Toll Free: 1-877-695-7388

GTA: (647) 699-2838

Search Engine People
  • SEO
  • SEM
  • CRO
  • Display
  • Blog
  • Why Us
  • Contact
  • Join Our Team
  • Get A Quote

Toll Free: 1-877-695-7388

GTA: (647) 699-2838

How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Brian Farrell | April 16th, 2012
Tweet59
Share11
Share
Pin
70 Shares

linkedin

In 2011, LinkedIn's 150 million members conducted more than 4 billion professional searches. The network boasts executive profiles from all Fortune 500 companies, and adds new members at a rate of more than 2 per second. What's more, if you've ever faced an executive gatekeeper, social networks like LinkedIn bypass them directly, since connection requests and direct messages go right to the member. Clearly, LinkedIn is a platform that cannot be ignored.

To get the most out of LinkedIn, optimize the following key sections of your profile:

Basic Information

Your basic information includes your name, photograph, location, industry, and most importantly, your professional headline. This section shows at the top of your profile page. The headline is your first chance to make an impression, in under 140 characters. You have an opportunity to include more than just your "official" title -- so carefully craft a headline with keywords that are important to your industry.

For example, your headline could read "Helping homeowners in the tri-county region market their home online," instead of "real estate salesperson." Big difference.

Summary And Specialties

After Basic Information are the Summary and Specialties sections. The Summary is like an expanded personal biography, so again, use keywords and keyphrases that would help me get to know your background better. Below this section are your Specialties, another area to list your keywords and keyphrases.

Job Titles And Descriptions

Moving down the profile are your Job Titles and Descriptions. Consider listing all positions you've had -- you never know how a connection could be made. Include relevant keywords and keyphrases for each.

Add Connections

We're doing all this profile prework so we have the most complete information possible when networking with other professionals.

To find new connections, use the advanced search function, in the top right hand section, and search by job titles, companies and geographic locations. You can also search for groups to join.

LinkedIn also gives you an option to import your email contacts, which will send everyone a default connection request. However, if you send them individually, and customize your message, you'll get a better response (and more connections). So find common ground, such as a shared company or group, or as alumni of a school or college.

Don't forget to your 1st level connections for their connections. With LinkedIn, you truly are only a step or two away from connecting with potential clients, recruiters, and the link. But always ask for an introduction!

Finally, update your status message often -- daily if possible. Remember, LinkedIn regularly sends out network summary emails with activity (yet another chance to pick up more connections).

If you follow these simple LinkedIn optimization steps, you'll be well on your way to fruitful connections, new clients and more influence over your personal brand.

Other Social Optimization Guides:

  •  7 Easy Steps To Turn Your Twitter Account Into A SEO Magnet
  •  A Simple Guide To Getting Started On Google+
  •  Facebook Timeline For Brands & Businesses Factsheet

Source: http://press.linkedin.com/about.

Tweet59
Share11
Share
Pin
70 Shares
Posted in Social Media MarketingTagged howto, linkedin, social

About the Author: Brian Farrell

Brian Farrell is sales coach and founder of FIND the CLIENT, a sales coaching organization that helps sales professionals, sales leaders and business owners achieve maximum performance.

FIND the CLIENT 

4 thoughts on “How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile”

  1. Boris Mahovac R.G.D. says:
    April 16, 2012 at 4:43 pm

    Just a word of caution regarding Job Titles: once you receive a recommendation for a position, it’s not so easy anymore to change the wording of the Job Title. In effect, any recommendation for that position would be disconnected and hidden until you individually contact each person who recommended you to confirm their recommendation still applies to the new wording of the job title/position.

    1. Ruud Hein says:
      April 17, 2012 at 5:17 am

      Good warning; wasn’t aware of this myself.

  2. Bjorn says:
    April 17, 2012 at 2:10 am

    I am using the linkdin profile for my web development work, and blog promotion.
    At a daily basis I work in the oil industry. I am not sure if I should include my CV for my work in the oil industry, since I’m not interested in connecting with people in that niche.
    I am just interested in webdevelpment connections, so for now my profile and experience it quite thin.
    I have a lot of connections, but I have stopped adding new connections, since I got a warning for adding people that didn’t know me… Personally I don’t see the problem, if you’re in a network to connect why wouldn’t you connect to new people. I cant see the point of connecting to people you already know only..

  3. Glenn@Web Project Manager says:
    June 9, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    This is a nice post in an interesting line of content. I have myself gained a lot from few blog posts like yours to optimize my profile. I have seen a great improvement in its ranking on linkedin as well as on Google itself.

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts

  • Maximizing Your E-Commerce Sales:
    A CRO Audit Guide
  • Movin’ On Up! Why Migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Should be a Priority
  • A Year in Review: The Digital Marketing Trends That Defined 2021
  • The Basics of Video Marketing
  • Just How Much Do Google Reviews Impact Your SEO Ranking?

Categories

  • Analytics & ROI Analysis
  • Company News
  • Content
  • Conversion Optimization
  • CRO
  • Display Advertising/RTB
  • Email Marketing
  • En Español
  • En Français
  • Inbound Marketing
  • Lead Nurture & Marketing Automation
  • Local Search
  • Marketing
  • Mobile
  • Partnership Marketing
  • PPC
  • PR
  • SEO
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Web Design

Additional Posts

Nothing to be shy about, we can all use these tips!

7 Tips for Twitter Late Adopters on How To Twitter Chat

April 16th, 2012 | by Victor Pan

Inverted Linkbait: Learn How To Target Linkbait At One Special Site

April 13th, 2012 | by Ruud Hein

How to Craft a Compelling Case Study to Convert More Customers

April 13th, 2012 | by Lauren Sorenson

LET'S TALK

Need more information or want to get in touch?

Get in touch!
  • SEO
  • SEM
  • Display
  • Blog
  • Why Us
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Local SEO
  • Small Business SEO
  • Enterprise SEO
  • International SEO

LOCATION

1305 Pickering Parkway,
5th Floor Pickering, L1V 3P2

PHONE

Toll Free: 1-877-695-7388
Greater Toronto Area: (647) 699-2838

Social

© Search Engine People Inc. 2023 – Canada’s Top Digital Agency
© SEP 2023 – A Search Engine People Company | Privacy Policy

Search Engine People