According to a study reported on by Forbes, complete profiles are 40x more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn! And, FYI, that means more than just signing up and filling in your basic information. So, here are a few tips to help you maximize your profile's potential and set yourself up for success.
Research shows that most people make a first impression of a person within 7 seconds—and, when it comes to LinkedIn, that first impression is most likely your photo! That's why it's important to not only have a picture of yourself on your profile—but to have chosen the right one.
Here are step-by-step instructions to help you change your photo. >>>
If someone visits your LinkedIn profile, your banner image at the top of the page is going to be the biggest visual item they see. So, think about what you want that image to be—it could be your favorite quote, a picture from a work event or business-related stock image.
If you don't have an image or your image is the wrong size (the ideal size is 1584 x 396 pixels), Canva is a free site that allows you to use their existing LinkedIn banner templates, upload your own photo so that you can scale/crop appropriately or use free stock imagery to create something new.
Here are step-by-step instructions to help you change your background image on LinkedIn. >>>
Here's a “Canva for Beginners" video guide. >>>
Consider your “about" or “summary" section to be your elevator pitch—AKA a short and simple way to introduce yourself and share your experience.
One framework you can use to help write your summary is this:
Here's how to edit your profile—including your summary, headline, education, skills and more. >>>
Another part of the LinkedIn algorithm is your headline, which is a short descriptor under your name. Whereas users will have to specifically look (and scroll) for your summary, your headline is always front-and-center by your name—making it especially important. You can use your headline to help explain what you do or add some personality to your profile—or a combination of both.
Here are a few examples:
We get it. If these types of tasks aren't in your wheelhouse—this might seem intimidating. However, while these tips are designed to help you make the most of your profile—you don't have to do everything at once. If it's the picture you're worried about, it doesn't have to be perfect to start. Or, if it's the writing you're dreading, start a Word doc with ideas—that way you're prepared when the writer's block subsides. And, if it's new technology that you're scared of—that's totally understandable, too!
The goal of this series is to help demystify LinkedIn (because if you can use email—you can certainly use LinkedIn!) and help you create a professional, memorable and personal online presence. So, if you're itching to share your first post—we'd encourage you to go ahead and do so! But if you'd rather have some more guidance first—check out part 3 of our LinkedIn series that's focused on sharing content and writing your own!