LinkedIn, the business-oriented social networking platform, is still being overlooked as a prime way to strategically grow your business. It’s time to change that.

No matter what your industry, LinkedIn can provide you an opportunity to connect with potential leads and other like-minded professionals. The average household income of a LinkedIn user tends to be higher than users on other social spaces, proving that those you connect with on LinkedIn ‘mean business.’

Would you like to begin optimizing the time you spend in this highly optimizable space? Here are some tips to get you going in the right direction.

1. Complete your profile

LinkedIn will prompt you for the information needed to fully flesh out your profile. Be strategic about the wording you use and ensure that you’re using the proper keywords for your industry. Use a professional headline, be thorough in job titles and descriptions of experience, and optimize your summary and interests. Be sure to upload a current headshot with a professional tone.

2. Connect, connect, connect.

Connect with professionals already in your arena, but consider also using LinkedIn like a live networking event. Introduce yourself to people, find connections that are linked to other users you’d like to get to know. Ask for introductions. Customize every LinkedIn connection request that you send. Join groups on LinkedIn that are part of your industry. Join in the conversation.

3. Become a Content Marketer by publishing articles

LinkedIn’s publishing platform gives you the ability to create unique content and to become a thought-leader and influencer in your industry. Create original and compelling content and share it with your networks.

LinkedIn is so powerful thanks to the professional connections that are at your fingertips. You won’t regret taking the time to make sure your presence is strong and professional. If you’d like some help, SWAT Marketing Solutions is here!

It’s the first question everyone asks — how long would it take to build a website?

Our answer will almost always be “It depends.”

There are many variables that go into the build time, and then you have to consider the upkeep.

We know that is a frustrating answer so we have put together some estimates of how long a generalized website can take.

Keep in mind these are estimates. Some are going to take longer and some are going to be shorter. One of the biggest variables is YOU, the client. If you are responsive and give quick, timely feedback and approvals, the process can be a lot quicker and smoother. However, if you have to go through multiple people to get things approved, it can take a lot longer. These are things you’ll want to think about when setting a deadline for your website.

Small 5-10 page non-responsive website

These are very small websites with very few pages of content. They don’t have very complicated features. It’s a basic website and will take 1-2 months.

Medium website with 15-20 pages of content creation

This is a step above basic and adds a content creation feature. These are websites where new content needs to be created on a regular basis. To speed this website up, try to have all the content pre-written. On average they take about 2-3 months.

Bigger website with 30+ pages and features

Since this website has more content and features, it takes longer. Some of these features would include shopping carts or event calendars. These take about 3-5 months.

Large, complex website with many features and/or hundreds of pages of content

As named, these are complicated websites and require more time to complete. Want a bunch of features like a forum, shopping cart, and lots of product pages? Then your website probably falls into this category and it will take over 6 months to complete.