How to Create an Effective LinkedIn Profile

With more than 500 million users, LinkedIn offers boundless networking opportunities for businesses, professionals and job seekers alike. 

Whether recruiting top talent, sharing company updates or expanding your professional network, an optimized LinkedIn page can serve as an extremely effective tool for achieving your goals.

However, not all LinkedIn profiles are created equal. To maximize the effectiveness of your personal and/or company pages on this platform, make sure to follow these simple steps:

1.   Complete as much of your profile as possible

Make sure that all the fields in your LinkedIn profile are filled in. The more information you add to your profile, the easier it will be for others to find your page in relevant search results.

2.   Use a professional headshot

Your profile photo is the first thing that other people will see when visiting your page. Make sure their first impression is a positive one and you look your best.

3.   Optimize your headline with keywords

LinkedIn automatically populates your headline with your current position and company name.  If you feel that your current job title doesn’t quite reflect your professional identity, then rephrase it using keywords describing your specialty.

4.   Draft an engaging summary

Keep your summary brief and focus on a handful of your biggest professional achievements. Keep your language action-based and remember to use industry-related keywords in your summary as well.

5.   Cross-link your LinkedIn page with your website

Make sure to include a link to your business website or online resume in your LinkedIn profile, as well as linking off to your LinkedIn page from other platforms.

6.   Proofread your content

Proofread your entire profile, or better yet, have someone else read it and give you their honest opinion. A profile that’s confusing to visitors or has grammatical errors is not going to do you any favors.

7.   Keep the page active

Finally, make sure to keep your LinkedIn page active by posting regular status updates, and sharing industry-related news with your followers.

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