LinkedIn: Optimizing Your Profile
We’ve received several emails from professionals and small businesses asking us to outline the areas necessary to develop a well-rounded LinkedIn profile. Your wish is MONSTERS command. The tips and best practices listed here will help others find you more easily on LinkedIn and provide a way for you to tell contacts and potential contacts that you may be the solution to their problems.
Name – Just use your first and last (and middle if you use it) names. No other words or professional associations.
Picture – This should be a close-up head shot of you alone.
Professional Headline (under name) – Tell people what it is that you do and how you help people solve their problems. Use key words that are relevant to your industry and expertise. Think about what people would search when they’re looking for the professional services you offer (for example, Chicago Wedding Photographer).
Industry – Selecting the right industry when building your profile will be crucial to other professionals. It will provide insight to your credentials and what you can offer their business. Choose from the list of industries provided.
Websites – The only place in LinkedIn where you can include hyperlinks. Use your company’s main website, blog and social media channels. LinkedIn gives you the ability to nickname these sites so users know what site they are about to visit.
Summary – Write in the first person and tell stories using a personal touch. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn. Include one paragraph that includes an example of a problem, an action you took to solve it, and the results your action provided. If your business has one, include an approved company description. This way, every employee will have the same information on their profile and build brand consistency.
Slideshare – If you have a PowerPoint, you can upload one using this common application on LinkedIn. It can be an additional resource for users to get a better understanding for your company and/or services.
Groups – You can choose which groups others can see when looking at your profile. Display those that could be beneficial for others to associate with your profile, and do not display less important ones.
Recommendations – If you want to get recommendations, then go out and recommend others. Ask others to highlight the things you want highlighted, but don’t ask them to lie or embellish the truth.
These are some of the basics that will get you on your way to building a better, more effective LinkedIn profile. If you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to email us or call (877) 401-4949.
