77 Tips for Getting Ahead on LinkedIn? in 2024

How the 77 Tips work

This checklist of tips is in sections, each relating to a separate aspect of the platform.

It covers everything you need to know to make LinkedIn? work for you, no matter what your goal – whether that’s becoming known in your industry; developing as a thought leader in your business; generating leads for your company; widening your network of peers, colleagues and leaders; or enhancing your profile to boost your chances of being spotted when a potential client is searching for someone with your skills.

Here are the topics covered:

?? Important recent changes

?? Profiles

?? Company pages

?? Publishing

?? Engaging

?? Connecting

?? Direct messaging

?Important Changes to LinkedIn? in 2024

?1.????About section moves back to 2nd position on profiles

For some time, the About section of our profiles had been relegated to below the Activity section. But now it's back in its rightful place near the top. Rightful because it's the longest piece of text we can have on our profiles and tells the story of our professional journey.

2.???Add a custom link to your profile Introduction section

If you have Premium or above, you can add a custom link to your profile that follows you around LinkedIn. It's an excellent way to add a call to action that takes viewers to your website or other page. The change to this in 2024 has been the colour – it is now blue.

3.????Premium for company pages

LinkedIn has introduced a paid version of its company page offering which provides additional benefits. It provides several additional features including 4 custom highlights (external links) and a testimonial on the page intro. You can hear about the results of our 3-month trial of Premium for pages at our YouTube channel.

4.????Services section makeover

Until this year the Services section of our profile was somewhat hidden but now it has high visibility immediately under our About section. As well, those with a Premium account can display media, their mini About section and reviews.

5.????Interactive video feed on the app

A video feed has been rolled out allowing us to view videos in the app separately from the main feed. Videos displayed here are often in portrait mode. Access to the feed is via videos in our feeds through the 'Swipe up to see more videos' prompt. The usual reactions and accompanying text can be accessed too but the temptation is to simply move onto the next video and not interact.

6.????AI intrudes more and more

For those with a Premium account or above, it's almost impossible to be anywhere on the platform and not be offered AI assistance. From sending direct messages to an AI rewrite of carefully crafted posts, non-human help is everywhere. Given that both ChatGPT and LinkedIn are owned by Microsoft, we can only expect to see more of this.

Personal profile

7.????Expansion of skills

Not only can we now have 100 skills listed on our profile (previously 50), but we can add them to many of the sections in our profile, most notably the About. There, we can add our top 5 but on all other sections with them, we can add as many as we wish up to the max allowed, although only the first 2 display below the section on desktop and 3 on the app. However, they are in bold and so stand out.

8.????Replace the now defunct profile video with an intro video in Featured

LinkedIn has removed the short video that sat behind our profile photos. The best workaround is to record a 30-60 second video in 9x16 and upload it to your Featured section. If you don't have a Vimeo or YouTube account to load it directly from, add it to a post and pin that to your Featured instead. Video has become extremely important on LinkedIn and an intro video is an excellent way to showcase your expertise and experience in your own voice.

9.????Make your profile banner eye-catching and information rich

This adds visual interest to your LinkedIn profile, helping you stand out. When you include a tagline, web address and relevant background image to your cover, it grabs attention. This is valuable and important real estate that is often overlooked.

10.?Ensure your profile image doesn’t hide an important part of your profile banner

Profile photos sit at the left of your banner so don’t place critical information where it will be hidden. The dimensions of the cover image change, depending on the device being used so always look at how it will display on both desktop and mobile to ensure the text can be clearly read. The size ratio between profile image and cover image also changes; on mobile the cover image becomes smaller than on desktop (below).

11. Use the name pronunciation feature

Whether or not you have an usual name people may not know how to pronounce, use this 10 seconds of audio to give profile viewers a snapshot of what you do. It still seems only to be able to be recorded from the app and not from desktop.

12.?Claim your personal LinkedIn URL

Having a personal URL allows you to use it neatly and tidily in your marketing without a multi-digit suffix. The result is then your version of www.dhirubhai.net/in/lynnairejohnston rather than www.dhirubhai.net/in/lynnairejohnston-a9b16343.

13.?Update and complete your contact information so people can easily find you

LinkedIn allows you to add a physical/postal address, an email address, your phone number, three websites and a range of instant messenger platforms including Skype. Include as many as you have.

14.?Write a meaningful, impactful, attention-grabbing headline

This should not be your job title. A good formula is what you do, who for and the benefits they gain. Headlines can be 220 characters long so there’s plenty of space to include any key words that help you to be found in searches.

