​LinkedIn marketing now allows brands to use SlideShares and skills endorsements to build professional connections online.

​LinkedIn recently introduced a new feature that allows brands to replace their static Content Ads on the social network with enhanced SlideShare promotional pieces. These interactive posts can help draw viewers to branded Pages, and allow business owners and marketers to showcase top skill sets. However, many LinkedIn users also learn about companies through member search results. A business looking for a potential partner in a new venture might search LinkedIn for professionals with in-demand skill sets, and then the organization will reach out to that professional and her company for potential work.

LinkedIn’s endorsement feature makes it easier for people to highlight their talents on the social service. These tags help reveal members in search and open the door for new work opportunities. LinkedIn recently highlighted the rapid adoption of endorsements on the network, noting that 58 million professionals have been recognized for their skills on site. In fact, people with endorsed skills are 4x more likely to be viewed on LinkedIn.

In fewer than six months after the feature’s launch, approximately 1 billion endorsements have been awarded to professionals with skills ranging from Visual C++ to Water Treatment to Fitness. LinkedIn’s Peter Rusev also notes in his blog post that endorsements help people beef up their profiles, and the site has seen a 2x weekly increase in recommendations since the feature’s inception.

Marketers and business owners who use LinkedIn as a networking resource for brand building must fill out their profiles to showcase their unique skills. LinkedIn has increasingly become the interactive resume that every professional must embrace for better search visibility online. With web search already a standard practice, having a profile in SERPs that speaks to personal and professional relevance can greatly help companies looking to expand or grow in their niche fields.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.