Did you know that there are over 259 million LinkedIn users and that LinkedIn is the most popular social network for professionals? LinkedIn is not just a resume posting and job-seeking platform. It has grown into a premium online networking site.
Have you updated your LinkedIn profile recently in order to attract your ideal client? Here are 6 surefire and easy changes to make to your LinkedIn profile to truly benefit from the site and all it has to offer.
- Customize your public profile URL
- Move your cursor over Profile at the top of your homepage and select Edit Profile. It will be an address like “www.linkedin.com/in/yourname”.
- Click Edit next to the URL under your profile photo.
- In the Your public profile URL box in the bottom right, click “Customize your public profile URL”.
- Type the last part of your new custom URL in the text box.
- Click Set Custom URL.
Having trouble? Click here for help. https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/87?lang=en
2. Update your profile photo
Maybe it’s been a few years since you’ve had a professional headshot taken. Your profile photo doesn’t have to be a stuffy, traditional headshot, you can have fun with it, but keep it professional.
3. Update the Summary Section
Include your greatest accomplishments from the last year, sprinkling keywords throughout, highlighting what you want potential networking contacts and referral partners to see.
Keep clear of the top 10 overused buzzwords used in LinkedIn profiles according to LinkedIn. https://blog.linkedin.com/2011/12/13/buzzwords-redux
Use results-oriented action words (verbs) that highlight your accomplishments.
Did you know that you can now upload video, images, files and presentations to the Summary, Experience and Education sections?
4. Review Groups to Which You Belong
Remove yourself from groups that no longer serve your purposes. Research and search for groups where you may be able to shine as an expert, create valuable connections with potential referral partners, or find a common thread between other connections.
Did you know that if you’re a member of the same group as another user, you can bypass the need to be a first-degree connection in order to message them? In addition, group members are also able to view the profiles of other members of the same group without being connected.
Spend one hour weekly participating in group discussions. Send connection invitations to people you meet in discussions. Ask connections if they would like to connect by phone or Skype.
5. Update Volunteer Experience and Causes
Let people know where you spend your time out of the office and which organizations or causes are close to your heart. Include keywords and specialties in this section, as well. Some of your best experiences and recommendations may come from people with whom you’ve volunteered.
Where you see the double-headed arrow, you may drag to re-arrange profile sections. So, if you’d like your volunteer experiences to be showcased above Work Experience, just drag and drop to move.
6. Use LinkedIn for Lead Generation
Promote and share links to your landing pages in status updates, where appropriate in LinkedIn Groups and in calls-to-action in posts.
Bonus Tips:
Add a LinkedIn signature to your email signature using the custom url you created from tip #1. Links directly to your profile – what an easy way to make connections!
Add LinkedIn Share buttons to your website and blog posts.
What tips would you like to share?
If you have any questions about LinkedIn or other social media, please contact me at Kelly@simplificationservices.com.
Sincerely,
Kelly Butcher
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