8 Ways to Improve your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is an amazing way to find credible people in your industry and develop a legitimate business network. To be effective you must put in a bit of work to make your profile stand out. I recently went through this process and learned some easy ways to fix up my profile. By talking to professional recruiters like Elizabeth Tran at Urgent Career, I got an idea of what matters most in the eyes of a headhunter. Here are 9 ways to improve your LinkedIn profile:
1. Take advantage of the tagline – The first bit of information people will learn about you is the tagline that shows up directly underneath your name. Most people state their position (designer, consultant, etc.) but it is a better use of space if you give a mini pitch. For example, instead of saying I am the owner of a marketing company, I say “Online Marketing Consultant helping small businesses join the online conversation and generate leads.” This may be the only part of your profile someone reads…you better pull them in.
2. Summarize to inspire – I have seen many profiles with no summary section. This is a mistake! The summary is your chance to show you are an inspired and ambitious person with a plan to do big things. People will work with you if you seem excited and motivated. Use this space to make an impression.
3. Prove your worth with recommendations – Just like a testimonial, a recommendation is incredibly powerful. Hearing others talk about your accomplishments is much more impressive than hearing it straight from you. Reach out to people that you have helped in the past and send them a request for recommendation. This will instill instant trust for anyone interested in your service.
4. Link to your website – Link to your company website, your blog, your twitter, and anything else you were in involved with. Employers and potential clients want to see that you have web experience. The more sites you are involved with the better. Additionally, change the link text from the default ‘My Company’ to the actual name of the company/site. For example I changed the link text on my page to ‘Rising Lynx Marketing Group.’ Do this by clicking Edit next to the website link and changing the text in the appropriate field.
5. Use Plugins to retain visitors – Linked-in has a handful of pretty cool plugins that are easy to install and will fill your page out. My three favorites are:
-Wordpress – Displays my blog posts directly on my profile.
-Amazon Reader – Allows others to see what I am reading. When people see I am reading books about online marketing they can feel more comfortable that I know what I’m talking about.
-Slideshare – Allows you to post a slide show. This is helpful if you have a PowerPoint pitch that describes your services.
The point of these plugins is to keep the visitor’s attention. The longer they are surfing around on your site, the better chance you have of making a lasting impression.
6. Find your groups – Joining groups related to your industry is how you are going to grow your network. I join groups about marketing, small businesses, and entrepreneurship. This allows me to stay up to date on industry news and also reach out to experts in my field.
7. Kill two birds with Q and A – The Answers feature allows you to ask questions to industry experts and also answer questions about your expertise. This is a great way to make credible connections. Whenever I need an answer about web design, e-commerce, or social media, I just ask! Within a few days I will have a dozen answers from people who know what they are doing. At the end of the process I choose which is the best answer and that person gets recognized for it on their profile. Ask questions to find people that can help you. Answer questions to prove your expertise and find leads.
8. Don’t skimp on the picture – You will be judged by your picture. Find a professional looking photo or even have your picture professionally taken. Stay away from goofy images you find on Facebook.
The main point to keep in mind is that employers and clients want to see effort on your part. Fill in all of the specifics on your profile and show that you invested time into your profile. After all, it is your online resume.
If you have trouble accomplishing any of these tips just leave a comment and I’ll help you out. Also, connect with me and send me a message. I would love to hear from you.
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