15 Ways to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard (or variations of) I have a LinkedIn account, but I don’t do anything with it… Digging a little deeper it usually becomes apparent this is because that initial profile set up got the better of them. The profile compilation can be rather daunting the first time you look at it. Which bits are important and do people really need to know what Junior school I went to? And what does any of that have to do with a professional social networking site?
15 Ways to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard (or variations of) I have a LinkedIn account, but I don’t do anything with it… Digging a little deeper it usually becomes apparent this is because that initial profile set up got the better of them. The profile compilation can be rather daunting the first time you look at it. Which bits are important and do people really need to know what Junior school I went to? And what does any of that have to do with a professional social networking site? The hardest part can be starting – Here are 15 ways to optimise your LinkedIn profile, to help you on your way to LinkedIn proficiency:
1. Make sure you complete all sections of your profile: It might sound like common sense but there are plenty of profiles on LinkedIn where there are quite a few relevant and important sections that remain blank. Each section provides an opportunity for someone out there to find you and what you do – utilise them!
2. Use keywords throughout your profile: Use keywords in your headline that are relevant to your industry and make you easier to find as LinkedIn searches pay special attention to this. The same goes for your summary, list of skills and almost every part of your profile.
3. Include a recent photo: You are ten times more likely to get people viewing your profile if you have a professional photo on your profile.
4. Customise your profile URL: When you first sign up to LinkedIn you get a URL assigned to you. It’s easy to change this to your name rather than a long list of random numbers.
5. Ask for recommendations: When LinkedIn first started this it was important to get at least a few recommendations. Whilst it’s no longer necessary for running an account it is still something that adds massive credibility to your profile. LinkedIn recommendations are very powerful as they cannot be faked.
6. Fill in the skills section: There are a wide range of skills to choose from and you don’t have to select the pre-set ones, type in your own versions.
7. Get endorsements for your skills: These are a little less glittery than personal recommendations but are nonetheless important. The more endorsements you get for a particular skill, the more likely you are to show up in a search for it.
8. Posting to your profile: It’s one area that many professionals forget but publishing long form posts to LinkedIn can not only increase your visibility but also establish your reputation in your given field.
9. Create a company page: use this facility to show case your company your products/services and your culture.
10. Add a branded background image: You can add your own background image onto your LinkedIn page to give you a more industry specific look.
11. Customise your links: When you add a link on LinkedIn for your website, it comes up with just the anchor text of ‘company website’. You can change this in your profile to your business name.
12. Change the order of your profile: LinkedIn provides a set order for different parts of the profile but you can change this quite easily, swapping bits around to make certain sections more prominent.
13. Upload your projects and showcase your media: You can upload links to your latest projects or ones you have been part of in the past. You can also upload images, videos and other media to make your profile more interesting and dynamic.
14. Explore and join groups: As with most social media platforms there are groups to join and take part in. Find the ones for your industry, geographical location or interests and make the effort not only to sign up but also to join in.
15. Finally, don’t leave your LinkedIn profile to sit and gather dust. Regular updates make sure you are visible and it shows that you are engaged with the platform. Used intelligently it can improve networking relationships and help develop deeper brand awareness across your industry.