Social Media for Consultants

Use HootSuite to relink LinkedIn and Twitter

"UPDATE LinkedIn announced via a blog post on Friday that Twitter would no longer be partnering with the business-networking site to sync updates from one site to the other.

This ends a partnership that began in 2009. LinkedIn users can still create updates on the site and click a button to share to Twitter as well, but the the reverse is no longer possible."

The recent action of Twitter as reported in Mashable has generated significant discussion on the Internet, with many seeing it as bad news for LinkedIn. Certainly the integration of the two platforms was useful for those of us who use both Twitter and LinkedIn to communicate with our connections and share content to advance our interests.

I've written a previous post about sharing my Twitter steam on my LinkedIn profile for professional purposes, to provide or share content and thinking on strategic planning, marketing and other business topics where I can add to the conversation, learn from others similarly engaged, and even offer a little thought leadership.

Never fear.  Despite the chirping about Twitter's action, you can still easily cross-post to multiple social media platforms - Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ - quickly and easily.

For me the answer is to use HootSuite for posting/tweeting.  You can configure this free tool (that is, free unless you want to tap even more sophisticated features for managing your social interaction than I will mention here) to display your social streams - Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook in the example I will offer - and you can write one message and post it in one simple action on all of these streams.

What you post will go out as a Tweet, will show up as an update to your LinkedIn connections, and as a status update on Facebook visible to your Facebook friends.  You can also "deselect" a platform for any message you are sending if you want to exclude an audience - say, your Facebook friends.

Here's s view of the HootSuite page that shows my LinkedIn update stream but also shows tabs for my other streams, as well as the "magic box" for creating messages and cross-posting them:

 

When you click in the "compose message" box, it expands and also offers you a place to paste in and shorten a link to include in your message.

Here's a message with a link pasted into the "shortening" box:

And here's what the message looks like after I have pressed the "shrink" button to shorten and insert the URL to the post I want to share across platforms:

Now I can move the right and select where I want this message to appear.  Here's what it looks like if "Select All" is clicked; green check marks show where the message will be posted:

When I click "send now," the message will be broadcast across my selected social networks.  In this case, all my Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook connections will know about how to use HootSuite to relink LinkedIn and Twitter.  Easy peasy!

 

 

Be a LinkedIn "connector" to build your practice

We have evidence that good things can come from getting serious about using LinkedIn, benefits that can build your consulting practice.

Several weeks ago we issued our 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey. Now we have the results.

The response offers insight on how consultants can get greater value from LinkedIn. You can get a free copy of the 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey Report now. Click here to download a nine-page executive summary and 26 pages of detailed results.

Here's a taste of what the report offers, 10 things we learned or confirmed from LinkedIn "connectors" (people with 500 or more contacts) and LinkedIn "users" (people with fewer than 500 contacts):

1.  It takes time and attention to become a connector.
2. No need to pay to grow the network.
3. Engagement is important.
4. For a larger network, seek connections (it won't come to you).
5. Be open but discerning in adding contacts.
6. The form of the "ask" and frequency of profile updates don't affect network size.
7. Overall, the connected see more value in the network.
8. Be better connected to get more of whatever you want from the network.
9. To gain benefits, be proactive (ask!) as well as being connected.
10. The connected see value in "taking it real."

Looking a little deeper, the data show the difference in what one gets from being connected and active on LinkedIn versus being less connected and less active. 

Indeed, connectors are significantly more active. On average, they spend more time per week on LinkedIn than users:

Connectors

Users

In their approach to LinkedIn, Connectors categorize themselves as much more likely to be active or assertive than passive, inactive or even inert in their use of LinkedIn:

Connectors   

Users

Here is what connectors say they has come to them through their activity and connections on LinkedIn:

Connectors                                                                                        

• 72% have been invited by a contact to meet    
• 74% have been invited to a worthwhile event or function   
• 72% have given a contact valuable information                 
• 62% have received an unsolicited business or job referral, reference or recommendation    
• 80% have been asked to give a referral, reference or recommendation   
• 38% have received a business offer                                        
• 74% have been connected by a contact with another contact for mutual benefit        

To get this level of benefit, connectors are proactive:

Connectors                                                                                        

• 61% have sought and obtained a meeting    
• 57% have invited a contact to a function or event            
• 75% have gained valuable information                                  
• 67% have sought and received a referral, reference or recommendation
• 77% have given a contact a referral                                         
• 18% have made a business offer                        
• 78% have brought together contacts                                     

Ask yourself, are you an active connector on LinkedIn?  Are you seeking potentially helpful contacts and are you engaging with contacts for mutual benefit?  If not, why not?  Our evidence suggests that the benefits that can come from being a connector will help you build your consulting practice.