LinkedIn Answers has been around since January 2007 and is a powerful networking tool that is often overlooked by LinkedIn users. It is like an online “social event” where business professionals can mingle, meet and network. You can pose questions on any subjects and get answers ranging from small talk to a masterpiece of insight.

“Answers” is just that… anyone can pose a question and anyone can answer. By asking your question around your topic or interest, you will reach people with very similar interests. This helps you meet new people and make new contacts.

Questions can be asked just of your network of contacts or you can open the question to the entire LinkedIn group. If you are in the mode of building your network, it is best to open this up the entire network. You will find yourself meeting and conversing with many different people, some of which you will want to add to your network.

A question will close automatically after several days or when you to close it when you want. You are first asked to choose the “good answers.” Out of these “good” answers, you are asked to choose a “best” answer. The person with the “best” answer gets an “expertise point” that shows in their LinkedIn profile. This is a great incentive to get people to answer questions.

LinkedIn is the power networking tool for business. LinkedIn Answers increases your ability to meet new people and new contacts and should be part of the growth strategy for businesses wanting to tap into the power of social media.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 13th, 2008 at 1:36 am and is filed under Social Media Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.