Top LinkedIn Profile Writing Tips from a LinkedIn Profile Writer

Are you thinking about ‘tending to your LinkedIn garden’, but you’re not sure where to start?

Hi, I’m Karen Hollenbach and I write profiles for people who’d prefer not to write their profiles themselves. I’ve also joined forces with DIY Digital to bring you my Profile Essentials masterclass, and here’s some tips to get you started, before you decide if this course is for you!

How do you want to use LinkedIn?

I recommend you decide your goals for LinkedIn before you make any changes to your profile. When I train people about taking their LinkedIn presence to the next level, there are two key questions I ask them to consider before updating their profile or being more active on LinkedIn.

The first question is ‘what do you want to be known for’ when people come across your profile on LinkedIn. I mean this in terms of considering what you are the ‘go to’ for. Another way to look at it is considering your subject matter expertise. When people recommend you, or even think about your skills, what do you want them to associate with you?

For me, it’s helping people with LinkedIn. What do you help people with?

The second question is ‘who are you trying to influence’ when you are on LinkedIn? This could include potential clients, employers, referral partners or collaboration partners. What’s important for you to include in your profile for these people? Focusing on this will help you write a number of key sections of your profile, including your summary and experience. Shine a light on the parts of your experience, background and professional approach that are relevant to the people you’re wishing to get into conversations with on LinkedIn.

Include Imagery Consistent with your Online Assets

For professionals who are not in active job search and lead a business or department, I recommend adding a background image that’s consistent with the imagery on your organisation’s website.

With your choice of profile photo I recommend it is consistent with the photos of you on your website and other social media platforms.

Take Advantage of New Features

LinkedIn continues to roll out new features for the LinkedIn profile experience, with the latest being the video cover story and the featured section.

With the featured section you can include LinkedIn posts, LinkedIn articles, external links and media. I think it’s a great option for business leaders and encourage you to add the key information you want people to know about you.

Give readers the chance to ‘binge watch you’ via your featured section and point them to the relevant links, articles, posts and documents that help showcase your focus for LinkedIn.

Avoid these Mistakes on Your LinkedIn Profile

Please, please, please include a photo on your LinkedIn Profile. I still come across profiles without a photo or, worst still, a company logo instead of a photo. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform. Your profile is you and you’re connecting, starting conversations and sharing updates.

You wouldn’t wear a paper bag over your head to a work event, so you should have a photo on your profile. LinkedIn informs us that “simply having a profile photo results in up to 21x more profile views and 9x more connection requests”.

Please do not include your mobile number in your name on your LinkedIn profile. We all want to start more conversations and create opportunities for ourselves on LinkedIn, but this is taking it one step too far!

I know you want to make it easy for potential clients to reach you, but you don’t want to be, well, um too ‘easy’, if you know what I mean. There are other platforms for this type of behaviour.

Please check, then double check your copy in your LinkedIn Profile. It is very easy to have a spelling error in your LinkedIn Profile, so please take the time to proof read the content in your headline, about and experience sections.

We all have typos in our work, and so it’s essential to present the most professional version of yourself on LinkedIn, without distracting typos. Have you spotted a typo in this article? Please let us know!

If you’re ready to get started with updating your profile, we’re ready for you. Register for the Profile Essentials Masterclass here.

LinkedIn Profile Essentials

This self paced and on demand training teaches you how to write your LinkedIn Profile the right way.

If you run or lead a business or are looking for a new role, this masterclass will guide you through how to write your LinkedIn Profile.