, for the winning combo)! 😏

FAQ: How do I use LinkedIn?

Have a fixed goal when using LinkedIn. 🏹

For example, if you’re searching for a job, then gear your profile towards the position in question and publish quality content to stand out from other online candidates. ✨

Always offer more than your competitors by weaving a handpicked network!

How to create a Professional Network and work on your Reputation?

To create your professional network and work on your e-reputation, 👇 here’s what you can do:

• Update your LinkedIn profile to stand out from the crowd.
• Add B2B users who match your target audience on LinkedIn.
• Follow groups and #s that interest you.
• Learn what there is to know about the LinkedIn algorithm.
• Clarify your objective on the network.
• Find out how to send personalized, automated messages for free.
• Publish your content to develop your brand image.

How does the LinkedIn algorithm work?

Recently, professional social networks have hardened their algorithms to limit the organic reach of publications and favor advertising. 📣 This will probably happen soon enough with LinkedIn.

But, today, it’s possible to easily make thousands of views by respecting publication standards and thanks to «pods»! 🤫

The «pods» are groups of engagements designed to trick the algorithm into thinking your post is very popular. 🤩

So by publishing 2–3 times a week, you can get maximum visibility for your business and product.

Try Podawaa Now 🚀

That’s it! Now you know exactly how to develop your LinkedIn network. 👏