Congrats to LinkedIn for hitting the 150 million user level this week. That news and beating Wall Street’s earnings estimates helped the stock jump 17% in one day. I hope you own a few shares!
 
expertThis week I learned about an interesting feature on Amazon. If a book has a Kindle version, which my book does, you can find out just what parts of the book are highlighted (of course, electronically)  most often. I don’t think I have to tell you why this seems creepy! However, once you get past that thought, it is actually very cool to see just what people are finding most helpful.  
 
Since I am all about sharing not only my expertise/experience on LinkedIn but also what others are saying they like as well, I thought I would share the top 10 highlighted entries in my book as a way for you to do a self-check of sorts.  
 
1.  “It is imperative for your headline to clearly express what your company does and/or what your business proposition is.”
Highlighted by 52 Kindle users

 

2.  “Your Unique Experience + Your Unique Relationships + The Tool (in this case, LinkedIn) = The Power.”
Highlighted by 45 Kindle users

 

3.  “Every word in your profile is keyword searchable. Thus, having a beefy profile will increase your chances of being found.”
Highlighted by 43 Kindle users

 

4.  “You should expect your profile to regularly be compared with those of your competitors. Therefore, in order to gain a competitive advantage, you will want your profile to include a plethora of information, keywords, and details about who you are, what you hope to accomplish, and how you might be able to assist others.”

Highlighted by 40 Kindle users
 

5.  “Get those three recommendations that are necessary to have a 100 percent complete profile.”

Highlighted by 30 Kindle users

 

6.  “A beefy profile shows that you are not a dinosaur. What do I mean by this? For those of us in the Baby Boomer generation, people tend to appreciate the experience we possess, but they are also interested in knowing whether we are keeping abreast of the latest trends in the business world, including social media. A beefy profile will demonstrate that you are on top of current trends in your profession or occupation and that you embrace technology. You are not a dinosaur.”
Highlighted by 28 Kindle users

 

7.  “With LinkedIn, the goal is to connect with only those people whom you consider to be trusted professionals. That leads to the first strategic decision you have to make: You need to personally decide whom you will consider a trusted professional based on the strategy you intend to pursue on LinkedIn.”
Highlighted by 27 Kindle users

 

8.  “It’s crucial that you complete your profile 100 percent as defined by LinkedIn. I am really a stickler on this, and it is not just because I am trained as a bean counter and like all the boxes checked. LinkedIn’s research shows that you will be forty times more effective in your efforts on LinkedIn if you have a 100 percent complete profile.”
Highlighted by 26 Kindle users

 

9.  “This is the number one power of LinkedIn: It takes connections that would normally be invisible and makes them visible.”

Highlighted by 23 Kindle users

 

10.  “Your LinkedIn profile is a place where you can tell your story completely and fully, so that when people are looking at your profile, they will be encouraged to do business with you over your competitors. They will see the depth and breadth of your experience, your professional recommendations, and the brands you carry, plus your certifications, educational experience, and all the other qualifications you possess that make you the obvious professional to do business with in the marketplace you serve. I like to refer to a LinkedIn profile as a ‘resume on steroids.'”
Highlighted by 21 Kindle users

I hope this review of the key concepts in my book has been helpful. Thanks to my Kindle readers for sharing their “virtual yellow highlighters”!
 
I have to thank Jeffrey L. Cohen for introducing this concept to me. He, along with Kipp Bodnar, are the authors of “The B2B Social Media Book.” I am partway through the book, and I am learning quite a bit. You might want to check it out.