LinkedIn allows you to do so many things, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by its potential and want to abandon it altogether. Below I offer two areas of focus that are sure to expand your network and let people know who you are in no time!

1)      LinkedIn Answers: LinkedIn allows you to ask or answer questions for nearly every professional topic. Since you’ll be discussing your area of expertise, the majority of the people involved in the conversation will be great contacts to add to your network. Find this section by going to “More” on LinkedIn’s toolbar, then clicking on “Answers.” From there, you can browse questions by category.

Answer enough questions, and you can earn a green star – a visible “badge” that indicates  you truly know what you’re talking about! Others will see you as a subject matter expert – a key component  when it comes to opportunities finding you (even when you’re not actively conducting a job search!)

2)      LinkedIn Groups: There are groups for just about everything. Go to the search engine and under “groups” put in various keywords. You can find a group based on where you live (or hope to live if you’re looking to relocate), your functional interests (management, IT, etc.), or sector (there are numerous groups for association professionals).

LinkedIn allows you to join as many as 50 groups, but it’s really a matter of quality over quantity. The key is to get involved in these groups – that’s how others will get to know you. Whether it’s asking questions, commenting on posts, or contributing a relevant article, aim to participate in a group at least once a week.

These two strategies will get you results with little effort. All it takes is 10-15 minutes per day to check in on your groups and the answers section and see where you can contribute.