15.?Think carefully about whether you want to verify your profile

LinkedIn uses a largely unknown organisation, Persona, to verify profiles. This requires you to share your passport details with them, which is a very obvious cybersecurity risk that many people understandably do not want to take. However, verification shows that your profile is not fake and a small badge with a tick shows next to your name.

16.?Display the university you attended

If you have a tertiary qualification from a recognised university or polytechnic, tick the box that asks if you wish to show Education in the top section of your profile. If you don’t have a tertiary qualification but went to a ‘good’ school, add its name. Connect to the organisation’s LinkedIn page (listed under Schools) to display their logo.

17.?Add recommendations to your Featured section

LinkedIn members with Premium can now pin individual recommendations (and other items in their profiles) to their Featured section. This is ideal for adding recommendations that do not currently display but are important. When new recommendations are added, they appear at the top of the Recommendations section, pushing others down below the fold. This allows you to give them more prominence.

18.?Add your location and post code

LinkedIn claims that profiles with a precise location (city as opposed to country only) come up in more searches. If you work nationally or internationally, you’ll need to decide which is more important – that people know where you are located or that you are not confined to working in your local area. It's important to choose your location from the dropdown menu as those not on the list won't be found in searches.

19.?Use the About section to tell your story

This section, which sits in position 3 on your profile, is an opportunity to summarise your career, showcase your skills, identify your points of difference and persuade readers you can solve their problems. Write it in the first person, not the more impersonal third. Use emojis and lists for visual interest and ease of reading.

20.?Add a call to action to your About section

Make it easy for people to get in touch by adding those contact details you are comfortable sharing. Give them a reason for doing so by offering a free download, useful document, white paper or other helpful information. Even a simple 'Connect with me here on LinkedIn' will suffice.

21.?Use the Featured section to good advantage

To give your profile visual interest, include media. This could be images, videos, documents, certifications, website links, posts and articles – anything that is relevant to your work. This helps you stand out from others in your field while also enhancing your own credibility and reputation in the industry. Update this often. Three items display but you can add more. But make sure the thumbnails are the right shape; portrait ones display much better than landscape or even square.

22.?Add a Custom button as a call to action

Premium members can choose from several options to drive visitors to offsite web pages such as websites, blogs and online stores. This Custom button appears in several places including your top card (below), profile intro and on posts.

23.?Link to appropriate company pages

More and more companies now have an official company page and linking to it displays the logo on your profile. This will mean ensuring you have the same name on your profile as the LinkedIn company page listing. If you have your own company, set up a company page even if it’s merely a placeholder.

24.?Aim to get 70+ on your social selling index (SSI)

The higher your SSI, the more the algorithm helps you to reach your audience through posts, the more you appear in searches and the better overall results you will achieve. You can see your SSI score at https://www.dhirubhai.net/sales/ssi

25.?Experience is more than just jobs

If you have had governance roles with not-for-profit organisations, written a book or done something noteworthy outside your employment, add it to your Experience section. You can include images, links or visual media to give it a boost.

26.?Make good use of the additional sections at the end of your profile

There are 8 categories you can add to your profile (below), which are publications, courses, honours and awards, organisations, patents, test scores and languages. Volunteering is included here but it sits between Education and Skills (unless you have a Projects section which sits below Education). To these Additional sections you can add descriptions and URLs but not images.

27.?Add to your Recommendations. You can never have too many

Every time you receive a compliment for a job well done, ask for a recommendation. Send a request by going to the person’s profile, clicking More under the cover image and choosing Recommend. Always send a personalised message with your request even if you’ve previously arranged for a connection to write one.

28.?Collect up to 20 5-star reviews in your Providing Services section

The more 5-star reviews you display, the higher your social proof. LinkedIn is a very trusted website so reviews that appear here have credibility. In order to ensure you receive only 5-star reviews, make sure the clients you invite to review you have agreed before inviting them as you cannot remove the review. Any reviews of fewer than 5-stars bring down your overall score. Your most recent review will also show in your Services section if you have Premium.

29.?Add to your Skills section and turn on Skills & Endorsements

Remove duplicate or similar skills so your endorsement numbers are higher. Delete anything not relevant to your work, especially skills LinkedIn has added automatically. When adding skills, choose only those from the dropdown menu as these are in LinkedIn's database and will help you be found on LinkedIn.

Company pages

30.?Set up a company page for your business

Every company wanting to use LinkedIn in its marketing needs a company page, not least because it’s free, high-value online real estate. This should include all the contact and business information, plus an overview of what the company does, for whom and the points of difference.

31.?Add followers

Invite the maximum of 250 connections per month to follow your page to continually grow it. Unused invites at the end of the month do NOT roll over to the next month.

