The role of your LinkedIn profile is to grow your professional network, find new opportunities, and demonstrate your knowledge, expertise and experience to potential clients, partners or future employers.
And as you construct your profile keep this one thing in mind; you are creating an advertisement - with you as the product. So first decide who the primary target audience is and then present your profile accordingly.
- Introduce yourself
To do this effectively it's recommended that you employ a professional photographer; doing this will help to establish credibility.
Brief the photographer to take some simple headshots that show your face and upper body; each with a nondescript background. In order for you to come across as comfortable and confident, look directly into the camera and smile - and first impressions matter, so it's recommended that you dress appropriately.
Avoid group photos, selfies, or photos with distractions such as pets or props.
See the example below of how the brand team at LinkedIn created their boss's profile when he was their CEO.
- Include a well-designed cover image
The cover image on your profile (see the example, above) is one of the first things that people will see when they visit your profile. This guide from LinkedIn will be very useful if you're looking for ideas of what to use.
- Add a compelling profile headline (and optimise your Google ranking)
With a limit of 220 characters, it’s crucial that your headline is written in a way that really packs a punch. So put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer and then ask yourself - what would my ideal customer search for if he or she was looking for my services? As Mr Weiner was CEO of LinkedIn at the time, he didn't need to sell his services in his profile headline, but you must. Here's a good example:
Try to get the name of your nearest town/city into your profile title. This will substantially increase your Google ranking in any local search.
We also recommend making use of the new pronoun feature.
- Now use your summary to substantiate your profile headline
Whatever you put as your profile title, you will need to back it up with proof in your summary section. This is where you can give more detail about your experience, skills and achievements.
Also the summary section of your LinkedIn profile is directly linked to the search tool, so using relevant keywords and phrases should help to make you easier to find.
And as with any strong marketing or sales material, ending your summary with a strong call-to-action (CTA) is a good way to invite potential clients, partners or employers to get in touch with you. You could open the door to a direct message, prompt them to visit your website, or simply send a connection request.
- Personalise your LinkedIn URL
Use the option of including your name in your public profile URL.
So instead of linkedin.com/67w84rj32wef09 you can change it to linkedin.com/in/johnsmith. This will make it easier for you to be found both within LinkedIn and Google searches.
- Improve your Google PageRank with endorsements and recommendations
So far you've used your profile to talk about yourself, so now it's time to back it up with recommendations and endorsements. Start browsing LinkedIn for people you've previously done business with and ask for a recommendation. It's standard practice to reciprocate a recommendation so keep that in mind when asking. Also, find people who you've previously worked with and endorse them for their skills. This will usually be reciprocated as well.
Get recommendations from colleagues and employers who can speak credibly about your abilities or performance (think quality, not quantity). Ask them to focus on a specific skill or personality trait that drives their opinion of you. Make meaningful comments when you recommend others.
And don't forget your Clients! It's also very valuable to connect with (and ideally to endorse) new clients. This helps to maintain their long term loyalty to your business as well as boost your credibility with prospective new clients.
- Continue to build your connections.
Connections are one of the most important aspects of your brand: the company you keep reflects the quality of your brand. Identify connections that will add to your credibility and pursue those.
The number of connections you have on LinkedIn is a golden number for sales professionals. More connections means more exposure to prospects. When you meet someone, search for them on LinkedIn and connect with them the same day.
- Additional ways to enhance your LinkedIn profile
- Follow companies that you’re interested in hearing from.
- Join groups that are relevant to you and your role.
- Read newsletters that will help you stay up-to-date with industry news and trends.