7 LinkedIn Mobile Features That Accelerate Relationship Building & Lead Gen
If you are like many people today, you might be spending more and more time accessing LinkedIn on your mobile device rather than on your desktop.
In fact, about 57% of LinkedIn use currently happens on mobile. (Source)
If you haven’t installed the LinkedIn mobile app or aren’t actively using it, you might want to consider doing so as it is the fastest way to stay connected when you are not in front of your computer.
The app allows you to quickly access the latest news and important information whenever you need it and engage with your connections and leads. By not using the LinkedIn mobile app, you are missing out on a number of useful features you could be using to generate more leads on LinkedIn.
Here are seven LinkedIn mobile features you should be taking advantage of to generate more leads using the LinkedIn mobile app.
Accelerate Relationship Building with the LinkedIn Mobile App Features
1. LinkedIn QR Code
Think about the last time you were in a meeting or at an event, such as a conference or workshop. Perhaps you handed out your business cards if you remembered to bring them. You might have even taken a few with the promise of contacting your new connections after the event.
Now, how often do you, or the people you give your cards to, follow through on your promises to connect, much less develop relationships with each other, after the fact?
Do you ever wish there was a quick and easy way to connect digitally with leads, potential referral partners and other promising connections while you are speaking to them face-to-face?
There is! It’s the LinkedIn app’s QR codes.
LinkedIn QR codes allow you to connect with a new person and share your profile with them on the spot. It’s a much better way of securing your new connections than passing out business cards. By scanning a QR code with the LinkedIn app, you can connect with people digitally in real time, right when you meet them.
Once on their profile, you can write a personalized connection message, reminding them that you just met at the event and would like to connect.
The message could look something like this:
Hi [FIRST NAME],
It was great to meet you at [EVENT] in [LOCATION] [TIME], and I would love to stay connected with you on LinkedIn. If there’s anything I can do to support you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
[YOUR NAME]
The only caveat is: for this to work, both parties must have the LinkedIn app installed.
To scan or share a QR code:
- Open the LinkedIn app on your iOS or Android mobile device, and tap the QR code icon located in the search box on the Home tab.
- Scan the person’s LinkedIn QR code. This will take you to their profile, where you can see your mutual connections and common interests. It’s also where you can send them a connection request.
- To find your own LinkedIn QR code, tap on My code. If you’d like to share your code through iMessage, email or another app, you can do so directly from this page. You can also save your code to your photos.
- Add your QR code to your business cards and presentations, making it easier for potential connections and leads to connect with you by scanning your code.
2. LinkedIn’s Find Nearby Feature
If you are at an event, such as a conference or a trade show, try using the Find Nearby feature on the LinkedIn’s mobile app.
This feature shows you other LinkedIn members in close proximity who have it enabled. It is also a great ice-breaking technique and a way for you to engage leads, colleagues and even influencers at an event you are attending.
With this feature, you can find, connect and build relationships with leads who are within 100 feet (30 meters) of you, allowing you to generate more leads on LinkedIn.
To access this feature, you must have the LinkedIn app on your device.
To enable it:
- turn on your Bluetooth
- accept permissions required by LinkedIn
- enable the feature.
After you enable the Bluetooth sharing, you will see a list of other LinkedIn members nearby who are also using the Find Nearby feature. Simply tap the name of the member you want to review.
If the person is a 1st degree connection, you can send them a message. If you are not yet connected, you can send them a personalized connection request.
If privacy is a concern for you, know that you must opt in to use this feature. Further, you’ll be discoverable only when you are on the Find Nearby page. LinkedIn doesn’t track, monitor or store your precise location data.
3. Send Your Location
Another useful location-based feature within the LinkedIn app is Send Your Location, which is found in the messaging area.
This feature helps you move your relationships with your leads and prospects offline, where you can continue developing relationships with them by getting to know them in more personal ways. It’s important because turning a lead into a client most often happens offline.
To coordinate a meeting place with your LinkedIn connection – be it to catch up with current or former colleagues over lunch, set up a business meeting or schedule an interview – share your location with them through the Send Your Location feature. You can do it while messaging them through the app.
The feature is only available on a mobile device, but the recipient of your location can view it on both the desktop and mobile versions of LinkedIn.
Again, for those with privacy concerns, it is important to note that:
- LinkedIn won’t track your location after you send the message to your connection. The one-time shared location is saved directly within the message you send to your connection. (LinkedIn won’t otherwise collect or store any location data.)
- You can send a static location by typing in an address. (LinkedIn won’t collect your current location.)
- You can disable location permissions for the LinkedIn app from your mobile device’s settings at any time.
4. Give Kudos on LinkedIn
It’s easier than ever to celebrate successes – big or small – directly on LinkedIn.
