How To Find and Improve LinkedIn Social Selling Index (Score)?
At Social Star, we've seen how powerful social selling can be.
Social selling refers to the process of using social media platforms to build relationships with potential customers. Instead of traditional cold methods, social selling involves nurturing connections, sharing valuable content, and engaging in conversations to eventually lead to sales opportunities.
Our CEO, Andrew Ford, used LinkedIn to grow our business from a personal branding consultancy to a 10-person marketing & branding agency through referrals and strategic connections. His ability to connect with industry leaders and potential clients has significantly expanded our network and boosted our revenue.
Check out Andrew's Social Selling Index (SSI):
Social Star, 'How to find and improve LinkedIn social selling index (score)' blog, Andrew's Social Selling Index.
What is the LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI)?
The LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI) measures how effectively you use LinkedIn as a social selling tool.
Your SSI score is calculated based on four parameters, each contributing up to 25 points, for a total of 100 points.
Establish your professional brand (personal branding)
Find the right people (network building)
Engage with insights (active participation)
Build relationships (connection fostering)
How to Find Out Your LinkedIn SSI Score?
Finding out your LinkedIn SSI score is straightforward:
Log in to LinkedIn: Make sure you’re logged into your LinkedIn account.
Visit the SSI Dashboard: Go to LinkedIn's SSI page to view your score.
Review Your Score: The page will display your overall SSI score, as well as a breakdown of your performance in the four key areas. After checking your score, return to this blog to learn how you can improve your LinkedIn SSI score.
How to improve your current SSI score?
Rank > 60?: Congratulations! You're excelling in leveraging LinkedIn for social selling.
Rank < 60?: There's room for improvement. Let’s break them down to see how you can improve each of the four parameters:
Personal Branding
Complete profile: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete, engaging, and optimised for relevance and SEO. Use a professional photo as your profile picture, write a compelling headline that includes relevant keywords, and craft a detailed summary highlighting your expertise and achievements. This approach not only makes your profile more appealing to visitors but also improves its visibility in search results, enhancing your overall online presence.
Portfolio: Add relevant experience, education, skills, projects, and publications that showcase your professionalism, and skills, and set you apart from others in your field. Learn more here: LinkedIn Portfolio: A Step-by-Step Guide to Showcase Your Work.
Social Proof: Client, colleague, and customer reviews of your work, along with skill endorsements, are invaluable for enhancing your profile and fostering loyalty. Honest and appreciative feedback from others can significantly boost your professional credibility and reputation.
Network Building
Enhance your network by connecting with relevant professionals in your industry. Use LinkedIn’s advanced search features to find potential clients, partners, and industry leaders. Personalise your connection requests to explain why you want to connect and how it could be mutually beneficial.
Active Participation
Improve your engagement by interacting more with your network and the platform. Like, leave insightful comments that add value beyond generic responses like "Congrats” or “Well done", and repost content that you find informative and relevant to you and your connections.
Additionally, consider contributing to LinkedIn's collaborative articles within your industry. This offers an opportunity to showcase your expertise, contribute value to the LinkedIn community, and increase your visibility in the process.
Details here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-contribute-collaborative-article-linkedin-michaelaalexis/.
Connection Fostering
To build stronger relationships, stay in touch with your connections by sending regular, personalised messages. Offer help and value whenever possible. Celebrate your connections' achievements and milestones. Seek and give endorsements and recommendations to build mutual trust and credibility.
In short
By focusing on these strategies, you can significantly improve your LinkedIn SSI score and harness the full potential of social selling on LinkedIn. Start implementing these tips today and watch your score, and business opportunities, grow.
Regards,
Social Star team
P.S. If you would like to get some expert tips from Andrew, reach out to us and we can schedule a complimentary 20-minute brand review.
