LinkedIn is an amazing social media channel for personal branding.
This social media platform is primarily driven by business and job-related content.
When you are seeking to use this platform for getting exposure to your brand/business or to find a job, you need to make sure that your profile is appropriate and done right.
Post Contents
- 1 How to Grow Your LinkedIn Profile
- 1.1 1. Choosing the Right LinkedIn Profile Picture
- 1.2 2. Choosing a Suitable LinkedIn Cover Photo
- 1.3 3. Use Multiple Job Titles for Your Headline
- 1.4 4. Your Summary Should Be Your Story
- 1.5 5. Showcase Your Services
- 1.6 6. Take Skills Assessments
- 1.7 7. Request Recommendations from Contacts
- 1.8 8. Create Long-Form Content for Prompting Conversations
- 2 Final Thoughts
How to Grow Your LinkedIn Profile
The following will focus on the profile features that will help you improve and figure out how to grow your LinkedIn profile and presence on this social channel.
Remember, these things may take a little time and effort, but it is time and effort well spent.
1. Choosing the Right LinkedIn Profile Picture
Your face is one of the first impressions you make on LinkedIn.
Your picture should be considered your calling card and should make a good visual impression from the get-go.
Your profile picture should be recent, and it should look like you. Long-distance pictures are not going to make the cut.
Your photo should be professional looking and a closeup face and neck photo.
2. Choosing a Suitable LinkedIn Cover Photo
Your cover image for LinkedIn will be a background image that displays to the left on your profile picture.
Therefore, use this to your advantage. This background visual should show your personality while also showcasing your skills and what matters to you.
For instance, if you are a freelance writer, an image with a typewriter, pen and paper, a laptop, or other such writing images will let potential employers see what you do. Make that image work for you.
3. Use Multiple Job Titles for Your Headline
Nothing says that your profile description section needs to be your job title.
You can use your headline to describe your role(s) and why you do what you do. If you are in sales, your headline may include many “hats”.
You may be a customer service specialist, customer relationship expert, a sales guru, or whatever makes you feel inspired.
Your LinkedIn headline will make you stand out, so make it count.
4. Your Summary Should Be Your Story
Make sure to fill out your summary. Leaving this section blank is one of the mistakes made by users.
Use the summary to tell your story. It should be more than just a list of jobs and roles you have had.
Bring your skills to life in a storytelling, truthful, authentic manner.
This will be the most personal content you will share on LinkedIn, so it is worth spending your time honing it.
5. Showcase Your Services
Services is a newer feature on LinkedIn that allows you to showcase or spotlight your services. Freelancers, consultants, and people who work for small businesses often use this feature to boost their presence and visibility on this platform.
6. Take Skills Assessments
LinkedIn has skills assessment tests that help you get noticed for your skills in certain areas.
You can demonstrate your level of skill in various areas that will be showcased on your profile, placing a “Verified Skills” badge for all to see.
This feature is known for getting more attention from employers.
If you do not do well on an assessment, you can choose for that badge not to display. You can manage the badges that display on your profile.
7. Request Recommendations from Contacts
Endorsements on various skills and roles helps make viewing your profile fast and easy for anyone seeking your services or skills.
Recommendations act more like reviews from people who have used your services and were happy with the results.
Be sure to make this a personalized request instead of trying to send out a mass form letter to your clients. It is worth it.
8. Create Long-Form Content for Prompting Conversations
Besides commenting and sharing others’ content, you should work to establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
You will be building your thought-leadership and expertise credentials on the LinkedIn platform.
After all, that is what this social media network is designed for.
Use long-form content (articles) to evoke comments and sharing on this channel. You will be glad you did.
Final Thoughts
Some other ways to improve your LinkedIn presence and boost your impression on others include commenting, sharing, endorse others, provide recommendations, list your skills, share media, and create relevant video content.
Videos are the wave of the future as more and more people become video creators along with articles, images, and infographics.
Not only will you get attention to your profile, but you may also get job offers.
That is why you are on LinkedIn right?
Otherwise, you can promote your business using these tips and features to grow, engage, and find talent.