The LinkedIn app offers a feature called Kudos, which allows you to engage with your connections and leads in a unique and powerful way by publicly acknowledging or thanking them.
Making people feel good and showing gratitude will always be a worthwhile investment of your time. Using Kudos is an easy way to show gratitude for someone’s work. And it has the added benefit of increasing profile views for both you and the Kudos recipient.
To use the Give Kudos feature:
1. Go directly to the person’s profile page, click on the More… button beside the message button at the top of the profile and then click Give Kudos.
2. When the Kudos is for more than one person or a team, tap on the Write a post box located at the top of the home page. Next, tap on the Ribbon icon located beside the camera, video and image icons, and select a single connection or multiple people.
3. Next, choose from the 10 Kudos categories, such as “Making an Impact,” “Team Player,” “Amazing Mentor” or “Inspirational Leader,” and then create a personalized message to accompany your Kudos.
4. Once you post the Kudos, the recipient of it will receive a notification, letting them know you gave them a shout-out.
It is worth noting that you can send Kudos only to people you are connected to and no more than three times per week.
5. Sync Your Calendar with LinkedIn
Quickly prep for your next meeting with a prospect using the Sync your calendar feature on the LinkedIn mobile app.
With the Sync your calendar feature on, you can learn more about the person you are about to speak with. This feature shows you how you are connected to the person. By studying their profile and company, you can gain additional insights and be better prepared for the meeting.
To use this feature, sync your iPhone or Android device’s calendar with the LinkedIn mobile app.
6. Send Voice Messages
To generate more leads on LinkedIn, you need to take the time to build relationships with them. One of the best ways to do that is to personalize all your communications with them.
The LinkedIn mobile app provides an amazing way to send personalized messages to your 1st degree connections through the Voice Message feature. With this feature, you can record and send voice messages 20-60 seconds long.
Voice messages allow you to communicate in your own voice with your connections, which helps them to know, like and trust you.
Here are some great reasons for sending a voice message:
- Easily message on the go: People speak about four times faster than they type, making voice messaging a more efficient way of explaining lengthier ideas, eliminating the need to type and edit your message.
- Get to it when you can: Leaving a voice message instead of calling your connection can often be better for them as they can listen and respond to your message when they have the time.
- Better express yourself: Speaking in your own voice allows you to communicate more effectively. It also prevents miscommunication, which often occurs in written communications.
To send a voice message on the LinkedIn app:
- Go to the messaging area in the mobile app, and select the person you want to send a message to.
- Tap the microphone icon located in the bottom right corner to open the voice recorder.
- Hold down the blue Record button, and record your message. LinkedIn will notify you if your message is too long or too short. Slide the blue icon away from the center to delete the message.
- If you haven’t turned off the Send voice message notification, you can tap Send to send your message or Cancel to delete it and rerecord your message.
7. Active Status on LinkedIn
The final helpful tool of the LinkedIn app is the Active Status feature that lets you know when other LinkedIn members are actively using LinkedIn. Knowing their active status, you can reach out and send them a short note right when they are on the platform.
A green dot on their profile indicates they are active on LinkedIn right now.
A hollowed out green circle means the person is not currently using LinkedIn but has push notifications enabled on their mobile device and will be instantly notified when you send a message.
No circle or a circle with no color means the person is either:
- not currently active on LinkedIn, desktop or mobile or
- has disabled the active status feature in their privacy settings.
If you don’t want your connections to see when you are active, you can also change your setting to reflect your preferences.
To edit this feature, go to your Settings & Privacy page, and select Privacy. Click on the How others see your LinkedIn activity, and click on Manage active status.
Here, you can choose from:
- Your connections only
- All LinkedIn members
- No one
Utilizing the LinkedIn Mobile App Features
The LinkedIn mobile app provides many useful features that can be very effective for relationship building and lead generation.
Use these handy tools to message or connect with attendees at a meeting or live event, research prospects before a meeting, thank or acknowledge someone, communicate more effectively through voice messages or reach people while they are actively using LinkedIn for a quicker response.
Which of the LinkedIn mobile app features do you use most often? Let me know in the comments. And if you enjoyed this article, please share it on LinkedIn.
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4 Comments
Hi Melanie. When you mention posting in #2 how do you mean this? I usually post links to articles that I think my audience will appreciate and read via LinkedIn. Do you post status updates to LinkedIn? I’ve always been kind of leery of doing that.
Posting anywhere, groups, status updates, comments etc.
I would love to know your thoughts on marketing using a LinkedIn company page. I just started working on mine and the tiny bit of work I’ve done has made LinkedIn my biggest source of referral traffic. Would you do a post on that?
Hi Jessica, it depends on the nature of your business. LinkedIn company pages are important for large businesses and corporations. However I find for small businesses more focus needs to be placed on your personal profile. Hope that helps!