3 Quick Steps to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile

The first step is often the hardest when it comes to setting up your profile and creating content on LinkedIn. So today we’ll give you some actionable advice on how to implement an effective LinkedIn strategy.

Let’s start by exploring what results you can expect to achieve if you optimise your profile and start creating posts that your audience loves.

What Results Can I Expect to Achieve?

Back in March we took on a new client in the automation industry. The managing director wanted to grow his LinkedIn presence but needed help:

• Setting up a company profile.
• Optimising his personal profile.
• Creating content that would engage key prospects.

Initially the company page had 0 followers and the MD's profile only had 300 connections. And in just 3 months our client?grew from 0 impressions to over 20,000!

On top of that, the company’s total following almost doubled! Plus, the MD was also invited to speak on a panel with other industry leaders thanks to his growing authority on LinkedIn.

?How Can I Get These Results?

Creating an effective social media strategy all starts with getting the basics right. Here’s how you can optimise your profile and LinkedIn content – just like we did with our automation client - to boost your reach and create an active online community.

Profile Picture

Your profile picture is the first thing people see when they view your profile so make sure you:

• Choose an image of yourself rather than a company logo or piece of machinery.
• Use a headshot that fills at least 60% of the available space.
• Choose a plain background or blur the background of your photo.
• Take your headshot in bright, natural light.
• Use a high-resolution image – your phone’s image quality is usually good enough!

Profile Banner

Another important aspect of your profile is your banner. Your banner should make it clear to prospects what you have to offer. It should also include one key call to action. This could include:

• Booking a 1:1 call with yourself.
• Sending you an enquiry via a direct message.
• Signing up to your newsletter.

For consistency, your banner’s colour scheme should also match that of your business and you should include your logo.

About Section

The ‘About’ section of your profile should clearly state what problem you solve for your target audience. It should also include a brief summary of the work you have done to give prospects confidence in your abilities. Finally, you should include your contact details to make it easy for prospects to reach out to you.

Audit Posts in Your Niche

If writing your first LinkedIn post feels overwhelming, start by researching what other people within your niche are creating. Look for creators that get lots of engagement on their posts and receive long, thoughtful comments. Be wary of comments such as ‘great post!’ or ‘nice idea’ as these comments are sometimes AI generated and therefore falsely indicate the level of genuine engagement a post receives.

Once you’ve collected a few ideas, you want to come up with a mixture of posts that target prospects at all stages of the sales funnel. To do this you want to create content that inspires, entertains, engages and converts your followers.

Include Personal Content

Once your first few posts go live, you need to start looking at how you can grow and develop your community. In our opinion, one of the easiest ways for your audience to connect with you and remember your company is to share personal content.

When we say ‘personal content’ we don’t mean sharing what you had for lunch! We suggest sharing your hobbies, interests and personal achievements. It could also include behind the scenes shots of a new product you’re working on or a picture from a site visit.

With this kind of content, the aim is for your audience to better understand what it is like to work with you and your business. This helps to break the ice at sales meetings and is great for building an active community around your personal brand.

Looking for further assistance building your online presence? Book a call with Allotts to discuss how you might adapt your current marketing strategy.