This document provides best practices for utilizing LinkedIn. It offers tips for individuals such as having a professional headshot, writing a brief summary and detailed descriptions of experience, adding relevant skills, socializing on the platform through recommendations and endorsements, and keeping updates professional and occasional. For businesses, it suggests standing out through company socialization, sharing news to drive traffic to websites, and using LinkedIn for recruiting talent. The author is a social media strategist who helps clients with tailored strategies and offers related training.

1. Best Practices for Utilizing
By: Lara Abdulhadi
@larahadi
jo.linkedin.com/in/larahadi

2. A FEW STATS TO WARM YOU UP
Best Practices for Utilizing LinkedIN

3. 332 Million LinkedIn
Users
Stat as of 6 Nov 2014 by DMR

4. 2 New LinkedIn
Members Join per
Second
Stat as of 1 May 2014 by DMR

5. 200 Countries and
Territories are the
current Geographical
Reach on LinkedIn
Stat as of 2 June 2014 by DMR

6. 40% of Users
Check LinkedIn
daily
Stat as of 2 July 2013 by DMR

7. Likelihood that your
LinkedIn Profile will
get viewed if you
include a photo is 11
X
Stat as of 22 April 2014 by DMR

8. 930 is the average
number of LinkedIn
Connections that
CEO's have
Stat as of 15 Sep 2014 by DMR

9. Number of LinkedIn
Users in the Middle
East
10 Million
Stat as of 26 Nov 2013 by DMR

10. UAE has the
strongest LinkedIN
penetration in the
MENA region
Stat as of 25 Apr 2014 by DMR

11. BASICS OF A POLISHED ACCOUNT
Best Practices for Utilizing LinkedIN

12. Your profile picture should be a headshot or a
passport photo. No vacation photos, pet photos,
or empty profile photos.

13. Keep a Brief
Summary and a
Detailed Description
of your Various
Positions under
Experience

14. While this applies
most to Fresh Grads …
Don’t be afraid to list
those electives that
are RELEVANT to your
field of work.

15. As you would in your
resume, add your
skills. It will make it
effortless for your
connections to
endorse you if they
agree.

16. LinkedIN is a social
network! Go ahead and
socialize!
Recommend people
and ask people to
recommend you if they
qualify.
Don’t go asking random
people you just added
for recommendations.

17. LinkedIN is a social
network! Go ahead and
socialize!
Recommend people
and ask people to
recommend you if they
qualify.
Don’t go asking random
people you just added
for recommendations.

18. Don’t add random
strangers, this is a
professional
network and less
is more.

19. Personalize your
connection
requests, add a
message to the
person you'd like to
connect with ...
have you met them
at a forum or
conference, remind
them of that.

20. Don't cross
promote your
social networks
with your LinkedIn
connections. It
really isn't a good
idea.

21. If you have a
Premium Account
and you know that
someone viewed
your profile, keep
it to your self... it's
a compliment,
don't ask why
they did.

22. Don’t bombard
people with your
feed. One to two
updates per day
with useful
information that
adds value to their
life is sufficient.

23. IF it’s
personal,
then it
belongs on
Facebook…
Keep it
professional.

24. Keep it real and
nurture your
connections. If
someone gets a
new job or gets
promoted, a
simple conrgats
will go a long way.

25. Establish Trust &
Credibility through
Recommendations
& Endorsements

26. LINKEDIN FOR BUSINESS
Best Practices for Utilizing LinkedIN

27. Stand Out from
the crowd and
socialize as a
company

28. Drive traffic to
your website by
sharing corporate
news and blog
posts.

29. Recruit Talent and
build your dream
team

30. About the Author
With a strong background as a Social Media
Strategist, Lara is a blogger, who brings together
her online experience and business background to
set the direction and strategy for clients. Her
diverse list of clientele in which social media
strategies was tailored for include both local and
regional clients.
Lara holds an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology,
and offers social media training for individuals and organizations,
along side consultancy and strategy.