Does LinkedIn have value?

I am frequently asked about LinkedIn. And, the most common question I get is... "so I signed up on LinkedIn, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it. Does it have any value?"

In fact, LinkedIn generates the most B2B referrals of all social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter (Source: Leadforce1, June 2010). And it also generates the most B2B lead conversions beating out the company blog, Facebook, and Twitter. (Source: Hubspot, State of Inbound Marketing Report 2011).

Let's consider the numbers. LinkedIn has 85 million users, of which 32 million are based in the U.S. The average LinkedIn user is between 35 and 49-years old, with $110k in income. Every Fortune 500 company is listed/represented on LinkedIn. Over 12 million small business people are LinkedIn users, of which 1.3 million are small business owners. Over 150 industries are included. And the list goes on. The answer to "does it have value" is YES.

A Restaurant Builds Relationships with Social Media

Build relationships: For B.Good, a Boston-based restaurant chain, Facebook and Twitter help to build stronger relationships with customers. On Facebook, the business runs contests to name its newest burger, posts pictures of holiday presents the company wrapped for its customers, and announces its latest menu items. On Twitter, the chain takes advantage of the immediacy of the network, collecting and responding to instant feedback. "With the dialogue and trust that we create, customers are much more likely to engage and help us," explains Jon Olinto, one of B.Good's founders. "Our loyal customers want us to improve and succeed."  Check out another restaurant, Ninja Steak and Sushi using social media to build relationships with clients.