10 Reasons Your Connections on LinkedIn Matter

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

There’s a saying that in business, it’s not about what you know as much as it is about who you know. Take that wisdom with some level of skepticism (after all, it’s important to know a lot about your industry and be knowledgeable in your field), but the sentiment that having a strong network does have some truth to it. After all, having a strong network is the basis of a successful business.

In the case of most social media platforms, there’s no sense in playing popularity games. Racking up large numbers of followers on Instagram and Twitter won’t do you any good if these aren’t people who are genuinely interested in the content you put out.

That’s not necessarily the case with LinkedIn. This platform for business networking is one of the few social media where having more connections — LinkedIn’s term for friends/followers — is actually to your benefit. (However, be careful about over-friending — you’re limited to only 30,000 connections on LinkedIn.)

LinkedIn is also unique in that it will show you whether another user is your first-tier connection, second-tier connection, or third-tier connection. First-tier connections are the people you are actually friends with. Second-tier connections are people you’re not directly connected with, but you do have connections in common. In the case of third-tier connections, your second-tier connections overlap with that person’s second-tier connections.

So what’s the point of all this? In short, the more connections you have, the more exposure. Here are 10 reasons to consider having a stronger network on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn widens your network.

All of these reasons hinge on this one: You know a lot of people, and they know you. They can go to you for business advice, and you can go to them in turn. While it’s usually better to have a strong or deep network instead of a wider one, this gives you the chance to expose yourself to people in different industries. Now get ready to use that wide network to your advantage.

LinkedIn opens your job opportunities

Do you see a job opportunity or volunteer opportunity you’re interested in? Take a look at what connections you have in common with the point of contact. The more connections you have, the more likely it is there will be some overlap — and the more likely it is for you to get a good word put in.

LinkedIn has a greater variety of business related content.

This is one of the reasons it’s good to connect with people who are either in your industry or who are within your in-person business network. This way, all the content in your feed with be ultra-relevant to you, and you’ll have a greater opportunity to learn.

Your accomplishments will have greater visibility.

When you post to LinkedIn about a professional accomplishment you’ve made, such as an award or a promotion, that post is more likely to receive engagement. Your post is then seen not only by your own connections but by anyone who is connected to them. Visibility opens you up to more opportunities.

Your profile gets higher visibility.

It’s not just about visibility for your posts — your profile has higher visibility too. A profile with more connections gets boosted by the LinkedIn algorithms, so you’ll be more likely to get notice and attention. You will also be more likely to show up in recommendation tabs for other users to connect with.

You get more endorsements.

More connections mean more people are likely to endorse your skills, which will boost your chances when you apply for a job via the platform. The hiring manager will see just how many people attest to your skills and abilities.

Having more connections looks good to recruiters and hiring managers.

Let’s face it: Social media isn’t a popularity contest, but recruiters and hiring managers will still be impressed by a candidate with lots of connections. Being connected to a lot of people (especially relevant people) will boost your chances of getting a job.

More connections mean more engagement.

You know how frustrating it is when you post something to social media and it receives little to no engagement? No likes, no comments, nothing? It’s even a little embarrassing sometimes. But if you have more connections on LinkedIn, that’s more opportunities for your posts to receive engagement. 

Your work reaches a larger audience off LinkedIn.

The people who appreciate the content you share on LinkedIn will be more likely to share it on other social media platforms. Let’s say you publish a piece in a leading industry magazine that really resonates with one of your connections on LinkedIn. They might turn around and share the link via Facebook.

You never fall out of touch with anybody.

You never know when you’ll have to call on somebody in the future, but it can be difficult to keep track of everybody’s phone numbers and email addresses (even if you’re meticulous in keeping your contact list updated). When you are connected with people on LinkedIn, you don’t have to worry about ever falling out of touch with them and not knowing how to contact them in the future.

Want help building a strong digital presence that people won’t be able to ignore? Our team at ASMM Digital is here to show you how you can create a vibrant, interactive network on LinkedIn and other platforms. Reach out to us today by calling 443-679-4916 or emailing ann@asmmdigital.com.