The Net Worth Of Networking

From LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and beyond, the importance of establishing and maintaining professional networks can’t be overstated.

Most entrepreneurs are acutely aware of how important it is to create professional networking portals for their company. But making a LinkedIn or Twitter account is easy; the trick is developing the good habits that help you maintain quality networking over time. A good first step is customizing your social media newsfeeds. “Chances are that if you mapped the 30 most important people in your network, it probably wouldn’t overlap with the status updates you see when you visit Facebook,” said Michael Simmons of Forbes Magazine. “As amazing as their algorithm is, they’re optimizing for keeping you on the site for as long as possible, and you’re optimizing for deepening relationships with specific people.”

Simmons recommends making a Close Friends list on Facebook and a Twitter List featuring the people most important to you as a way for creating greater focus. Another simple but highly effective way to create engagement and foster your professional network is by (as Laura Roeder of LKR Social Media refers to it) “leaving a trail.” Liking posts, taking the time to leave thoughtful, relevant comments and sharing will likely inspire others to reciprocate with your own content, and help you build relationships. It might take some time to develop the professional networks that work best for you, so be patient. Through trial and error, you should be on your way to the perfect fit.