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5 Personal Branding tips for optimizing your Linkedin profile

Derek Goodwin

DO YOU STILL THINK OF LINKEDIN AS AN ONLINE RESUME THAT’S ONLY GOOD FOR JOB SEARCHES?

Lately it has become so much more, including being the best social media network for B2B (business-to-business) networking. If your personal brand is your business, then optimizing your Linkedin profile is one of the best ways to increase your target audience.

LINKEDIN NOW HAS OVER 500 MILLION USERS!

Facebook and Instagram have hundreds of millions more, but Linkedin users are professionals that are looking for connections. 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn vs. 13% on Twitter & 7% on Facebook. Linkedin also has better ways to target your ideal audience.

TIP #1 : THE PROFILE HEADSHOT

People are going to make decisions based on first impressions, and your profile pic is the first thing they will see. If you want to be taken seriously, then hire a professional! Here are some things to consider:

  1. Don’t use your logo as your profile pic. Use a portrait that has smooth even lighting on your face, cropped to show more head than shoulders.

  2. Confidence comes from the eyes, and approachability from the mouth. An intelligent gaze combined with a genuine smile is the ticket to success. A pro headshot photographer will help you nail it.

  3. Wear clothes that reflect your work ethic. If you can rock the business suit do it, but only if it suits your business.

TIP # 2: GET LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATIONS

Endorsements are powerful. Linkedin has two ways of getting kudos from your connections. Skill Endorsements are a “one-click way for your connections to endorse the skills listed on your profile.” They are basically “like” buttons for your skills. Requesting a recommendation is the way to get a true testimonial of your greatness. Things to consider:

  1. Be smart about who you ask. They should be in a field related to yours and/or be highly respected in their own field.

  2. Be specific. If you want to highlight your speaking skills, make sure to ask in a way that encourages your reviewer to mention them.

  3. Be timely. Your recommendations will show up with dates, so spread them out. And be sure to reciprocate by recommending others. Remember karma works both ways!

TIP #3: ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS AN AUTHORITY IN YOUR FIELD

Linkedin allows users to Publish Articles on the platform. This is a great opportunity to share information about your profession or field of influence. Here are some added benefits:

  1. Keep your name in people’s minds. Your connections are notified each time you publish a post on LinkedIn.

  2. Keep your profile fresh. The three most recent posts on LinkedIn are part of your profile.

  3. Expand your network. Every time someone in your network likes, comments or shares your post, their first-degree connections see it!

TIP #4: ADD KEYWORDS

Besides helping you show up in Linkedin searches, Google and Bing index LinkedIn profiles so you will rank higher there too! Here are great places to boost your visibility by adding keywords to your Linkedin profile:

  1. Headline - you have 120 characters, make them count!

  2. Job title and description - Don’t leave these blank! Your past jobs are opportunities to add more keywords to your profile. Think about how the work you have done relates to the work you want to do, and use

  3. Summary - you get 2,000 characters here, but only 90 to 150 characters will show up on mobile, so say the most important things first. Google sees all, so sprinkle keywords appropriately throughout the text. Make sure to be clear and concise, since your human readers are the most important.

TIP # 5: DON’T FORGET YOUR COVER PHOTO

Linkedin cover photos are a great place to tie in your personal brand. Here are some ideas to help you stand out:

  1. The photo size is 1584×396 pixels, but edges can get cut off depending on the devise your visitors are using. Keep important elements toward the middle, especially if you are using text.

  2. Use colors and themes from your website and other social media. Remember you are building a personal brand. Tie it in with your other platforms.

  3. Consult your personal branding photographer to help you create an image! A good branding photographer will create a lot of images for you that fit the long horizontal spaces that today’s websites and social media profiles call for. This is a great place for a shot of you giving a talk, or standing in front of your city’s skyline, or a close up of the tools of your job.

We HOPE THIS ARTICLE HELPS YOU STEP UP YOUR GAME ON LINKEDIN!

Our goal is to help you put your best face forward on social media, in newsletters, and on your own website. For more Linkedin tips and tricks, check out 9 Most Effective LinkedIn Lead Generation Strategies