Create a Winning LinkedIn Profile in 10 Simple Steps

Why is it important to have an optimized LinkedIn Profile?

LinkedIn is a great place to build your own personal brand over your professional life, and a good profile can help to increase your visibility and lead to more networking and job opportunities.

But you need to make your profile work for you. So what should you do? 

Here are 10 steps you can implement to give your profile a serious boost.

1. It All Starts with the Right Picture

Your profile picture is the first thing that people will see, so don’t make the mistake of leaving it blank. This is your initial introduction, and people want to see who you are.

But you should also use the right picture. That means a recent portrait photo where you are clearly visible. Dress smartly and make sure you smile in your photo to create a welcoming first impression. You could get a professional photo taken if you want to, but it’s not essential.

While we’re here, don’t forget about the background photo. This is a great opportunity to make your profile stand out from the standard background so your page becomes more memorable.

2. Craft a Power Headline

The headline is what people will see after the profile picture, so make it count. Don’t make the mistake of just writing your job title. Instead, use it to say more about you, your role, and what’s important to you. You haven’t got much space, so you’ll need to be creative.

3. Write a Captivating Summary

Your summary is your chance to captivate profile visitors, so don’t skip it. Use this as an opportunity to tell your story and show who you are in a few paragraphs.

Don’t just list your skills here. You can mention them, by all means, but make it clear why they matter and the difference they make.

Draft a few versions and show it to your colleagues—they may have some good recommendations that you haven’t thought of.

4. Customize Your URL

Changing your personal URL is an easy step, but one that many people forget about. Your LinkedIn URL should be your name, not a random string of letters and numbers. This not only makes it more search engine friendly, but it also shows that you are a person who cares about the details.

5. Show Off Your Skills

You will want to list your relevant skills for a quick and easy win. But don’t go overboard: stick to a few relevant skills that best highlight what you can do, then update them as they change.

You can also add your services, which is useful if you are a freelancer or a consultant. This can help to attract potential clients as well as boost your visibility in search.

6. Show Off Your Results

When it comes to filling out your experience, think of it in terms of your results. Don’t just tell everyone what you have done and learnt, but put a focus on what you have achieved, just like if you were crafting a great CV. People care about results, and they want to see what you are capable of achieving.

7. Make Connections

Think of connections as a form of social proof. If you only have a handful of connections, this won’t make a great impression. If you have a lot of connections, it will show that you take your networking seriously and make you look more successful.

Everyone has to start somewhere, but make an effort to connect with past and present colleagues, then keep on adding connections. Every time you go to trade shows, conventions, or meet for coffee, follow up with the people you connect with and add them to your network.

Don’t forget to include your contact information by adding your email address and phone number to your profile to make it easy for people to reach out.

Try to get over 500 connections. Anything under that will show up exactly how many you have, while anything over 500 connections will just show as “500+ connections.”

8. Get Recommended

Recommendations are another powerful form of social proof. You can say as many great things as you want about yourself, but it’s always more powerful when it comes from someone else. In your LinkedIn profile, recommendations are your way to do that.

Reach out to previous employers and top clients for recommendations that will show what a valuable asset you are and make you stand out from the crowd.

A quick tip for getting more recommendations: give recommendations to other people. There’s a good chance they’ll give you one back in return.

Endorsements are another form of social proof, but they are not as powerful as recommendations. By all means try to get endorsed, however, because it helps give you more credibility.

9. Become a Content Creator

All of the above points are things that you can do to build a top profile, but you can take it further by creating your own content. Consider creating thought-leadership pieces and publishing them in the Publications section. This is a great way to stand out and show your expertise.

As well as publishing your own content, share content that you think is of value to your network, including industry news and updates, new research, and white papers. This all helps to demonstrate that you are an expert in your field.

10. Be Active

Finally, stay active on LinkedIn. Don’t set up your profile and leave it, but instead make an effort to update it regularly.

To really get the most out of the platform, get involved in the conversation. Share content regularly, comment on content shared by other people, and reply to comments made on your content. Be a part of the conversation, and you’ll become more visible on the platform.

Get Your Profile Into Shape

LinkedIn is an invaluable tool to connect with potential employers or clients. A great profile can lead to more opportunities and new job openings, and it can help you to grow your professional network over time.

Take some time to get your LinkedIn profile into shape, then make an effort to keep working at it. You don’t have to spend long on the platform, and even if you just make a few updates each week, you’ll be doing more than most.