Tips for Creating an Epic LinkedIn Profile Part 1 of 3

These were created during the 21 day Lockdown period we had here in South Africa (which subsequently was extended) during the Covid -19 crisis.

Great, simple tips that you can implement to optimize your LinkedIn profile so you can come out this time (Lockdown and Quarantine) empowered, inspired and ready for action.

Tip 1 – Keep Your LinkedIn Profile Up To Date!

There is no excuse to not have a current, up to date fully optimized LinkedIn professional profile. This is your digital profile online so make sure it is a GREAT one! Use this time now to showcase your experience and expertise.

New job or career, updated skills, new course or training, current projects…? Add all these in on your profile.

Tip 2 – Check in Regularly On LinkedIn

Your profile is looking good. ? You have built a good network of connections. ?

Now, don’t let your awesome LinkedIn profile sit there and gather dust. Create a strategy for LinkedIn that works best for you and where you are in your business or career. Check in once a day or once a week.

 Continue seeking out valuable connections, create some content and/ or see what other people are sharing and like or comment.

Tip 3 – Create an Epic LinkedIn Summary

The LinkedIn summary (About) is the first thing people will see after your headline. Be sure to make a good first impression!

This is where you can really sell yourself to potential connections, clients and employers. Ideally write this in the first person and here you can show some personality and character (obviously relative to what industry you are in!). Be sure to include an introduction, your current role, your industry experience, professional interests, frame your past experience (your career story), highlight your successes and specialties, noteworthy achievements and thought leadership.

You can also add in rich media here. An image, video or published article can often explain your impact or achievement better than words can.

Tip 4 – Publish an Article on LinkedIn

Creating content on LinkedIn is a great opportunity to improve your exposure and visibility on this platform. You can do this through posts on the home feed, but also on the LinkedIn publishing space (long form posts).

The benefits of writing these articles on LinkedIn is that they stay attached to your profile and of course they can amplify your reach and engagement. You could write about: sales methods, marketing campaigns, news and industry updates. Just ensure that what you write is helpful, useful, informative and not just a sales pitch.

Creating content on LinkedIn can showcase your ?

• Expertise
• Thought Leadership
• Industry knowledge

To create and publish an article: Click Write an article near the top of your homepage. This takes you to the publishing tool.

Alternatively, you can scroll down the page as you read an article on LinkedIn. You’ll see the Write an article button appear next to Like, Comment, and Share in the top bar, below the LinkedIn navigation bar.

Tip 5 – Personalize Your LinkedIn Profile URL

If you want a professional looking profile on LinkedIn, then update your LinkedIn Public Profile URL!

Why have a combination of random numbers, letters and backslashes on your Profile URL when you can claim your own personalized one! Updating is super easy and straight-forward. LinkedIn makes it simple to keep your profile and brand consistent with your other social media profiles.

A customized LinkedIn Profile URL will also push you higher up in Google and search engine results than other social media platforms.

?? Click over to your profile (Click ‘ME’ tab > Click View Profile)

?? Locate & Click the ‘Edit public profile & URL’ Button (Top Right)

?? Find the ‘Edit your custom URL’ box & Click the Pencil

?? Change your URL to FirstnameLastname or something similar Use this time that we have working from home and the flexibility that this might bring in to creating an awesome LinkedIn profile.

Tip 6 – Have a Great Profile Photo

Come on, this is just basic common sense. You HAVE to have a photo on your LinkedIn profile and while you are at it, make it a good one! Your LinkedIn profile is your digital identity and your profile photo represents YOU. It tells the world who you are. LinkedIn profiles with professional head shots receive roughly 14 times more profile views and are 36 times more likely to receive a message on LinkedIn.

 Pick a photo that looks like you and get noticed (in a good way). However, some friendly advice –

·        Make sure your face takes up at least 60% of the frame

·        Ensure that it is a current image

·        Be the only person in the picture Look approachable

·        Wear what you would normally wear to work

·        Take the photo straight on looking forward

·        Don’t have a distracting background

·        Use a high-resolution image

The ideal size for your LinkedIn profile picture is 400 x 400 pixels. Larger file sizes are also fine (although 8MB is the max), but try to avoid small, low-resolution images.

LinkedIn is for professionals --- so be that person!

Tip 7- Publish Amazing Posts

You might ask why should I be sharing and posting content on LinkedIn? Well, LinkedIn posts offer an opportunity to grow your influence, gain more visibility, build your connections, expand your reach and get noticed. Posts and content on LinkedIn also helps build credibility and show expertise.

Think about the audience/ target market you want to reach. Always ensure the posts adds value, is relevant, appropriate, awesome, original, authentic, helpful, useful, interesting, informative and not spam or too ‘salesy’ (no- one like that!) Post regularly so that you are consistent and always comment back— the more comments, the more visibility you get from LinkedIn.

What can you share?

• Latest and greatest industry and company news
• Give a shout out to a colleague, client, service provider or business
• Share your news, wins, achievements and successes
• Find tips, tricks, hacks and how-to’s
• Ask questions, get recommendations or advice
• Share other interesting content or articles Invite people to an invite
• Share tools or resources
• Behind the scenes or how things are made
• Share job listings

You can also add questions, a video, documents, hashtag and tag people and businesses into your post.

Find Part 2 here and Part 3 here…

Sharon Atkins is a LinkedIn Profile Writer and LinkedIn Trainer and Coach. Get your professional and business LinkedIn profiles optimized and skillfully written. LinkedIn workshops and training to individuals, groups, business and corporates also offered.

Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn or [email protected] or here on LinkedIn.