Building your company's brand effectively is the key to business success – and the same applies to personal branding. Your profile on LinkedIn has therefore never been more important to get right. Here are nine tips to boost your chances:
1) Mind Your Profile & Background Pictures
People relate strongly to visual images, and on LinkedIn their first impression will be your profile photo. Make sure it shows you in a good light – figuratively and literally – and as a natural, approachable and professional person. Add context with your background picture.
2) Write A Snappy Headline & Summary
Make your headline creative and interesting, but don't be obscure. Research hot keywords in your industry – an agency's insight can really help here – and include several, taking care to stay natural. In the summary, add documents, videos, and so on, that show your work to the best effect. Talk about your future, not just your past.
3) Include Relevant Workplace Information
The key word here is "relevant". Pick out those jobs and locations that help to build a fuller, better picture of how you've built your career. Include your current position, too, giving prominence to relevant achievements and projects.
4) Insert Relevant Skills
Look through LinkedIn's skills list and pick out the ones that are core to your identity and your business. Take care to keep this updated and current. Working with a business growth specialist like JDR is an effective and resource-friendly way to help you pinpoint the skills likely to appeal to LinkedIn users.
5) Edit Your URL
Use the "Edit public profile and URL" option on your profile to give yourself a URL that's both snappier and more personal than the LinkedIn default link. This makes it easier for people to find you when searching using Google or other search engines.
6) Add Certificates
Your profile is a great place to include details of relevant courses you've passed, certifications you've received and online training you've undertaken. Here too, keep things focused and relevant, concentrating on relevant awards.
7) Ask For Recommendations
These personal testimonials from people who've worked with you can make a difference to your profile. Think carefully about who to ask, and give your requests a personal touch. Feel free to give others your own recommendation, too.
8) Publish Articles
At least four times a year, publish articles on subjects creating waves in your market sector. Keep the title concise and relevant, and use articles to demonstrate your expertise as a thought leader on hot-button issues.
9) Optimise Your Profile's Search Visibility
Google uses algorithms to decide on its rankings; so does LinkedIn. To help maximise your profile's chances, make sure you have complete contact information, use keywords appropriately in headlines, and join groups relating to your industry.
Find Out More
The company owner and all directors and senior managers should keep up to date LinkedIn profiles that reflect their skills and link to your company page. Beyond this, all employees should be encouraged to keep their profiles relevant and to engage with corporate content. To find out how to get your team on board, please call 01332 343281.
Image source: Pixabay
