You remember the old line from the lottery commercial,
“You Gotta Be In it, To Win It”?
The same holds true for LinkedIn. If you want to “stay frontal lobe” and network where your contacts and prospects are, then you need a LinkedIn presence, especially if you operate in the B2B space.
Currently, LinkedIn has over 610 million members worldwide, with 303 million active monthly users, 40% of which visit the site DAILY. Consider the fact that 92% of the Fortune 500 use the social media channel; the potential for visibility should be motivation enough to build and maintain a robust profile.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Have a current, professional head shot taken and uploaded to your profile; or, if your photo is outdated, update your profile with a new one that conveys your confidence and trustworthiness. Make sure it is a high-resolution shot.
Upload a cover image (the “billboard” at the top of your page). This should grab your visitors’ attention and showcase a little more about who you are or what you do. Examples include your company logo, a real-world photo of you and/or your workplace, a world cloud, or a stock photo that represents your business, goods or services. As with your profile photo, make sure this is a high-resolution image.
Write a relevant, captivating headline that describes what you deliver to your clients; include your job title if relevant. You have up to 120 characters (including spaces) to provide this snapshot of your current role.
Next is your profile summary, the “about” portion of your profile. This is where you convey the benefits of working with you or buying from you. Make it casual and in the first person as if you are speaking to the reader at a networking event or informal dinner. This is searchable content, so be sure to include keywords that your potential clients and referral sources would use in their searches. You have up to 2,000 characters (again, including spaces) to showcase your expertise and specialties. Since the first 363 characters will be displayed before “see more,” create your best first impression in the first two (brief) paragraphs. Your professional designations, certifications and awards can go in the other profile sections. As your position, skills or projects change over time, update those keywords regularly.
Customize your URL with your firstlastname.
Don’t make users work hard; include all your contact information in the Contact Information section, including the company website address, phone and your email address.
Make all your profile sections VISIBLE in your “Public Profile Settings”.
Add and complete all sections, including Education, Certifications, Interests.
As with product reviews on e-commerce sites, recommendations are important on LinkedIn. Ask satisfied clients and colleagues to provide a recommendation (you will be able to approve it before it publishes). You will need at least three recommendations for your LinkedIn Profile to be labeled “completed.”
Also, be proactive about endorsing your connections for skills/expertise where appropriate; they will be likely to endorse you in return. Endorsements are different than recommendations but provide an added layer of social proof about your areas of expertise.
Make your profile mobile friendly, since about 40% of LinkedIn users use the mobile app, which displays all your information differently. Pay attention to the first 73 characters of your headline and the first 42 characters in your profile summary. Do a check on your own phone to see what it looks like and adjust as needed.
If you need help creating a solid LinkedIn presence, please contact us at nina@ninadietrich.com.