What is a LinkedIn Expert?

Yesterday I wrote my own definition concerning what a social media expert is, so today I wanted to look specifically at what I feel makes a LinkedIn expert.  Recently I was named a LinkedIn expert on the site of the LinkedIn and Social Media Training Company Integrated Alliance’s blog post.  And on that same post there was recently a comment by a reader that debated those guidelines on qualifying a LinkedIn expert.  I appreciate that Integrated Alliances, for the first time that I know of, actually started discussing what the potential guidelines could be in qualifying a LinkedIn expert, and I would like to add on to what they have said while addressing the point made by that recent negative comment.

Now, as a disclaimer, I should point out that Integrated Alliances’s blog post was really on how to qualify a LinkedIn expert by looking at their profile and network.  This really is the only way to qualify someone without knowing them, but I want to go a little farther and assume we have more information about them.

And, as I write this post, I realize that I am also providing guidance to those who think they already are experts or would like to become experts.  Perhaps you want to try out a new feature on LinkedIn in order to realize whatever objective you might have.  I do hope this blog post provides guidelines as to what I believe the absolute essentials are in really understanding and leveraging LinkedIn.

First of all, these are the 5 main profile characteristics that I have chosen from the Integrated Alliances blog post to comment on:

• Is their Profile Complete? –> This is a given that they are using whatever space and functionality provided by LinkedIn to completely enter their profile.  However, you’d be surprised by how many people have still not completely filled out their LinkedIn profile.
• Is the Personal URL to their profile personalized? –> Once again this is another given that they have gone the extra step to personalize their URL and claim it.  If you care about your LinkedIn profile appearing on Google searches, this is a must thing to do.
• Are Jobs and Education listed all the way back with real data included? –> In addition to the required detail, I would add that does their Jobs section go back 15+ years and does their Education section include High School.  Look, if you are an expert on LinkedIn you appreciate the value in listing all of the companies and schools that you attended, and thus these are reasonable guidelines.
• Are they a member of any LinkedIn Groups? How many? More than 20? –> Once again, if you truly a LinkedIn expert, you would understand the value of LinkedIn Groups and would have maxxed out your membership to having something like close to 50 groups.  I would expect that you would be a member of at least 25 groups.
• How BIG is their Network? True LinkedIn experts cannot have small networks. –> The Integrated Alliances set a number of a minimum of 2,000 connections here in order to be considered an expert.  I would say that the number should be 6,000 connections.  Why?  Well, unless you have dealt with LinkedIn restrictions, you can’t say you are an expert.  As everyone is granted only 3,000 invitations to send, those that have double that number have obviously not only found out how to deal with LinkedIn Customer Service but have also amassed significant expertise in networking with that many connections and dealing with the issues that a large and diverse network can throw at you.

In addition to the above 5 profile features, I would additionally add the following 5 things I would be looking for in the profile of a LinkedIn expert:

• Are they Receiving Recommendations? I would expect true LinkedIn experts to both understand the value of asking for recommendations and to have had enough professional experience so that they have received at least 10.  Note that you need at least 3 to make sure that your profile is 100% complete anyway.
• Have they Started their own LinkedIn Group? How can you teach the value of Groups to others if you have not successfully started your own?
• Are they Asking and Answering Questions? Answers is one of the key functionalities that LinkedIn provides, and I would expect any LinkedIn expert to have been active at some point on the Answers boards.  I would expect them to have at least 10 Expertise Stars, regardless of subject matter.
• Have they ever Created an Event? LinkedIn Events is an amazingly viral application that any LinkedIn Expert should have experienced firsthand.  LinkedIn is a social networking application, and I expect anyone with LinkedIn expertise would of had a purpose to create an event.
• Have they ever Installed a LinkedIn Application? I don’t care which one it is, there are ten of them out there, and I am sure that every professional would find at least one of value.

Now, the negative commentary that came from the blog reader was that they felt you needed actual business experience in order to be considered a LinkedIn expert.  And, I will say it today like I did in my post yesterday, expertise is absolutely unrelated to whether or not you want to monetize your expertise.  To remind you of what I mentioned yesterday (which I will relate to LinkedIn expertise), LinkedIn (social media) experts are:

1. Recognized as being a reliable source of information and accorded authority by the public. Do they have their own blog, book, webinar, or consulting company with regards to LinkedIn?  Do others recognize them as an expert in one form or another?
2. Provide something unique that is of value beyond knowing the “mechanics” of LinkedIn (social media). What unique contribution above knowing the workings of LinkedIn have they provided to the community?
3. True LinkedIn (social media) experts are leaders and not followers. How have they showed their leadership in LinkedIn expertise?

The last three points are crucial, and while being slightly rhetorical, true LinkedIn experts are not those that have monetized their experience but are those that are true Thought Leaders on the subject.

What is your definition of a LinkedIn expert?