Doing this for a living means I look at many profiles each day. I find a multitude of things missing from most of the profiles I view. In this article I’ll discuss what you should put in your profile and what you shouldn’t. I’ll be answering in full, what should I include on my LinkedIn profile. So, let’s get into it.
Profile Picture and Background Photo:
Firstly, let’s start with your profile picture. It’s important to have a high quality, well-lit photo to increase your profile views. A poor photo will detract from your purpose of being seen, so that you can be liked, known and trusted faster. Always use a professional headshot as your profile picture. I’ve seen way too many poor quality shots used, and it really does you no favours.
Your banner picture is the next thing we’ll cover when we answer “what should I include on my LinkedIn profile.” This is a very important piece of real estate. It’s the first thing people will see when clicking on your profile, so make it count.
You want to create a hero banner. One that stands out and gets your ideal client captivated and wanting to know more about you. Many big players on LinkedIn include a second photo, one bigger than their headshot with either their torso or even full body. That’s up to you. As long as it’s different from your profile pic, it then acts as another touchpoint.
Ensure there’s a statement, clearly defining what it is you solve for your clients. This is vitally important. We only have 3.5 seconds to grab their attention, so we want to make sure we do just that. A poor banner will bore them and they will simply move on. This is what you don’t want.
Headline Optimization:
The second most important piece of real estate. What you put here is vitally important to re-affirm what you said in your banner and give a little more information. There are a few ideas around how to set this out.
If it’s a very professional look you are going for, I would suggest putting your qualifications, followed by a | and then a statement on what you do | and how you solve your clients’ problems (or your next employer’s problems.)
If you are going for a more casual look as I have chosen to do, don’t be afraid to liven it up with some emojis. You can see by my headline, example below. I’ve clearly stated my qualifications, and made it clear what my skills are. I haven’t directly stated what I do to solve people’s problems, however, I think it says it anyway, right?
So, when answering the question what should I include on my LinkedIn profile, take the advice above on your headline to really shine.
Craft an Engaging About Section:
The next area to ensure you stand out! This is where you really get to tell your story. Starting with where you came from. Moving into what you have learned (the skills you have picked up along the way). Then summing up with how your experience can help your ideal clients solve their problems.
You can write this in one to three concise paragraphs, or you can set it out like I do.(See example below). My story captivates my audience. It talks about my experience and then sums up what I can do. I leave some things to the imagination, not to hinder what I’ve stirred in them. This is what you want to do when crafting yours.
Make sure at the end of it, that you include a strong call to action. By this stage you want to have grabbed them, and given them something they can resonate with. You want to make it so they want to take the action you are suggesting.
Don’t be afraid to use keywords in your headline and your about section. Infusing these into the text will help you in more ways than one. Be careful that you use them naturally, so that everything flows nicely. This is a standard practice you should use at anytime you are injecting keywords into your writing.
Highlight Skills and Endorsements:
Another important thing to remember when working out what I should include on my LinkedIn profile (see what I did there?) is making sure that your skills and endorsements are accurate and gaining traction. This is an area, I am still working on myself. However, I am starting to gain some ground.
The more endorsements you can get for your top skills, the better. This does take time and effort, but it does pay dividends. Endorsements from peers or clients add credibility to your skillset. Ensure that the skills you choose to go on the top (usually only two are shown) are the best skills for what you do now.
Showcase Professional Experience:
The experience section is your place to showcase your key roles and achievements. Describing your professional impact in terms of measurable results shows potential business owners, or employers how your skills fit with their organization and how you will help them solve the problem they’d be hiring you / contracting you for.
Note, this is not a place to simply copy your resume / business home page. Make it captivating, and make them sit up and take notice. By putting the work in now, you’ll have yet another touch point where potential employers or clients will sit up and take notice.
Utilize Keywords for Visibility:
Keywords play a huge role in getting you seen and heard. By placing them strategically in the right places, you can not only cimb the ranks of google, you can also start being seen by those people looking for those keywords. It’s safe to assume that if they are looking for those keywords, they are looking for services related to those keywords.
So, how do you find the right keywords and know what I should include on my LinkedIn profile? Simple. Review job descriptions or client demands to identify the most commonly searched terms. Make sure when you use keywords, you don’t keyword stuff. Weave them in naturally, and you’ll find yourself ranking for those keywords and keyphrases.
Incorporate Recommendations and Testimonials:
Just like any other social media platform (the ones that matter anyway), people are going to want to see recommendations from clients, business partners and colleagues. Recommendation serve as testimonials for your expertise, professionalism and business impact. So how many recommendations should you aim for?
I always advise my clients to go for a minimum of ten. In truth, the more the merrier, so never reject a testimonial, and always ask your clients for more. If you check out my testimonials page, you’ll see I have many, and in all different formats. The more social proof you can get, the quicker people will trust you enough to buy from you.
Share Media and Content:
The more you can share in this area, the more scope you’ll be providing for people to really get to know, like and trust you. So, how much is too much, and what should I include on my LinkedIn profile when it comes to content?
There are many different opinions on what to share, how much to share and when to share. Some people say post everyday (personally, I do this with consistency), others say 1-2 times a week, others say more and some say less. It really depends on what it is you really want to achieve.
It’s my goal to be seen and heard, and to get through the multiple touch points that are now needed to reach the know, like, trust stage with potential clients. Your potential clients want to know that you can help them solve their problems, and they want to know you know what you are doing. This is the best way to prove that.
So, what should you add? Here’s a list for you.
- Articles educating your client (similar to this one)
- Case studies showing your successes
- Social media posts talking about a problem you solved (for you or a client)
- Testimonials
- Slideshows
- Presentations
- Videos
Regularly updating your LinkedIn feed with relevant information will get more and more eyes on you. Make sure what you post is interesting and captivating, so that your audiences starts engaging and be prepared to be consistent with your production. It’s not an easy ride to cross the sales line, but one worthwhile as your ideal clients gets to truly know and understand you.
Be Active and Engage Regularly:
We briefly mentioned this in the last point. It’s imperative that you post relevant content, that will engage your audience. Ensure you also engage in discussions, and comment on industry trends.
You can use LinkedIn as a platform to position yourself as a thought leader in your field, or completely waste the opportunity in front of you. Share insights, company updates, and industry news that showcase your professional perspective.
Conclusion
In this article we’ve given you nine incredible ideas on what should I include on my LinkedIn profile. Use your LinkedIn profile as a personal branding tool, not just an online resume. Emphasize what you offer to clients and industry peers, showcasing expertise and impact. Optimize for visibility and engagement by using keywords, media, and strategic content sharing.
Follow these 9 steps and you’ll see your profile rising. No time to do all this? We offer a service that helps you implement all of these steps. Reach out today and let’s discuss how we can take your LinkedIn profile from BLAH to WOW! Want to see my profile? Click here