32.?Replace the default company page banner image with one that represents your brand

If possible, have it match the cover image on your profile so there is continuity between the two. Elements you could include are a tag line and/or web URL. LinkedIn recommends the image be 1128 x 191 px.

33.?Include your logo. Without it your profile won’t display it, either

The designated space for the logo is a square (see above), which makes it difficult if your logo is long and thin. An alternative is to have a second version of your logo that is ‘stacked’, with one line above the other so it looks squarer. Or position the logo so it all sits inside the banner.

34.?Add a Featured section

This is a collection of up to 3 posts published on your company page. As on profiles, the Featured section of company pages shows quite high up so is visually strong. Update this regularly with your most important or highest performing posts.

35.?Post regularly on your company page

While followers of your company page will be the most likely to see posts from there, if you share posts through your own feed by commenting on the post they will be more widely seen. Have other team members do the same. Post two to three times a week, every week to build momentum.

36.?Separate your company page from yourself

If you are a business owner, you may be seen AS the business. Make it clear that you are not just the business by publishing posts from the page that are different from your personal profile posts. This could be as simple as talking about the business in the third person and yourself in the first.

37.?Create and run events from your company page

New functionality for Events means it is easier and more effective to create events on LinkedIn, to invite attendees and to promote them. LinkedIn Lives and audio events are both available through company pages.

Publishing

38.?Posting quality content regularly is one of the best ways to build a following

Consistent posting is rewarded by the algorithm which will distribute your posts more widely. Conversely, disappear after a few weeks or months and when you reappear you will be starting from scratch again. Another reason to show up week after week is that it helps you build an audience of followers who see your name as synonymous with quality content. All your content now shows in the Activity section of your profile so those deciding on whether to connect with you or not may be swayed by the content you post.

39.?Use all the different post formats available

There are five main types of posts: text-only, video, image, polls and document. Long-form content comes through articles and newsletters. Interchange formats so there’s plenty of variety for your followers and connections. Posts build visibility and articles build credibility. Articles now come in two types: regular and newsletter.

40.?Polls offer the opportunity to conduct mini surveys

Through a short question (140 characters max) and up to 4 answers (each 30 characters max) you can find out what your audience thinks of a certain idea. If you choose your poll topic well and get a good response, you can write a post-poll piece about the results. These still perform strongly in terms of impressions but poorly in engagement (comments).

41.?Write an attention-grabbing headline for your posts

The job of the headline is to stop the scroll. Once you have snagged attention you can get into the meat of your post. Some people add blank lines after their headline to force the clicking of See more which tells the algorithm to distribute post more widely.

42.?Document posts generally do well in terms of reach and engagement

The best performing format is the multi-slide carousel style. Your documents need to be visually appealing and not text-heavy. Remember that they are likely to be viewed on a mobile device so a portrait shape is best. Doc posts also need an introduction.

43.?Only post videos that have captions

Many people can’t listen to a video if they are in an office, travelling or don’t have headphones. Give them the opportunity to see your text instead, via captions. LinkedIn has in-platform option that allows you to review the captions for editing purposes.

44.?Record your videos in portrait (9:16) and keep them short

More people watch videos on their phone or mobile device, and landscape videos do not display as well as portrait videos. Make your videos a max of 90 seconds and preferably to around a minute. Upload them with a thumbnail so you are not caught with an odd expression on your face.

45.?Avoid ultra-short or ultralong posts

Posts that are too short often don’t perform well because it is hard for people to respond when there is little text. The exception is when the main message is an accompanying video. Posts that are too long have the opposite problem. Too much to take information to take in. If you have too much content for one post consider using some as a document post, adding text in bite-sized pieces to a slideshow.

46.?Encourage engagement on your posts

Posts perform best when they receive likes and comments within the first 24 hours of publishing. Have a small network of colleagues who are willing to engage on your posts and send them the post once it is uploaded using the Send button underneath the post. Do not ask the same people every time or LinkedIn may think you are in a pod and those you ask?will become annoyed and not respond.?

47.?Text-only posts can be made more visually appealing by adding emoticons

This is extremely useful for bulleted lists and can include ??, ??, ? etc. There is also the option of using formatted text through Unicode or AuthoredIn. If you do, be aware that this text is not visible to screenreaders and can not be found in searches.

48.?Adding a link to a post represses views

It's an ongoing conundrum that if you add external links to your posts they will get smaller reach. But if you add your link to a comment below the post it can be separated when the post is shared or reposted. A third way is to publish the post without the link, then go back and edit it in. One further advantage of the link-in-comment approach is that the link throws up a preview link which can grab attention.

