In this two-part series, we’re going to help you ensure that your LinkedIn profile is putting your best foot forward
LinkedIn has steadily become the top social media site for business-to-business connections, lead generation, and company website visits. Users like that this platform allows them to engage with companies, gather the latest industry news, and of course, meet new connections. It is also the oldest social media platform still in use, providing a sense of security and familiarity as the future of networking and many jobs have shifted to online and remote.
But while most company executives and businesses do have a LinkedIn profile, it’s not doing all that it can as far as to lead generation, engagement, and brand building. This is why it’s crucial to optimize your LinkedIn profile. And Company Expert is here to help you do exactly that, with our LinkedIn Playbook. So let’s get started and see just how you can create an engaging LinkedIn profile by discussing:
- What to do before you start updating
- Why your top of the profile is so important
Getting Started: What You Can Do Before Updating Your LinkedIn Profile
Follow 4 easy steps to enhance your LinkedIn profile
The Company Expert LinkedIn Playbook is designed for those do-it-yourselfers, who want to learn something new and actively participate in something that can help their company grow. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile can be done by following the four steps:
- Planning
- Developing
- Executing
- Optimizing
In this post, we’re going to cover how those four steps can guide you as you think about what you want your profile to say, and how to ensure that the top of your profile is eye-catching and informative. The end goal of this playbook is to ensure you have a complete profile, what LinkedIn calls an “all-star” profile. These profiles have all the right information, everything is completed, and is up to date. These are the types of profiles that will get you seen and help enhance your role as an industry thought leader.
Make sure to complete each section that is available, and include all your relevant skills and accomplishments as well as past employment.
Pro tip: Complete every section of your profile, and pay attention to the suggestions that LinkedIn makes about how “complete” it is, and work to make your profile stronger.
Before Updating, Review Your Settings
Ensure that your profile is as visible as it can be
Before you start updating your profile, make sure to turn off the notification setting that will update your LinkedIn network of all your new changes. Once you’re done making edits, feel free to turn it back on should you want your network to be notified of job anniversaries or additions to your profile. It’s also important to review your profile viewing option. When you visit prospects or competitors, they will be notified that you viewed their profile unless this setting is turned off. If you prefer to visit anonymously, this will ensure your privacy.
Review your basic information that is viewable to both members and non-members. This information can be found by search engines, so the more information you include, the better chance of reaching those you want to reach. Here you can also customize your LinkedIn profile URL to contain your name or your business’s name. You can also set your profile to public, allowing your company’s information to be easily found, which will greatly increase the chance of your target audience finding you.
Pro tip: The more parts of your profile that you share and settings that make you noticeable, the greater the chance of reaching new leads and contacts.
Pay Attention to the Top of Your Profile
Create an eye-catching and informative headline
Now it’s time to get started filling in your LinkedIn profile! Start at the top with your name, and then get to work on a keyword-focused headline. Your headline is very visible and will appear in searches, messages, connection invitations, and company pages, so use the space wisely! This is the first bit of information any viewer will see about you, so make sure to include your skills and value proposition.
Next, it’s important to have an image (in business attire if possible) of yourself as well as an eye-catching background of your company. Include a one-line entry headline about what your current position is at the firm–remember this headline is visible with your image and name!
You can edit your URL to contain your name, making it much easier to read, and for search engines to find. Provide contact information and you’re done with this section!
Pro Tip: Check out the profiles of competitors or colleagues to get a feel for the language and best practices they use and how to best incorporate them into your profile and headline.
Now that you’ve gotten started with your LinkedIn profile, you’re well on your way to improving your company’s reach and expanding your network. Next up, we’ll be discussing how to complete and optimize your profile!