How To Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out Among The Rest!

In December 2021, LinkedIn had 33 million registered accounts in the UK[1] , 22% of which were in the key 34 to 54-year-old age bracket in which are found the majority of active business owners and senior decision-makers. That’s a lot of profiles to compete against on LinkedIn, and there’s a good chance that most, if not all, of the buyers you want to target are out there on the platform waiting to be connected with.

LinkedIn is the best business networking platform right now for lead generation and sales, but to take full advantage of its features and benefits, you must have a strong LinkedIn profile capable of getting noticed – not by recruiters or hiring managers, but by senior directors and business owners.

This article is a short guide to how to get started:

1) Tidy up your profile

Many LinkedIn users have had profiles for years and they tend to evolve organically – resulting in a messy profile from which it is difficult to quickly extract information. The first step, therefore, is to tidy up your profile, removing irrelevant material and adding a coherent structure. This doesn’t have to take long, but make sure your profile features an up-to-date, good quality profile picture in professional workwear, and ensure your contact information is correct and easy to find.

Then take a quick overview of your content (we’ll deal with this more shortly) by making sure your profile is structured so that the most important information comes first. You don’t have to include everything about your work history on LinkedIn – we’re approaching this from a lead generation perspective, not job seeking – just the most relevant information to support your goals.

2) Customise your profile headline

Your headline is arguably the most important part of your LinkedIn profile and should be an accurate reflection of your professional role, not just your job title. The headline auto-defaults to your current job title and employer, but you can customise it and we recommend that you do. Try to include keywords that are relevant to your target leads, and which reflect your experience and skills. You have up to 120 characters to use, so be succinct and include only essential information.

3) Review your summary section

Your profile summary is your golden opportunity to make a great first impression on potential connections and to summarise the value you bring to the table. It’s usually the first thing people see when clicking on your profile and, if they are not impressed by what they read, they probably won’t bother with the rest.

You can write up to 2,000 characters in your summary, which, spaces included, is approximately 300 to 500 words. That’s plenty of space to work with but remember that most people won’t have the time or inclination to read it all, so be very selective about what you include, and ensure the main takeaway is prominent in the first 2 to 3 sentences.

Speak to your target audience in your summary. At this stage they don’t need a detailed biography: use your word count to explain how your skills, experience and expertise address their specific business requirements and pain points, and why you are a valuable connection to have.

Your summary should be professional but not impersonal. Feel free to write in your personal voice and be personable in how you express yourself while keeping the content itself strictly business focused.

4) Be Active on LinkedIn

Optimising your LinkedIn profile is not a one-off task. The most relevant LinkedIn users are those that actively engage with the platform. So, keeping your profile up to date with pertinent information is the first step, but you should also reach out and get involved with the community on LinkedIn, building your authority with your target audience.

Without connections it’s very difficult to generate organic leads on LinkedIn but without an active profile you’ll struggle to build connections. Catch-22. Build your credibility on LinkedIn and strengthen your profile by commenting on relevant topics in your sector, sharing your knowledge and being helpful.

If you do this consistently it will raise your profile in LinkedIn searches and make your profile more attractive to prospective connections, steadily developing your network as your authority grows. Publishing long form content (600-1500w++), in which you go into detail on a subject, is an excellent way to boost your credibility. If you don’t have the time to spend on writing, it may be worth engaging with a content marketing specialist, such as JDR, who can create written content on your behalf.

Download a copy of our free LinkedIn For Business Guide

Showing customers how to make a good LinkedIn profile is one of the core foundations for success in digital marketing and sales. We really can’t emphasise how important it is to make your LinkedIn profile stand out for businesses who are serious about growing their sales online. You can find more top tips for LinkedIn profile building in our free LinkedIn For Business Guide. Claim a copy today by [clicking here], and for any other questions, please feel free to give us a call on 01332 982197.

Image Source: Unsplash

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/278322/age-distribution-of-linkedin-users-in-great-britain/