Your LinkedIn profile is great place to showcase both you and the company you work for in the best possible light. LinkedIn has over half a billion users globally. While this means there’s lots of competition to get noticed, it also means it’s a great platform to connect with new people to create mutually beneficial professional relationships.LinkedIn

Here are our top 5 suggestions for keeping your profile fresh, up-to-date and ahead of the competition:

1. Get your profile picture and background image right

Your profile picture is the first thing that people see when they come across your LinkedIn profile, followed by your background image. This means it’s important to take time to make sure they are both appropriate and up-to-date.

Profile image – Is your profile picture professional looking? Is it an accurate representation of what you actually look like right now? Make sure you have a good quality headshot  – these aren’t always as expensive as you might think to get done professionally. If you come across your LinkedIn connections in real life, you will want them to recognise you, so remember to update your picture if you start wearing glasses or change your hairstyle.

Background image – your background picture is a chance for you to further enhance and personalise your LinkedIn profile. Unlike Facebook, it’s crucial that you use an image that reflects your professional life. A good example would be to use a company banner featuring your logo.

2. Review your summary

Your LinkedIn profile summary gives you the opportunity to explain what you do and what you can offer in a professional capacity. Whether you’re a freelancer or are employed, you want people to choose you over your competitors and a well-written summary is one of key the things that potential clients or employers will be looking for.

Before you get started on your rewrite, have a brainstorm about what you want to achieve through your summary and exactly who you’re targeting. This will impact the tone of your writing and help you identify the most important points to include.

Listing important and impressive accomplishments is a great idea if you’re looking for a job. If you’re aiming to promote your company, make sure you include important milestones and explain your USP to clearly demonstrate why you should be chosen over others in your industry.

3. Craft a fantastic headline

Nowhere do first impressions count more than in your LinkedIn headline. Not only is it in the section of your profile that people see first, it helps people find you when searching.

Your headline needs to be accurate but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun with it. Unique headlines will attract more attention and can even be a conversation starter.  When writing your headline, keep your role and the benefits you can offer others in mind.

Here’s a great example of a concise yet creative headline from one of my LinkedIn connections:

LinkedIn profile

 

4. Join up the dots

Employers and potential clients won’t just be looking at your professional and educational accomplishments. They’ll also want to get a sense of what type of person you are. With this in mind, make sure you take the time to fill in all of the extra sections that LinkedIn offers, including volunteering and featured skills. It’s also a good idea to like other pages, companies and groups as these will show as your interests. Just remember to keep it professional at all times.

5. Showcase your successes

Before you buy a new phone you do a lot of research and read reviews, right? Well, the same process is involved when a company is looking for a new member to join their team or a new business to work with. Although displaying previous work is useful for individuals, it’s especially important for companies. Make sure you have at least one or two proven examples of success for each service you offer.

Testimonials and recommendations are vital too. Try asking previous or current long-term clients to leave a recommendation on your page. Or when you finish a project, send a link to your LinkedIn profile prompting a review.

Expert advice on social media marketing

If you’d like to know more about the how to optimise your personal or company LinkedIn accounts or information on how social media can help to promote your business, please get in touch with us at The Ideal Marketing Company on 01858 374 170.

 

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