If you’ve used social media, you know that it has value in expressing your brand voice, spreading your company’s message, and even converting to sales. But have you tried using social media to support your professional growth? Social media serves information and industry knowledge on a silver platter. So why not take advantage of all there is to learn? By connecting and following other users from your area of expertise, you can use social media to sharpen your professional skills, learn even more about your industry, and perhaps land your next job.
For most professionals, LinkedIn is the most frequently used form of social media, but are you accessing all the information this channel has to offer? There’s more to LinkedIn than generating content to spread your company’s message. By joining LinkedIn groups, you can join ongoing conversations or start new ones with people who may be similar to you. These groups are where other industry professionals will be posting their blog posts and sharing their opinions. Use these groups to interact with them and learn from their experiences. By interacting with other professionals in your industry, you will be building connections that could lead to potential referrals down the road, and you can use the information you learn here for continued professional growth.
Twitter is a constant flow of recent news and thought. By following other professionals in your industry and being active on Twitter, you’ll gain access to the latest industry news and will always be updated with the most recent trends. Looking to engage in more conversation? Join Twitter chats focused on your industry. These Twitter chats are an open conversation between industry leaders and often focus on frequently asked questions and common problems. You never know when you might find the answer to a problem you’ve been looking to solve!
Looking for bloggers and influencers within your industry? Use Pinterest as a search engine to connect you with blog posts and opinion pieces about almost anything relevant your career. These posts will link back to a company or individual’s page so you can gain more context about the author and learn more about who is competing in your space.
Google Alerts
For more formal news delivered right to your fingertips each day, sign up for Google Alerts. Google curates information from your keyword searches and delivers the news to your inbox. Set up multiple keyword searches related to your industry so you are always notified when important “newsworthy” articles are published.
Social media is a database for unlimited information. Use these tips to break out of your routine and explore a different side to these platforms. Social media can be a tool and resource for you in your professional career. If you are interested in learning more about how social media can serve you and your growing business, our workshops can help! Join us for our February Social Media Bootcamp!
