Ah, so people are using Linked In!

Whenever I tell people what I do for a living, someone always offers an opinion about a website or more often, a social media site. Most people love Facebook (yes, still) and Twitter, but I always get mixed responses about Linked In.

This has always puzzled me as I love it. It's always done the job for me - i.e. helped me network effectively with peers within in my field. I've been headhunted via it. I've found great companies I want to work with as partners. I've discovered new freelance work via it. I've also rediscovered long lost friends! And it seems I'm not the only one - the company announced only last week that they now have 175 members.

They have had some oops moments along the way - hacked passwords anyone? - but it looks like people are slowly recognising the value of this site.

However, if you're struggling to find a use for it,why not follow these top five tips:

1. Make sure your profile is fully updated. Whether you're using it to find a job or make new connections, if you're profile doesn't have all your details, you may miss out on connecting with some key people.

2. Update your status. This used to be linked to Twitter, but Linked In decided they didn't like Twitter that much so now you have to udpate your status automatically. I've found this great when I've been job hunting or recruiting for new positions.

3. Join groups. Yes, there are some rubbish groups on Linked In, but I've also found some really good ones that offer invaluable opions, share great links and are generally worth joining.

4. Check your connections. We're always making new connections through work - so when you meet someone in person, make sure you connect online. In the past, you used to do this via business cards, but I find Linked In is so much more hassle-free - and you don't have to take wads of cards when you move job!

5. She who's been stalking you. It's a bit hidden in the right-hand menu, but I love seeing who's been accessing my profile. Yes, generally it's friends or people I've worked with, but I have had more unknown peeps have a little eyeball, which prompted me to contact them, and voila a job/exciting new collaboration is born.

Top Tips: Getting the most out of Pinterest

I love Pinterest. It is so my favourite social media tool. Lots of lovely style inspiration and an ability to curate all the things I'm interested in at the moment. If you haven't caught the Pinterest bug yet, why not try these top tips to help you pinning journey?

Install the Pinterest bookmarklet

Pinterest want to make it as easy as possible for you to pin great content to your account. The best way of doing this is to install the bookmarklet. You can get the Pinterest bookmarklet here. Good ole Pinterest shows you how to install this bit of technology and once you have, you won’t stop pinning. As Pinterest is still in beta (the testing) stage, you might find this bookmarklet a bit buggy but it’s an easy way to add things to your mood boards and when things are easy, you’re more likely to update them.

Add another pinner

Did you know you let another pinner have access to certain boards? This is a great thing to do if you’re preparing a wedding mood board (add your groom) or perhaps part of a craft group (add your fellow crafters). It makes it feel even more of a community thing when you’re actually pinning with a real friend or colleague.

Hashtag it!

Who used the humble hashtag before the birth of social media? Just like Twitter, adding a hashtag to your pin categorises it and by clicking on the hashtag, you can discover similar pins. It’s a great way for people to find something of niche interest for them. Never underestimate the power of the #!

Follow Pinterest etiquette

Each social media medium has it’s own house rules. It’s a bit like being a guest at a friend’s house. Follow the rules and no-one will kick you out!

1. Give credit where credit is due
Do you know who the photographer is? Or the name of the website/blog were you found the image? If so, quote them in your text.

2. Be original
Make sure you pin the original source image. Don’t use images from Google as Google don’t own them.

3. Keep it short, sweet and original

Don’t copy all the text associated with the image. It’s a bit naughty, but more than I find it boring. I want to know why the pinners I follow like something – not what the original website said.

Space them out
Some people don’t visit Pinterest for a while and then do about 50 pins in one go. Stop right there! You’re overloading your followers. Space your pins out and add things on a regular basis, encouraging people to come back and see your new pins.