Rebranding Your LinkedIn Profile

Imagine this - you step into a room full of potential clients and peers, and all eyes are on you. You only have one chance to make a lasting impression. Just like in real life, your LinkedIn profile serves as your virtual first impression, and in today's competitive marketplace, you need to make sure it's rock-solid. While everybody has a profile, only a select few realize its true potential. Here's a comprehensive guide to outshining the competition with a killer LinkedIn profile.

6 Tips to Boost Your Profile

• Talks About: What are the topics that you’d like to post the most content around? Do you talk about leadership? Fundraising? Health and wellness? Something more personal, like overcoming a specific challenge in life?? If so, “Creator Mode” might be for you. To turn on creator mode, go to the “Resources” section on your profile and click on “Creator Mode.” Doing so gives you access to a wider array of free tools and options, including the ability to write a line under your job title that lists topics you focus on, or “talk about.” This quickly allows those viewing your profile to get a better sense of what kind of content they can expect to read from you and decide if they’d like to connect and/or follow your profile. Additional changes in creator mode include the Connect button on your profile changing to Follow and LinkedIn displaying the number of followers you have in your profile introduction. When someone sends you a connection, they will automatically follow you while they await your response. In addition, you have the option to add a link to your introduction section to drive traffic to your website, content, upcoming events and more. If you meet certain criteria, you can get access to creator tools like LinkedIn Live and Newsletter as well as creator analytics, which includes combined post analytics and audience analytics.
• Featured: Think of your featured section as your own personal art gallery or highlight reel; what would you put on display if you wanted to showcase the accomplishments you’re most proud of? Build out your “Featured” section, which is right below the “About” section, with a collection of external media or authored posts that represent your best work. Some examples might be a panel you’ve moderated, a TV segment you were featured on or a project you led.
• About: This section should give more than just your career background. The “About” section is an opportunity for you to showcase your personality and your vision. What sets you apart? How can you capture the deep work and accomplishments of your career while demonstrating your underlying passion for the work you do? You might also discuss things that excite you about your field.
• Experience: Similar to a resume, this section highlights the day-to-day responsibilities of your current and past roles. In three bullet points, outline your main responsibilities at each job, utilizing action verbs and focusing on results-oriented accomplishments. Add multimedia components where appropriate, like articles you have been featured in or awards you’ve won.
• Recommendations: The Recommendation section rounds up insight into your work performance from those who have worked directly with you. Requesting a minimum of three recommendations from past managers, colleagues, and direct reports will enhance your overall profile. Consider also giving others in your network these Recommendations, as doing so will help increase your own visibility on others' profiles.?
• Skills: Add around 10 keywords or phrases that are industry specific and differentiate you. For example, you might be a public relations professional, but do you also have some experience with Canva design? Public speaking? Business development? Think about how you can set yourself apart from the herd and offer something unique.

4 Tips for Creating Better Content With Hashtags

Are you tired of your LinkedIn posts getting lost in the void? Consider using hashtags to boost your reach and engage with a wider audience. By strategically incorporating relevant hashtags into your posts, you can connect with people who are interested in similar topics and increase your follower count.?

Here are some ways to maximize the potential of hashtags in posts and fast facts:

• Use three to five hashtags at the end of your post.
• Utilize a mix of two or three broad hashtags with a well-established following (i.e #AI) and then use one or two "niche" hashtags, maybe the type of ai #chatgpt or specialty #softwaredeveloper. This way, you can target a small, loyal audience while building a broader following through commenting and sharing high-performing posts.
• Follow relevant hashtags for your industry to increase post visibility as well as identify trending topics and conversations you can join. Just search any hashtag on LinkedIn so you can identify the number of followers of that specific hashtag and identify the ones with the highest frequency of use.
• Find the posts containing your followed hashtags in your home feed and find the hashtags you have saved on the left sidebar of your LI homepage.

Long-Term Content and Engagement Strategies

When using LinkedIn, it’s important to consider your long-term strategy every time you post or engage with others.?

Content strategies:

• Include a variety of posts, finding a balance between personal and professional content. Motivational posts with empathetic sentiment can perform very well on the site but it’s important to keep in mind the nature of the platform: business. Make a point to share stories that tug on the heartstrings, like the fear you had while navigating your first post-grad position or the gratitude you feel for those who helped get you where you are today. Think back to the main topics you wrote in your “Talks About” section and aim to post at least once a week, touching upon each theme.
• Share commentary on industry-specific news. Prioritize immediacy, relevance and utility with every post you make.?

Engagement strategies:

• When scrolling through your LinkedIn feed, you should make a habit of liking, commenting or resharing others’ posts, demonstrating thoughtful reflection and interest in the topic and content. Engaging with others on LinkedIn can be just as important as creating your own meaningful content when trying to attract visitors to your profile. By sharing your perspective and insights on other people's posts, you can demonstrate your expertise and add value to the conversation.
• In your own posts, consider creating LinkedIn polls that encourage followers to vote and exercise their opinion, increasing engagement between you and your audience. A poll can run for any period of time and?are great to get quick responses without requiring lengthy answers. Plus, they're super engaging! People love to give their two cents and it can spark conversations that strengthen your relationships and offer valuable insights. They're also perfect for conducting market research and identifying trends and ideas for future content.

LinkedIn has become essential for people on all rungs of the corporate ladder. Whether you’re a tech-savvy digital nomad who’s just getting their start or a seasoned C-suite exec who remembers the days of Rolodexes, rebranding your LinkedIn profile will help you build your personal brand and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.? Start by comparing this guide to your own profile and identifying areas with room for improvement. By implementing these tactics, you can lay a solid foundation for the growth of your online presence.

Written by Lia Hyman