Back to articles
Starting in 2015, LinkedIn gave its users the possibility to access their LinkedIn social selling index score, which ranged from 1 to 100. In general, the social selling index definition is aimed to evaluate the impact and visibility of a user’s actions on the LinkedIn social network.
However, many users may wonder about the practical application of this performance indicator.
They may have questions about how to track LinkedIn SSI, where to find it, how to enhance it, and how to complete your LinkedIn profile. In this article, we will try to answer all of those questions.
Also, you can watch our fascinating video.
Let’s check the social selling index, by following these steps:
- Make sure you are signed in to your LinkedIn account.
- Click on the link provided to access your Social Selling Index.
- All ready for you! You’re amazing! It’s time to evaluate your SSI score. This tool is updated daily, allowing you to monitor your performance metrics daily.
The SSI dashboards provide a wealth of valuable information.
If you already have LinkedIn Sales Navigator, your dashboard looks like this:
If you don’t have a LinkedIn Sales Navigator, your dashboard is as follows:
Remember, you don’t necessarily need LinkedIn Sales Navigator to measure your SSI. The difference is that whoever has the tool, also sees his rating inside his team.
Upon reaching the link, you will find a concise set of metrics that offer insight into your LinkedIn performance, including:
- Your overall LinkedIn SSI score, on a scale of 1 to 100;
- The details of the composition of your score, according to the four performance indicators: establish your professional brand, find the right people, engage with insights, build relationships;
- Your industry ranking and the average profile of your peers;
- Your network ranking and the average profile of your connections.
LinkedIn also provides a brief explanation of each factor contributing to your score. It’s up to you to leverage this information in the development of your digital strategy. Ultimately, the SSI aims to increase your LinkedIn performance. So, in case the platform reveals that professionals in your industry have a higher average score than you, then this motivates you to improve your SSI.
After you analyze your SSI score, this way you will quickly understand in which direction to develop your profile to achieve your goals, boost your customer acquisition, and transform LinkedIn into a powerful prospecting tool.
Interpretation of LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index
The SSI is comprised of four sub-scores, also known as the four “pillars” of social selling LinkedIn:
- Establishing your professional brand.
- Finding the right people.
- Engage with insights.
- Build relationships.
Overall, the SSI is an e-reputation index on LinkedIn: it analyzes your digital communication at a personal level. How well you market yourself, remain active, and captivate your audience on LinkedIn is assessed by the platform’s utilization of four crucial performance metrics to determine your aggregate score.
In the context of LinkedIn, personal branding is closely linked to your ability to market yourself to potential clients. LinkedIn even highlights this connection, stating that: “Social selling leaders generate 45% more opportunities than those with a lower SSI score.”
In terms of lead generation, how does a high Social Selling Index benefit an account? For instance, an upgraded account extends the scope for making new connections. This leads to an increase in social activity, which results in greater exposure of your posts to other users, thereby increasing the likelihood of finding potential leads.
Let’s use our tips to increase your SSI and thereby increase your sales.
How to create a professional brand for yourself on LinkedIn?
It’s time to establish your professional brand! You can achieve this by utilizing the SSI tool, which serves as a measuring indicator for your performance in comparison to other LinkedIn users. However, keep in mind that your LinkedIn score is not influenced by the scores of other users and can be improved independently.
What is the definition of building your professional brand?
It involves enhancing your profile’s appeal and visibility by developing your brand identity. This includes striving to appear both stylish and competent.
Consider this: if your competitors in the industry have a higher SSI than you, they are more likely to capture the attention of internet users. This could result in better business performance for them.
However, it’s not a competition where a few points more on SSI necessarily means more sales. Instead, it’s an indicator of where you can improve. To improve your SSI, focus on improving the visuals and copywriting of your profile and company page:
- Choose the best profile photo.
- Visualize information about your company or professional skills on the background photo.
- Headline that represents your role or position.
- Write a summary or introduction of yourself, your work, or your profile.
How do I find the right people?
Identifying individuals who can bring significant value to your professional network is crucial. Seek out those who can serve as potential clients, prospects, partners, or brand ambassadors. However, it’s essential to be selective and strategic in your approach. By cultivating your network wisely, you can attract the attention of LinkedIn’s algorithm.
So, how do you go about this? The key is to gather the right information and apply it to your networking strategy.
- Use LinkedIn’s search function or Sales Navigator search to find the most suitable connections.
- Send targeted connection requests and automated messages to grow your network effectively.
With the help of the LinkedIn automation tool, you can reach out to a large number of leads quickly and efficiently.
