The LinkedIn Events tool is one of the most useful and exciting tools in LinkedIn, as it enables you to create, promote and share professional events. Organizing events that provide your connections with opportunities to meet, interact and form alliances with key influencers and professionals in your industry is an important part of building your professional network, generating leads and sharing valuable information.

LinkedIn Events Step By Step

While more extensive LinkedIn training can provide detailed information about LinkedIn tools, here is a step-by-step guide on how to post, promote and optimize your LinkedIn Events.

1. Download the LinkedIn Events Tool. The LinkedIn Events tool application enables you to easily and quickly add and promote your event on the social site. It also recommends which professionals you should invite and also provides ideas on which events may be of interest to you. You can install the app in the Applications section of LinkedIn under the "More" section in the main navigation.
2. Create an Event. When creating a LinkedIn Event, there are some key items you should consider. First, come up with a catchy but professional title for the event—something that will grab your reader's attention. Then, write a strong, keyword-rich description of the event with a persuasive call to action that will compel prospects to attend. Remember to fill in the date, time and location of the event, and check the “Virtual Event” box if it's an online event. SEO is very important throughout your event listing, but the event title and description are the two most important opportunities for you to use optimized language.
3. Add a Logo. The most compelling, attention-grabbing and professional event invitations have interesting visual components as well as great descriptions and titles. Adding a logo to LinkedIn Events is a great way to not only make your event listing interesting, but to brand your event listing as well.
4. Include an Offsite Registration Page. This can be accomplished either on your website to drive traffic or using an online registration tool like Eventbrite. Although you can keep a list of your attendees on LinkedIn, it's often easier to keep your list in an offsite location so that you can have attendees’ information readily available so you can communicate with everyone easily. If you have a place on your website where people can register for events, this is also a great way of directing traffic to your site.
5. Use the “Labels” Feature to Optimize Your Event. Add keywords and key phrases to optimize the listing and help professionals searching for events find your listing.
6. Promote Your Event. Once you've submitted the listing to LinkedIn Events, the simple part is over. Promoting your event takes time, but that investment of time will result in greater attendance and a great sense of accomplishment. Although the clear first step is to invite everyone on your professional network, there are other things you can do. Check out the “Attendees You May Want to Meet” tool, which suggests industry or region-oriented professionals to invite. You can also use the LinkedIn Search and LinkedIn Group Search functionality to find people in your industry and region, as well as key influencers to invite. Of course, you should share your LinkedIn Events across social platforms and encourage other attendees to do so. Finally, promote your event on your company profile and share the event with other companies.

Sharing LinkedIn Events a few weeks before they take place provides plenty of time to prepare and promote on a weekly basis and, as the event draws near, on a daily basis.

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