49.?Add footers to the end of your posts

Footers are an ideal way to make a short statement about what you do that is and isn't part of your post. Separate it from the main post by emojis. You can even add a link although it will reduce reach. The workaround is to add square brackets around the dot in your URL – [.] – so it doesn't behave as a normal link.

50.?Hashtags rarely seem to increase post reach nowadays

LinkedIn has stopped supporting hashtags which means they are not being used to boost post reach. If people are searching by hashtag, that will still throw up results but that's a big if. They're not even a filter in searches for posts anymore. There seems little point in still adding them to posts.

51.?Don’t tag people in posts in the hopes they will comment

This strategy doesn’t work; it only irritates those you’ve irrelevantly tagged and if they do not respond, your post will be penalised. Do, however, tag people who appear in photos you post. Or tag people and then send them the post to comment on. Definitely don't tag the same people all the time. It makes you seem like you're in an engagement pod. Neither is it cool to create a wall of tags in comments.

52.?Don't underestimate the role of articles in LinkedIn publishing

While articles are more time-consuming to produce and rarely receive as many views as posts, they are nonetheless important for topics that require more than 3000 characters or are complex. They build into a Google-searchable library which increases your credibility. Aim for at least one article per quarter. Furthermore, articles remain archived on your profile and can be added to Featured while posts have a shorter lifespan. As you can see in this article, all kinds of media can be added that really make articles come alive.

53.?Organic reach has dropped massively so focus on engagement

Instead of relying on vanity metrics like organic reach for your dopamine hit, focus on what's truly important – engagement. This is where the gold is. When both 1st and 2nd degree connections comment it gives you an opportunity to reach out to them via the post and in a DM if you wish because they've shown themselves to be interested in your content.

Engaging

54.?Commenting is the most valuable form of engagement and is a win-win

Commenting on another person’s post makes you a good LinkedIn citizen, gets you noticed by other people and, depending on what you write, demonstrates your own knowledge of the topic under discussion. Don’t write comments fewer than 15 words as they do not help the post gain traction and don’t do much to enhance your credibility. The comments you make on others' posts now show up in your Activity section so be careful what you say because you could alienate exactly those people you want to do business with.

55.?Hijacking posts is frowned on

Making comments unrelated to the post and promoting your own business will not endear you to other LinkedIn members. By all means add to the conversation but not at the expense of the original poster. They have the option to delete your comment and also report you to LinkedIn. Fortunately, this behaviour seems to have declined in frequency.

56.?Sharing works better than it used to

If you want to share someone’s post or article, write some of your own thoughts or explain why you’re sharing it. Previous best practice advice was that sharing was a waste of time. This is no longer the case. Sharing a post increases your chances of seeing the next post from the same person considerably. The Share button sits as an option in the bottom right of the engagement block below posts.

57.?Send your post to others for their engagement

The Send button at the end of posts (under the Share button) allows you to direct message your post to people you would like to comment on it. This is important if you have tagged someone in the post because they are more likely to spot a DM than a notification. LinkedIn penalises posts where the tagged person does not respond. However, this is not the case if the tag is in a comment.

58. Respond to comments on your posts smartly

The faster you can reply to comments people leave on your posts, the better your post will do. For most effect comment within the first 24 hours. After that, if the post is doing well, respond to comments just as often as you can.

59.?Connect with people who comment on your posts if they are not part of your network

Second and third degree connections will often comment on your posts if you have a wide reach. Visit their profiles and see if they are an appropriate connection for you. If so, send them a personalised message thanking them and asking to connect. This is an excellent way to grow your network.

60.?Build your visibility and credibility by commenting widely

When you comment intelligently and persistently on posts of those outside your network, they notice and are likely to invite you to connect. This is a great strategy for coming to the attention of thought leaders and industry heavyweights.

61.?Use another reaction option instead of just liking a post

LinkedIn offers seven variations on liking a post. They are the blue thumbs up, hands clapping (applause or congratulations), heart (or love), a lightbulb (insightful), a questioning face (curious), a purple hand (support) and a blue laugh emoji. Any of these is counted as a like, and they display alongside the person’s face under Reactions immediately below the post.

62.?Don’t like what you see in your newsfeed? Change it

The more you interact with posts, the more LinkedIn will send you similar ones. So, if a post annoys or upsets you, don’t comment on it. Instead, go to the […] menu at the top right of the post and choose from the options listed to discourage the algorithm from sending you more posts like it.

63.?Connect with generous commenters

When you spot someone who’s regularly commenting on posts you’re interested in (or your own), invite them to connect if it’s appropriate. You can then reciprocate on each other’s posts which benefits you both.