For instance, GetSales can help you:
- Set up a campaign with your target prospects added to the CRM.
- Create a message tailored to your audience.
- Launch your first campaign.
Subsequently, respond to interested people, and monitor and analyze the results to optimize your approach. It’s that simple!
Sharing your insights
LinkedIn generates revenue through network engagement and LinkedIn Ads. Therefore, LinkedIn aims to establish metrics that promote interaction, quality content, and knowledge exchange. To improve these metrics, simply create and share content. If you come across a post that inspires you, engage with the author by liking, commenting, sharing, or sending a message. Connect with other users and share your own content to enhance the overall network experience. 🤗
Build relationships
Developing meaningful connections on LinkedIn requires more than just building relationships. It involves nurturing those relationships over time, gaining the trust of decision-makers, and cultivating long-lasting connections. To achieve this, one can engage in messaging conversations, grow their following, and respond to incoming messages.
It is worth noting that not all friendships are equally valuable in the business world, and LinkedIn acknowledges this by assigning more points to connections with decision-makers.
Conclusion
The LinkedIn Social Selling Index serves as a key performance indicator (KPI). Although it doesn’t directly measure your sales performance, it assesses your capacity to promote yourself and establish connections with others.
Boosting your sales performance can be achieved by mastering the four pillars of Social Selling. These pillars focus on creating an audience, providing them with valuable information, engaging in meaningful discussions, and building strong relationships through those exchanges. By analyzing the components of SSI, it becomes apparent how these pillars play a crucial role in enhancing your sales results.
A high SSI score indicates that you are an authority and an expert in your field, which makes you appealing to prospective clients and boosts your visibility on the platform. Elevating your Social Selling game not only helps with lead generation but also enhances lead nurturing. Using SSI in your digital strategy can be highly effective. By establishing yourself as a referral source beforehand, you can make it easier to generate leads without the need for direct contact.
FAQ
How to Enhance Your SSI on LinkedIn?
Now that you have identified your Social Selling Index (SSI), the next question is how to improve it on LinkedIn. The SSI score is determined by four separate components, and combining them results in a score out of 100. Therefore, to enhance your SSI, focus on improving these four components.
Given that SSI is based on algorithms, LinkedIn does not disclose its recipe or explicitly identify the factors to work on. However, by understanding the definition of these components and utilizing common sense, you can identify specific areas for improvement.
By analyzing the indicator, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your development strategy directly.
How I enhance my professional image using the LinkedIn Social Selling Index?
LinkedIn emphasizes the significance of crafting a complete profile while keeping your customers in mind and establishing yourself as a thought leader. Your profile comprises several elements, such as your username, profile photo, job title, LinkedIn summary, and work experience. When filling out this information, put yourself in the shoes of the Internet user who comes across your profile.
Consider what they would want to see if they were seeking a professional in your industry. Include evidence of your skills and unique selling points that showcase your expertise in the field. Additionally, keep this in mind when sharing posts or articles – they must add value for Internet users.
💡 Note: improving this vital indicator can also significantly enhance your social media’s natural SEO, similar to SEO for LinkedIn!
How effectively do “Exchange Information” on LinkedIn?
One way to improve this factor is by providing your network with engaging and high-value content. This engagement will help LinkedIn’s algorithms evaluate the relevance of your content.
After publishing your content, interact with your contacts by responding to their comments, liking their posts, and sending private messages. It’s not just about creating content, but also about making it come alive.
Consider joining a LinkedIn pod to build an engaged and successful network. 😉
How can I “Build Relationships” on LinkedIn?
Adding contacts on LinkedIn is a common practice, but it’s not enough. To build relationships, connect with members of your network through direct messages or by interacting with their posts. It’s crucial to create a loyal readership and engage with them in the long term to show the algorithm your value.
When adding relationships, remember to focus on your brand and not just increase the size of your network. Interact with your contacts and provide value to them. The more you work on your Social Selling Index (SSI), the easier it becomes to reach your target audience, attract qualified leads, and increase sales.
Active LinkedIn users tend to have higher SSI scores than passive ones. Thus, the LinkedIn SSI is an essential KPI for the early-stage phases of your sales cycle. It measures your visibility on LinkedIn, content marketing effectiveness, and whether you’re sending the right message to your potential customers.
By driving and measuring the performance of your SSI, you can boost your SMO marketing strategy, increase retention power, and ROI, and strengthen your B2B sales strategy. Congratulations, you now know all about the LinkedIn Social Selling Index! 🚀