If you are not familiar with how LinkedIn is setup for you, spend some time to review your Settings

You can configure your settings as you like for your needs. I will share how these settings affect you so that you can make an informed decision and I will make TLB Recommendations.

FYI – this post was written 1/29/13. These settings can change without notice. I will try to update it as I find the changes.

Primary Email Change/Add

You can add multiple email addresses to your profile. TLB Recommends – Have your personal email address and if you are employed, have your business email address associated with the account. Select he Primary Email address that best suits your needs.

Password Change

You can change your email address here. TLB Recommends – Change your password periodically, maybe yearly. Also, do not use the same password you use on other social media platforms or the one you use for your bank account. If I hack your LinkedIn account, I will go after those other accounts as well.

Privacy Controls

Turn on/off your activity broadcasts

This is where you choose if your LinkedIn activity will be broadcast on the LinkedIn wall for your connections to see and to be included in the LinkedIn Network email that is sent out to your connections. A misunderstanding is that LinkedIn will broadcast all changes to your profile. LinkedIn only broadcasts primary activities such as new connections, joining groups, adding new Skills & Expertise, new Experience, volunteer, certifications, etc. LinkedIn does not broadcast typo correction or other simple changes.

TLB Recommends – Turn on your Activity Broadcasts. This is a primary benefit of LinkedIn, to be seen as active and engaged on LinkedIn.

Select who can see your activity feed

This is relevant to the above option. You can decide if Everyone, your Network, your connections or just you can see your activity.  TLB Recommends – Let Everyone see your activity. Again, this is one of the primary benefits of LinkedIn, to be seen as active and engaged on LinkedIn.

Select what others see when you’ve viewed their profile

This option lets you be totally anonymous, hide behind a company name or be identified when you view another LinkedIn members profile. If you do not allow LinkedIn to identify you, you will not be able to see who has viewed your profile. TLB Recommends – Be identified when you view another LinkedIn members profile. This creates the opportunity for engagement and connection.

Select who can see your connections

You can hide your LinkedIn connections from your contacts. If you decide to do this, your contacts can still see shared connections. TLB Recommends – Let your contacts see your entire contact list. This is a benefit of LinkedIn and allows you to help others by providing for relevant and mutually beneficial introductions.

Change your profile photo & visibility

You can choose to let your profile picture be visible to Everyone, your Network or just your connections. TLB Recommends – Let everyone see your profile picture. This helps new connections identify you when meeting in a public place.

Show/hide “Viewers of this profile also viewed” box

I am not sure of the benefit of this option. You can hide this box from your profile. TLB Recommends – Let your connections see the other great people you are relevant to.

Settings

Manage your Twitter settings

This option allows you to add your Twitter handle to your LinkedIn profile. It does not allow for your Tweets to show up in the LinkedIn wall. TLB Recommends – If you have a twitter account, connect it on LinkedIn so that your connections can decide to connect with you on Twitter as well.

Email Preferences

Emails

Select the types of messages you’re willing to receive

This option lets you decide what kinds of connection requests you want to receive and to add a note for future connections to read. This does not work. No one pays attention to this information. TLB Recommends – select the options you want, but don’t expect it to help you until LinkedIn begins to promote this better.

Set the frequency of emails

LinkedIn will send you emails regarding lots of activity on LinkedIn. You can restrict those emails or eliminate them completely thru this option. TLB Recommends – If you access LinkedIn on a daily basis – turn most of these email alerts off. You can see them on your Notifications bar (top of screen)

Select who can send you invitations

This option allows you to restrict connect requests to contacts you import into LinkedIn, only people who have your email address or anyone on LinkedIn. TLB Recommends – Unless you are a highly sought after executive or public figure, let anyone on LinkedIn send you a connection request. Accept the ones you want and ignore the others.

Set the frequency of group digest emails

When you join groups on LinkedIn, these groups can send you lots of emails based on the activity in the group. In this option you can set to get No Emails, Weekly Digest or Daily Digests. TLB Recommends – Restrict these emails if you visit these groups on a regular basis. As long as you use LinkedIn daily, you don’t need all these extra email messages.

LinkedIn Communications

Turn on/off LinkedIn announcements

LinkedIn wants to keep you aware of new products & LinkedIn features. TLB Recommends – Leave this announcements turned on. You need to keep informed of LinkedIn changes.

Turn on/off invitations to participate in research

LinkedIn needs members to participate in research to make sure new features & options work properly. TLB Recommends – If you have the time, accept these invitations. If you don’t have time, turn this option off.

Turn on/off partner InMail

LinkedIn makes money from partners as well as paying members (not you) TLB Recommends – unless you are interested in seeing what these partners have to share, turn off this option.

Groups Companies & Applications

Applications

View your applications

You can connect various external applications to LinkedIn. I use these 3rd party applications for lots of beneficial purposes. TLB Recommends – Pay attention to what apps you have allowed to connect to your LinkedIn Profile.

Add applications

LinkedIn will share applications that they think are beneficial to their members. TLB Recommends – Review these periodically and you may find an application that can benefit you.

Privacy Controls

Turn on/off data sharing with 3rd party applications

LinkedIn benefits from your connecting to 3rd Party applications. TLB Recommends – Leave this option on for LinkedIn’s benefit. You have no data or personal information on your LinkedIn Profile that will be unsecured. The benefit to you is the marketing and connection algorithms will be better matched to who you are.

Manage settings for LinkedIn plugins on third-party sites

This is another benefit to LinkedIn. The benefit to you is that LinkedIn get’s to better refine their products for our use.TLB recommends – Leave this option enabled. Long term it will make the tool better for all of us.

Account

Privacy Controls

Manage Advertising Preferences

Review this option and make a decision that suits you. TLB Recommends – Accept LInkedIn marketing ads on third party websites – this benefits LinkedIn and may help the product and LinkedIn company, which could help keep the product free to us.

I hope this long email address is helpful.

Contact me if you have any other questions about LinkedIn Settings