Today’s guest article is by Internet expert Drew Custer, who enlightens us about reasons to join LinkedIn – if you haven’t already.

Much like Facebook has become to the social world, LinkedIn has become a pivotal part of the professional world.

LinkedIn lies right at the border where the social world meets the business world, and it helps to connect friends, partners, and people you know with business opportunities and marketing options.

LinkedIn has firmly established itself as the top business social network in the world.

As a powerful player on the business scene, it demands to be acknowledged, respected, and integrated into any successful marketing strategy.

Successfully integrating LinkedIn into your business plan begins with creating a quality profile.

In today’s changing social media realm, many companies have stopped accepting resumes from job applicants and greater and greater quantities of business transactions are completed online every day.

Many of today’s leading players in the business world now ask for links to your profiles on the web’s major social networks instead of the traditional paperwork that used to be involved in the business meet and greet process.

Here are four reasons why a LinkedIn profile is essential for every professional

1. To Provide the Google-verse with Positive Information About You

Your prospects, whether potential clients, employers, or partners, are already looking you up online to help them decide whether or not to do business with you.

Obviously, it is a bad thing if they find outdated, misleading, or damaging information about you online, but it’s also bad if they find little or no information.

Fill the information vacuum with a LinkedIn profile. When you or business is Googled, your LinkedIn profile will be among the first results.

A quality LinkedIn profile will ensure that your prospects have a greater chance of being on your side.

2. To Improve Your Search Engine Optimization and Web Presence

An optimized LinkedIn profile can help connect you with prospects who didn’t know about you previously.

Working in a good amount of search engine optimized keywords can put you at the top of Google’s search results for people looking for someone like you.

Use as many keywords as possible, but make sure your text still sounds natural.

Keep in mind that your LinkedIn profile should be less about you and more about what you can do for your prospects.

4. To Show That You Are a Professional

Your potential prospects will not only be judging your profile by its content but also by the way that content is presented.

Make sure you come across professionally by using correct grammar and spelling, by paying attention to the details of your profile, and by showing that you take the LinkedIn network seriously.

Conclusion

As more and more employers and business partners connect with LinkedIn to scrutinize the people they are considering working with, it has become more and more important to have a winning LinkedIn profile even when just trying to break into the business world.

LinkedIn profiles are also essential for businesses that are already established. If potential employers and partners are checking their prospects out online, potential customers are probably checking their prospects out to a much greater degree.

Author Bio: Drew C. works for a website that compares different car insurance. You can also find free low cost car insurance quotes on his website. When he isn’t working Drew loves to play soccer, read and spend time with his family.