Connecting

64.?Personalised connection invites reduced from free accounts

If you have only a free LinkedIn account (the other options are Premium or Sales Navigator), you are heavily restricted in the number of connection invites you can send which include a personalised message – between 5 and 20 each month. Non-personalised messages are treated with a great deal of caution.

65.?View someone’s profile before inviting them to connect

This increases the likelihood of their accepting and also ensures you know something about them with which to personalise your invite. You can also be sure you want to connect and that the account doesn’t appear fake. Use the ‘About this profile’ feature in the More dropdown menu of their profile to check.

66.?Choose parameters for invitees

If someone has no profile photo and an incomplete profile, they’re probably not spending much time on the platform so won’t see your posts or messages. Likewise, if they have only a few connections and there is little or nothing showing in the Activity area on their profile. However, if you know them personally or want to connect with them for other reasons, there is no harm in this, although be aware they may not respond because they are not on the platform much or have a huge backload of unaccepted invites. Other parameters you might like to include are location, role and company. Just don't make assumptions – check out their profile or you may discount someone who is an excellent connection for you.

67.?Never send a connection invite without a personalised message

Take the time to send a personalised message of invitation if you want someone to accept. The chances of success are much greater if you have explained why you want to connect, mentioned a connection in common or shown that you’ve visited their profile.

68.?Always follow up with a thank you

If someone has agreed to connect with you it is only polite that you acknowledge this with a thank you. It can also open the door to a discussion or opportunity if you make it sufficiently personal. Voice or video messages make great thank you messages as does offering someone a link to your free resources (not sales material).

69.?Strike up a conversation with your most valuable connections

While not everyone you connect with will want to hear from you personally, some will, and they’ll respond to messages. Forge relationships with these people by sending them voice, video or written messages that are useful and helpful. This builds trust and memorability.

70.?Never spam a new connection

LinkedIn is about building relationships, not about touting for business. Connecting to someone simply to sell to them is a mistake and your connection will most likely react badly unless you just happen to be offering the very thing they are looking for at that very moment. The chances of that are slim.

71.?Check out the profiles of people who invite you to connect

While LinkedIn is a much safer social media environment than other platforms, not everything or everyone is necessarily as they seem. Never feel obliged to connect to someone if you feel uncomfortable about doing so. The use of fake LinkedIn accounts is on the rise and it is in your best interests to have only real people in your network. Conversely, don't discount potential connections based on their name. This is no indication of their location.

72.?People who follow you may make good potential connections

Check your followers to see who you would like to add to your network. Invite them to connect, follow them back, comment on their posts or take other action that brings them closer to you.

73.?On connecting, send an invite to follow your company page

Strike while the iron is hot with new connections and, if it is appropriate, invite them to follow your company page. Unfortunately, these can’t be personalised which is why you should send it at this early stage. Reciprocate by following theirs.

Direct Messages

74.?Use the direct message option to reach out

While direct messages on LinkedIn are increasing in popularity and use, they have still not reached critical mass. If you want to personally reach out but don’t have a personal email address for them, send a DM instead. You can DM by text, voice message or video. Here's my connection acceptance follow-up video.

75.?Don’t send sales messages to new connections

This will not endear you to them and is a disconnect from the friendliness and professionalism of your invite and follow-up message. Instead, offer to send them your free resources (Linktree is a good link aggregate and is free), a useful document such as a checklist or tip-sheet.

76.?Personalise your message

Always address the person by name so there is no hint of bulk messaging or, worse, automation. Everyone wants to feel special. If you have Premium, you may find your messages pre-populated which will unlikely be what you want to say.

77.?Instead of sending a document, send a link

Documents don’t display well on small devices so an alternative to a pdf file is a link. Or, send both but you may find the link is more regularly opened than the attachment especially if the URL is clear as to what you're sending.

Summary

While many of LinkedIn’s features and functions remain constant, they are regularly being upgraded. This makes it important to know what new features to take advantage of and what to bypass. I post each fortnight on a Monday with an update on what's new which you can find in my profile under Activity / Documents.

About the Author Lynnaire Johnston

Lynnaire is a Top 10 International LinkedIn Expert, author of Link?Ability, 4 powerful strategies to maximise your LinkedIn success and co-author of Business Gold – Building Awareness, Authority and Advantage with LinkedIn Company Pages. ?

She and her Link?Ability team work with small to medium businesses to upskill them on LinkedIn to leverage the power of the platform to achieve their professional goals. Their clients achieve both visibility and credibility on the platform, leading to enquiries and sales.

Services include profile makeovers, 1:1 coaching, group training, LinkedIn marketing and network building, strategy development and a Link?Ability members community for those serious about LinkedIn. Visit https//linkability.biz to find out more.

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