According to a recent article in the Globe and Mail, LinkedIn has more than two million Canadian members – almost double what it was just a year ago, making it one of its fastest-growing markets among more than 200 countries. Initially used as recruitment and networking tool, today, the platform is primarily used as a way for both individuals and companies to connect with each other and stay in the loop on industry trends and developments.

Why is LinkedIn valuable for businesses?

LinkedIn is valuable for companies because it presents the opportunity to:

• Strengthen online credibility of the company and its employees
• Connect with clients, partners and prospects in a meaningful and credible way
• Allows clients, partners and prospects to easily find and learn about them through search

In addition, LinkedIn can be used as an internal tool to:

• Gain valuable insight into competitors and prospects
• See prospect connections and know who to leverage for introductions or insight
• Stay in touch with professional contacts who change companies or positions
• Conduct market research, gather insight and collect opinions/recommendations around relevant topics, prospects and new recruits

How are you using LinkedIn to better your business these days?