Game changer = a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way (Merriam Webster Dictionary).

In the past couple months, LinkedIn has upgraded or introduced three new features that are nothing less than that...game changers.

If you haven't already taken advantage of them, read on. I'll show you how to cash in on them and significantly improve your bottom line.

Who's Viewed Your Profile

What was already the highest rated feature for the past two years in my LinkedIn User Survey just got better with the enhanced sorting capabilities.

You can now sort by:

  • Where your viewers live (LinkedIn defined areas of the world or country)
  • Where your viewers work (company name)
  • How your viewers found you (as the result of a Google search or from somewhere on LinkedIn)
  • Where on your profile were the keywords that led them to you
  • Industries of your viewers (LinkedIn defined industries)
  • What your viewers do (job title or occupation)

Just click Who's Viewed Your Profile from your home page and start investigating just who is stalking you. If you find people of interest, don't just sit there. Do something.

This really gets helpful once you've upgraded your account and can see who's viewed your profile in the last 90 days. This is one of the major reasons I finally upgraded to a premium LinkedIn account.

Who's Viewed Your Updates

If you weren't previously posting a status update at least once a day, this feature should get you off your butt. Start doing this ASAP because you can now tell just how well the updates you're sharing are being received by your connections.

You can see the number of views, shares and comments and just how far those interactions have gotten you past your first-degree connections, hopefully to the second and third degree as well.

Note: This feature will only show up in the right-hand column on your home page if you have posted any individual status updates.

This information will help you get more focused on the time of day, the type of information, and the frequency that your audience prefers, thereby helping you improve your effectiveness with one of LinkedIn's most powerful tools, the individual status update.

For more help on the types of information you may want to consider sharing, read Your Definitive Guide to LinkedIn Status Updates.

LinkedIn's Publishing Platform

If you are an experienced blogger, you have just been given another great place to share the content you are already writing. If you've never been a blogger, this may be your way to test the water and get started with a built-in audience...your first-level connections. The potential for this is huge.

To get started, at least for now, you have to request participation, but LinkedIn says it will be available to all very soon.

Here is the link to the Help Center entry for how to put your request in and for some commonly asked questions about how to get started.

Once you get started, your posts will show up right at the top of your profile for all viewers to see and devour your important information.

Click here to check out my posts.

Get writing and start sharing. Your audience is waiting to hear from you.