Power up your LinkedIn profile
Growing up most mums tell their kids just how special they are. “You are special. You are unique! There’s no one quite like you!” And then you grow up and log on to LinkedIn and discover there are people just like you. In fact, there’s quite a lot of them exactly like you; Degrees at University, qualifications in digital marketing, and sadly you’re only one profile amongst 575+ million on the LinkedIn network. So how can you stand out from the crowd with your LinkedIn Profile?
To get your LinkedIn profile noticed you need to have:
An eye-catching headline:
If you are lucky enough to have a more unusual surname like Goni-Mendez then you’re a little luckier than some. However, if you’re a Tony Smith or a Susan Brown, there are hundreds of people on LinkedIn with your name too, maybe in the same career, so how do you differentiate yourself from your ‘clones’? Get creative with your Linkedin Profile headline. Next to the photo, the headline is what grabs prospective clients or employee’s attention.
You can go the humourous route with headlines such as “I’m basically the Beyonce of Excel sheets” (this is purely an example. Don’t use it because, it’s already been done and while copying is a sign of flattery, there are hundreds of people who also thought it was brilliant too and have used it thinking they’re original). If you’re going to be funny, it has to be clever. Alternatively you can choose to highlight your qualifications. Maybe you were Young Entrepreneur of The Year or have a diverse range of titles, for example; Agency Owner | Story Teller | Keynote Speaker | Chief Taxi Driver
Punchy profile summary
Think of your profile summary similar to an elevator-pitch, you have about 30-seconds to give insight into your career and future aspirations. If you are job-hunting, this is the part of your LinkedIn profile potential employers will scan. The perfect summary can result in gaining new clients or being headhunted for opportunities you only dared to dream about.
When writing your summary, try to avoid using corporate buzzwords such as synergy or giving back 110%. Adopting a conversational tone and injecting your own personality is more likely to engage the reader rather than belting out a list of achievements and regurgitating your CV.
Utilise the LinkedIn Profile capabilities to their potential
LinkedIn allows you to upload video content and add links to publications, articles and blogs to add social proof to your profile. If you’ve been involved with creating marketing campaigns for blue chip clients or authored articles on the benefits of digital marketing specialists or field your work in, then this is the ideal place to showcase your talent.
Ask former colleagues or clients to endorse you for your skills
As you’ve probably discovered by now, social media is a channel where people can be anyone or anything they like. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to set up a fake profile, but with LinkedIn recommendations prove that you are who you say you are and have the skills you profess to.
Engage with your connections
It’s good to interact with your connections to stay at the forefront of their mind. Posting regularly (no more than five posts a week) between 10am-11am is a good way to get noticed. Keep in mind, posts should be original long-form content or industry-related, timely and relevant, best practices, how-to guides, presentations, lessons learnt and videos. This is not the social media platform to post funny cat videos or bathroom selfies.
By keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date you are ensuring you’re not missing out on any potential opportunities, while making sure you’re not just another faceless profile that fades into the background.
If you’re not sure your LinkedIn profile makes the mark, XDesigns Advertising can help you stand head and shoulders above the rest.
