A well-maintained LinkedIn presence is vital for business, now more than ever. Here at CONRIC PR & Marketing we help clients join the millions of active users on LinkedIn each and every year. As the go-to social media platform for businesses, LinkedIn can help you grow your professional network, get recruited and expand your opportunities. Create a profile to start making valuable connections and adding to your network, both on an individual and organizational level.
Include eye-catching graphics
Your profile photo can say a lot about you. It’s first thing many people see when they click on your page. Your profile picture and cover photo should ideally convey that you’re professional, but approachable. Try not to use the same photo you use on other platforms. While that photo of you at the beach may be great for Facebook, it just isn’t appropriate for a setting like LinkedIn. Use a professional headshot or a well-cropped photo of you in professional attire. Need some help with ideas? Check out this great blog on selecting the perfect profile photo.
LinkedIn also allows a cover photo to be added to your profile. This large image allows you to add some flair to your page and help you stand out from the millions of other profiles out there. Like the profile photo, you’re looking for something that says professional but approachable. Some ideas for your cover photo could include: a photo of you at work, a photo relating to your industry or a photo showcasing something you are passionate about.
Reminder: Be careful of copyright violations if you choose a photo that is not your own.
Craft a strong headline
Your LinkedIn headline should be powerful and attention-grabbing. It is one of the only things users will see prior to clicking on your profile. With only 120 characters, the headline should be short, but effective. LinkedIn provides a default headline when you create your profile. They set it as your current business title. We recommend you change this to something that is likely to garner the attention of a possible reader. A headline that captures the reader’s attention will set you apart from the millions of others in your field. For a more detailed guide on how to craft your headline, check out this valuable blog we found.
Tell your story with a summary
The summary section is where you have the opportunity to tell your story. What makes you different from others in your industry? What can you offer to potential customers that they can’t get anywhere else? Start at the beginning. What made you passionate about what you do? LinkedIn allows up to 2,000 characters, so you can really delve into your explanation. Expand on yourself, your life and work experiences and how they shaped you into the professional you’ve become. You can also include keywords in your summary to optimize it for search. That way, people who search for those keywords are more likely to come across your profile.
We’ve highlighted the basics, but there is much more to discover on LinkedIn. Once you’ve established a basic personal profile, you can customize it even more by adding experiences, specialties, recommendations and more. Take control of the way you’re seen as a professional online.
You can also showcase your business by building a company page. Stay tuned for tips on creating an outstanding company page next month!
