Optimising your LinkedIn profile, with five quick foundations

Never share something online that you wouldn't share in a room full of people that you don't know. Online you should be real-life you behind a screen.

LinkedIn has one of the lowest counts of fake-news articles vs. other social platforms, meaning Google tends to position LinkedIn personal and company profiles higher in search rankings - go to Google and search your name...

The?mission?of?LinkedIn?is simple: connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful. Keep this front of mind, as LinkedIn ranks your profile and content through measures adhering to this.

With over 700m people now part of the LinkedIn community across 200 countries, your personal LinkedIn profile is a core part of your professional brand online. Most personal LinkedIn profiles are structured in a CV-style way, and recruiters & customers now tend to search before they 'try and buy' from you.

So let's unpack the five core LinkedIn profile foundations to have in place:

A profile photo - is it still you?

Around 70% of the world's population is visually led - whilst many seek to not judge a book by its cover - an image gives the first impression. Use a professional portrait.

Is the image still a true reflection of you - do you now have glasses; a different hairstyle; has your dress or style changed? Think, if we met face-to-face, will I be able to spot you against your profile photo. If you have a website with a bio or other social accounts, consider using the same. Make it easy for others to recognise you.

The backdrop of your photo should be considered too - one from the weekend should maybe be saved for Facebook... Ideally, pick a photo that is front-facing with shoulders and the top of your head visible, with a neutral (non-busy) background.

Headline - you have entered an elevator and the door is already opening

Your Headline is the short sentence that goes sits underneath your name on your profile and on others' feeds when you post content across LinkedIn. So this is where you can grab attention.

220 characters are available for you to select something specific to you - imagine you're meeting your idol in a lift with one floor, what would you want them to know (be professional!). Short and to the point. It should summarise your profile and your content - what you're about or core passion; do you have a mission or goal you're seeking to achieve? Some headlines can go over-board - save that for the next foundation. Take a look here for some ideas.

About - your story

See this as the part of your profile where you can share your story (the bit in an interview when they ask, "So, Matt... tell me about yourself" or "what gets you out of bed in the morning?". This is about creating fish hooks to position you.

Consider adding details associated with your profile Headline. Share what makes you YOU; what do you offer that others may not.

Language and tone are key here - write it in your way - so if bullets work for you, or fewer words are more then go with it. Don't wordsmith this part in a way that when you respond to messages or emails or greet face-to-face, it's a different version of you. If you say "don't" instead of "do not" then go with it.

Do you have a hobby, favourite past-time or charity interest that you support? Consider adding call-to-actions - a website and key contact details - alongside core regulatory wording that your employer may require.

(Professional) Experience

This is where you add in current and previous employment - this part is a traditional CV builder.

Describe your experience in the particular role and business - and heck do spell the name of the firm correctly. If your employer does not have a company LinkedIn profile, consider having an active conversation there - it's much better to have logos to break up the profile.

LinkedIn tends to show up to three roles with a given employer against roles held with others; a "see all" button is shown when others look through your profile should they want to know further back. I do think it's worth considering how far in your employment history you go - really do assess what roles you held and be selective to really position your profile in the correct way.

Add the core purpose of all your roles, what you delivered, and the skills that you attained (or seeking to). Consider what your job descriptions say - but don't just copy and paste. Whilst sharing responsibilities and tasks are useful, share what you brought to the role and achieved. Some use this section to explain the business they are part of - be light on this (think Headline above!). Best to include a link to a website to explain the company - and that aids a wider online presence.

Education & licensing / certificates

For the purpose of this article, I have grouped these - "Education" being more schooling-led qualifications, "Licensing & Certificates" are in the main industry-specific and bodies - though are treated as two sections of a personal profile.

Here, add your university, professional, college, and school qualification details to the right section - include those you've achieved and are on the way to. Consider how far you go back, keeping in mind all the above. Whilst qualifications are excellent to achieve, are they all relevant to your Headline and profile. Again, LinkedIn shows the three most recent qualifications you have attained by a single awarding body.

If there are gaps in some of your knowledge, it is well worth considering LinkedIn Learning - an online package with dedicated modules for set topics, some offering virtual certificates & courses to add in this section which employers may recognise.

That's a wrap

Whilst there are over 15 different sections to a LinkedIn personal profile, building and selecting the best-placed visuals and words to the above is key. LinkedIn is adding more features to the profile as we go - having recently brought pronouns to profiles and a way for you to add a video overlay to your profile image. So if there are sections not shared above that you would value advice or tips for, add in the comments below.

With festivities coming in fast, it's worth giving your profile a once-over reflecting the above pointers. Small adjustments can take your profile in the right direction.

Your profile is best reflecting you rather than someone else in the mirror.