When it comes to professional growth and business networking, using LinkedIn can be extremely beneficial – as long as it’s done correctly. Here are some steps to take to improve the value of your LinkedIn profile and build connections.
Choose An Appropriate Image
Instead of an avatar of your favorite cartoon character, your LinkedIn profile image should be one that best reflects your personal side. This photo is one of the first things that visitors to your profile see, so you want it to be one that is appropriate for your industry, and is a clear photo that is not grainy or pixilated.
Optimize Your Headline
One of the most searchable aspects of your LinkedIn profile is the headline. You want the headline to be a search-friendly description of what you do on a daily basis versus just a general description of your job. Use keywords that you want to be associated with, which can increase your searchability in LinkedIn and the rest of the World Wide Web.
Improve Your Summary and Relevant Experience
Your summary should not just provide details about the company you work for, but should mostly share details of your responsibilities, specialties and accomplishments in your current, and previous positions. You should be consistently updating this information and using it as a timeline of your progress and achievements. For each position you have held, include as much information as possible. The summary section on LinkedIn also provides you with the opportunity to add links to content you have created that show your work to visitors. Under the “experience” section on LinkedIn, you can also include images, documents and videos to add a more visually appealing aspect to your profile, which is much more attractive than a block of text.
Personalize Recommendations
Sure, it’s easy to hit the “endorse” button and ask that someone do the same for you, but there’s more to that button that could help improve your LinkedIn profile. If you are going to ask for a recommendation, you should also ask for the message to be personalized. It shows that the person who endorsed you felt that you were worth taking the time to say positive things about working with you or being familiar with your work and putting it in a positive light.
If you need help optimizing your business on LinkedIn, our team is here to answer your questions and to help get you started. Just give us a call at 800-399-2001.
