7 Things You Can Learn from Your Linkedin Connections

An informal study on the number of Connections held by people in my immediate Linkedin network (585 Connections) showed an average of just over 160 Connections per person. This sampling of Linkedin users may not be consistent across millions of Linkedin users around the globe. But even this select sampling can tell us a few things about the nature of Linkedin users in general. More importantly, it can be a guide to consider what your network of Connections can and should do for you.

Here are 7 things you can learn from an analysis of your own Linkedin Connections.

You'll likely find... the average Connection is decidedly average in their efforts to network using Linkedin.

A reasonably active Linkedin user can achieve a profile of 500+ Connections simply by searching for known associates and contacts on Linkedin and by responding regularly to potential Connections presented to them by the Linkedin site. If you reach 500+ connections you'll have a potential network of around 6 million people. But relatively few people are that active usingLinkedin.

My small study may not be scientific, but the sampling shows that the average user in my network was connected to 160 people. This illustrates that many people are only mildly opportunistic in their approach to usingLinkedin.

For all its potential power, the effects of Linkedin are governed by human nature and limited by how often people in your network choose to use it. Unlike Facebook where you might delete casual or even annoying users however, it doesn't really pay to actively delete people from your network. Linkedin really is about increasing your chances to reach people by enlarging your network and building visibility using Connections, Groups and search terms in your Profile to help people find you.

There is no real correlation between the number of Connections and how long a person has used Linkedin.

Some people are really fast about building and using their network on Linkedin while others seem to be slow and lazy. We have all been surprised at some point (sometimes pleasantly) by someone who responded to our Linkedin Connection request weeks, months, even years after a request was posted. The response out of the blue from a high value Connection can be like finding a $20 bill in your back pocket!

A variety of factors can contribute to this lag effect.

-- Some people just don't check the network very often.

--Others check it frequently but do not get around to responding because they're too busy. These may however be some of your highest value contacts. Be smart and use these resources wisely once you do connect. Extend value to high profile contacts and you may receive a better response.

-- There are a fair number of "streak users" who ignore requests for long periods only to fill them all in a week. Perhaps the only way to improve response from a streak user is to extend value and put a timeframe on your request. And still you might not see a response for a while.

--There are "ponderers" who look you up and take their time making a decision to connect. These can be the toughest to crack. More contact may just scare them off. Best to analyze why they might have contacted you in the first place. Courtesy? Curiosity? Or is there some business need they might be investigating. Try to find clues in their posts or their Profile.

Linkedin can also be exciting because sometimes random people find you through search, by link from a Connection or by mere happenstance. It's like fishing, or wiggling the bait: Sometimes the simple act of clicking back on their Profile when you see they've visited will show you are also interested. They may glimpse your profile and come back some day to connect. Which leads us to one of the most important features of Linkedin.

The "Who's Viewed Your Profile" can be the most important piece of information onLinkedin

It always pays to know who's been looking at your Profile, so always check these people out. They could be recruiters, potential clients or other vital connections you want or need to know.

Linkedin can be a rather secretive tool with its Anonymous User features (and the like.) The site charges you for greater access to information about who's been searching for you or looking at your profile. It often makes business (and basic) sense to want to know this information. So you might want to upgrade if you consider information of that order to be vital.

But let's be honest: it also satisfies prurient curiosity to know who's been snooping around your Profile. Sometimes it can be former associates, even former bosses. This is the dirty little secret of Linkedin. It turns business into a big soap opera. And that's kind of fun.

Your Connections will see the content you post. To network more effectively, try to post content they might be moved to read or pass along, thereby increasing your reach.

Linkedin is an excellent format to present yourself as an expert, informed participant or relevant source for business information. It can't hurt to do some research to find and share posts or content that people among your Connections might find interesting. This applies to Groups as well, but that dialogue tends to occur through Discussions, not through direct posts to your Connections.Linkedin has somewhat improved its sharing features of late, as well as added synchronization with portfolio and presentation applications. These can be easy showcases for you to post links on your Profile.

It doesn't hurt to nurture your Connections. Pay attention and comment when they post. Then when you need them, they might be inclined to remember and help you.

Linkedin works best if you reach out to people in some way. You do not need to sell people on what you do or who you are. In factLinkedinetiquette almost demands that you don't sell directly or be too pushy. But if someone posts an interesting article and you see it in your daily queue, it doesn't hurt to say "I found this interesting" or "Thanks, I'd like to pass this along." And do it. People appreciate being recognized and complimented. Your Connections become more effective through this simple step.

Linkedin is not Facebook. Your posts or communications to Connections should be relevant to your personal objectives in business, avocations or vocations.

In other words, it doesn't hurt to post that you are running a marathon or post a chapter of the book you're working on using WordPress. But consider that personal information and especially political or religious viewpoints are sensitive issues to some. The philosophy on content goes both ways. Some prefer to avoid any contentious issues while others refuse to be constrained and would rather be themselves and only work with people who accept them for what they are. There's room for both on Linkedin. Just consider what you are trying to achieve and how confident you are that you can afford to work only with people who agree with your worldview. Engaging in a job hunt may be require different rules than promoting your radical new startup selling cartoon tee shirts.

Don't be afraid to take a risk or two in creating Connections.

For example, if you choose to pursue a contact that is a 2^nd or 3^rd degree Connection it simply pays to develop some good potential reasons for contacting them. Keep that message simple and direct. It can be as plain as "You're a member of (name group.) I'd like you to join my network on Linkedin." Yes, that's cliché as heck. But it works.

So join relevant Groups. That increases your viability as a Linkedin user. People also find you that way.

Other connections may not be so easy to determine or attain. Linkedin frankly discourages users from contacting people they don't really know. But if you have some Connection to someone and simply put your current business as the connection in contacting them, it remains for that user to review your profile and make the decision to accept your request. It's a free country even if the Linkedin User Agreement would not have you think so.

It baffles why some people are onLinkedinif they hate the entire notion of networking. I once contacted a woman who shared very tangible mutual interests in vocation and avocation. Her question to me was simple: "What on earth does anyone need 535 Connections for? Will my being 536 mean anything to you?" My response: "You never know." She connected. But she then declined a request to review a book project I was producing. Oh well. You can't win them all.

Linkedin really can be a great tool for the job hunt, business development or bettering your world. Personally I've used it to get interviews with companies that would otherwise be hard to reach, to establish inroads with potential clients, propose deals and find rewarding volunteer opportunities to name just a few. Your Connections are the path to those opportunities. It can pay to learn to use them well.