A large number of people are active on LinkedIn on a daily basis. We use the platform in finding a new job. But also to exchange our knowledge with others. Chances are you too have a profile on this platform. Personally, I use LinkedIn to stay in touch with prospects and customers. Sharing content shows my network and people out there that I am an expert in my field. In addition to nice responses, this also brings in new clients on a regular basis. It is a form of social selling and is heard by many sales professionals to be the new way of selling. To see how well you are doing on social selling, LinkedIn keeps a SSI score for each person. Do you want to know how to influence this score? Then read on quickly!
Meaning of the SSI score on LinkedIn
Before I will explain to you how you can positively influence the SSI score on LinkedIn, you obviously want to know what it is. The abbreviation stands for Social Selling Index score. It’s a tool found in the premium package of LinkedIn sales navigator. But you can also get the SSI score on LinkedIn without using this sales package. You can access your personal SSI score via this link. The prerequisite, of course, is that you have a profile on LinkedIn. Based on the factors below, LinkedIn determines your personal SSI score:
- Creating your own professional brand
- Searching and finding the right people
- Sharing content. But also responding to others’ content
- Building a strong network on the LinkedIn platform
Here’s how to achieve a higher social selling index score
Chances are by now you’ve taken a quick look at your current SSI score on LinkedIn. Do you have access to Salesnavigator or another premium membership? Then your SSI score on LinkedIn will be higher than that of customers who do not pay for their membership. On Sales Navigator’s sales page, LinkedIn itself says it all: “Sales Navigator can boost your SSI by 20%.” This rewards paying customers over other users.
Building a good score starts with filling out your profile completely. Consider uploading a good profile picture and a banner appropriate to your profile. Adding links and media can also increase your score. Do you also regularly share good content and do people in your network rate it as good through likes and comments? Then your score will be even higher. To have a wider reach, it is also important that you regularly use the search function to add both existing and potential connections to your network. In doing so, you get more points when making connections at the management level (decision makers) than people at lower levels.
The benefits of a high SSI score on LinkedIn
You can get a maximum score of 25 points per section. But what does a good score actually get me? When you have a high SSI score you get next to priority on the timeline and in search results. The big advantage of this is a greater chance of sales because you are visible. Finally, my advice is to see this score primarily as a means and not an end. Reason being that sometimes it just works better to be more engaged offline than online.
