Three important LinkedIn changes that will raise your profile

Over the past few months, LinkedIn has implemented numerous updates and changes, so it’s important to understand how to use them, and tweak your profile to increase your visibility, impact and influence on the social network.

Take a look into the three most recent and important changes:

1. @ Mentions in your status

Similar to what happens on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn started rolling out a new mentions feature that’s intended to make it easier for LinkedIn’s community to engage with users and companies. Now, members can mention/tag their connections and companies in their status updates. You can only mention other LinkedIn users that you’re connected to, or other members who’re part of a discussion thread on the LinkedIn homepage, but when you tag a person or company they’ll be notified by email, creating a fantastic opportunity to build new relationships. Your name, photo and headline might pop up in the drop down menu when someone is mentioning a person with a similar name. This keeps you top of mind and companies will be more visible.

However, since LinkedIn is a professional network this “mentions” feature should be used with more caution and more “business like” than on Facebook or Twitter. Professionals using it should ask themselves first if the communication would be better suited to a simple direct message that isn’t so public.

2. The Tool Bar

LinkedIn launched a new tool bar layout in order to increase accessibility and to help members navigate and engage on the platform more easily. This update follows changes to its homepage design, profile layout, and revamped mobile app.

This new tool bar reveals a simplified menu of tabs to more directly access features and content that are more relevant: company pages, groups, influencer-created content, and the new and improved “channels” are all meant to expand our use of LinkedIn Today. Settings can be found when you hover over your profile picture in the upper right. Even the Search bar has been enlarged and centered for easier access.

This LinkedIn video is helpful in explaining the Tool Bar changes:

3. Signal

If you were aware of LinkedIn Signal announced last year, then this is it; it comes in the form of a search bar that’s been enlarged and centered for easier access. The difference is it now gives you access to the entire LinkedIn network, rather than just your 1st level connections as is still the default situation on your homepage update stream.

It’s now great for researching topics of interest as well as finding the type of people that you’re looking to connect with through what they’re sharing i.e. comments on a subject from people in a certain company or industry. It allows you to filter the information and focus on the info that you really want to find, in real time. Very similar to what Twitter is known for, but much more business focused. It also allows you to save the searches so that you can come back and re-check them.

Additionally, there’s also a feature on the right hand side called “Today’s Headlines” which displays stories fitting your search and what others recommend.

By Lynsey Sweales, CEO of social media and online marketing experts SocialB and member of the DMA Social Media Council