To some, LinkedIn probably seems like old news. Old news is still good news. For you, the savvy real estate agent, having a LinkedIn marketing strategy can be a valuable resource for new real estate leads. So, just in case you are a little rusty on LinkedIn marketing and what you can accomplish with this nifty little platform, we’ve created a little refresher. It’s time to get re-linked in to LinkedIn.Optimizing Your LinkedIn ProfileThe first LinkedIn marketing strategy we want to discuss is optimizing your profile. A detailed profile can’t be stressed enough. It’s like an online resume and calling card in-one. It’s important that you thoroughly fill out all of the profile information you can. Use this as a place to highlight your strengths and what services you provide. Also, be sure to include a photograph. If you have an old picture up, it might be time for a new one to keep things fresh.Also, when describing yourself, your background, and your services, use keywords and phrases related to your industry that homebuyers and sellers may use. And include a link to your website. If you “optimize” your profile well, you could appear in more searches and get more visits to your website for a search engine ranking. Note: Do not “stuff” too many keywords in there. You don’t want your profile to look like search engine spam.Building ConnectionsIn the world of LinkedIn, “connections” are the main currency. Remember, if you’re already part of an agency, you want to make sure you’re connecting with everyone you can there, and then keep building. Connect with clients. Connect with friends that are on LinkedIn. Remember, having a lot of connections, within your own industry and in general, can help your street cred’; it makes you look like a valuable and trusted source. And what does that mean? More business.Remember to keep up with the connections you do make, through forums and through their status updates, etc. People in your own industry could prove helpful in giving you the 411 on industry news, especially in your area. And obviously, keeping up with client’s status’ and questions could help get repeat business and better understand your market. Attracting Leads through Q&AsMany people don’t know much about or don’t effectively use LinkedIn Groups. Joining some select groups homebuyers and sellers may be participating in can be an effective LinkedIn marketing strategy for agents. Your popularity, and therefore your leads, could skyrocket if you make a practice of answering questions in these forums. If your answer is listed as one of the ‘best answers’ you will get a lot of attention, and basically get free advertising. How do you accomplish this? Well, it seems to be a mixture of two things: 1) Offering truly helpful and informative answers and 2) Making sure your personality comes across. This doesn’t mean having a cocky attitude and showing it, it just means giving a unique spin on things that helps people remember you, making you a resource for future questions they may have.Don’t underestimate the value of Linked for real estate marketing. LinkedIn marketing is a valuable way to build your reputation and brand. So, if you’ve already used LinkedIn in the past, dust off those skills and get back to it. If it’s your first time, make the most of this network.Got more LinkedIn real estate marketing tips? Add your comment below. Thanks for sharing.