Speaking of storefronts, let’s say you had a brick & mortar. You would want it to be as appealing as possible, right? Through the use of signage, window dressings, or curb appeal, you’d like to draw people based on the aesthetic alone.
Well, guess what? You can create the same kind of effect with your LinkedIn profile. You can also implement strategies to make it more searchable and employ tactics that visually draw potential clients when they come across it. Below I’ve come up with five hacks you can use that, by the time you’ve put them to work, you’ll have people lined up in the Internet streets, eager to learn more about your business!
Here are five simple LinkedIn profile hacks you can implement today!
1. Update your cover image
Your cover image is the most significant piece of real estate on your profile. Brand it! If you don’t have a logo (which you absolutely should), have one created right away. A great place to start is fiverr.com, but if you’re looking for more of an agency vibe, reach out, as I have a few trusted professionals I love working with and I’m happy to connect you.
2. Implement headline
First things first, your headline on LinkedIn is the section right under your name in your profile that allows you to give a brief description of who you are so make it good!. It also shows up alongside your name when you’re engaging with people’s content on the feed. I’m going to tell you a little secret about the headline, lean in, friend. But for the record, if you happen to be friends with a LinkedIn mobile developer, you didn’t see this here.*shifts eyes* On a desktop, you’re allowed only 120 characters for your headline, but on mobile devices, you’re allowed 210. This will enable you to think strategically about the keywords you want to add to your headline so ideal prospects can quickly discover you. Remember, if you tell anyone I told you this, I will deny, deny, deny.
3. About summary
Don’t just write out a bio. Give it some thought and for the love of letters, be creative. This is an opportunity for people to get a glimpse into the soul of your business. Give some real value here. This is where you can help those viewing your profile better understand who you are, the ideology you subscribe to in your industry, and more!
4. Feature section
This is a new area of your LinkedIn profile that you can use to showcase samples of your best work. For my business, I use it like a “quick links” area. You can update it with different types of content as often as you’d like.
5. Use the “Experience” section as a resource rather than a resume
What do I mean by this? Whatever your experience is in the past, there’s a way to leverage it by describing it in a way that says, “Not only did I do this for other brands in the past, I can do it for yours too!” This section is to toot your horn (toot! 📯toot!), but it should be done in a way where you’re not simply regurgitating your resume. Think about this section as a strategic place to map out our service offerings. So instead of adding a job title, add the name of your service and flesh out the description so when a prospective customer is checking out your LinkedIn they can understand who you are and quickly how you can help them solve their problem with your services! The goal here is for them to self-qualify themselves as a fit for your business and to take the next step to book a call with you!
Guess what? I’m feeling twice as generous today, so I’d like to throw in a bonus hack! Huzzah!
Would you like a CTA with that?
Have you made it easy for people to take action every single step of the way? If not, a quick solution to this is adding a Call To Action phrases on your profile. Some examples of CTAs phrases you can use within your Linkedin profile (always followed by a link, phone number, email, etc.) include; Learn More, Contact Us, and Visit Website, to name a few. You’ll notice in my profile, I have a CTA in my headline. Go check it out here.
Now that you have what it takes to be considered a LinkedIn professional, what are you waiting for? Go polish that profile into a masterpiece! Link your profile below along with what updates you made so I can go check it out!