Create a Captivating LinkedIn Profile

Blog post by: Kevin Davis, Baer Performance Marketing Intern

Around 7.5 billion people roam the Earth today, and you want to be noticed! There are anywhere from 125-190 million businesses up and running right now.  Again, you want to be noticed! And with over 560 million accounts on LinkedIn, you need to be noticed! More than 94 percent of recruiters say they use some form of social media, and LinkedIn is one of the most successful and useful tools.

The key to being noticed on LinkedIn is building an effective and captivating profile.  A well-put-together profile, on average, can generate up to 5 times as many views as an average profile.

Here are a few tips to help you create a successful LinkedIn profile:

 

#1. Profile Picture:

Start by adding a photo to your profile.  Not just any photo…if you want to stand out, make it a professional photo.  Paying to get a photoshoot done is a great idea but not necessary. Just stay away from selfies, laid-back clothing, or group photos.  Business casual, standing upright, a simple background, and, of course, a pearly-white smile are the makings of a perfect photo. And adding a photo makes your profile a whole 36 times more likely to receive a message.

 

#2. Make the Profile Headline Stand Out:

A profile headline is listed right under the profile picture and is seen right when an account is accessed.  This headline should be a maximum of 10 words. To make your profile stand out, steer away from what LinkedIn sets as the default.  Once data is entered, LinkedIn will set your header to be your job title and current business, nothing else.  Add keywords relevant to the job you are seeking to help your page gain traffic.

 

#3. Summary (Achievements):

A summary of you should be short and simple.  What do you want an employer or potential employees to know about you?  List out the greatest achievements and milestones you have reached.  Each achievement should be bulleted and written concisely.  Easy-to-read profiles will help draw attention to what’s truly important.

 

#4. Add Experience:

When providing information from your resume, don’t incorporate everything.  Simply take the main ideas and skills learned, and put them into a few words…a few KEY words! Keywords are searched on LinkedIn by employers and employees job searching.  Find out which keywords you should be incorporating by going to job listings and career pages that fit what you are looking for. Another effective way to earn more profile traffic is by showcasing experiences through photos. This makes for a more visually appealing profile.

 

#5. Groups and Associations:

Adding groups and associations to a profile is a great way to establish a chain of connections. There are now more than 1.3 billion groups to be a part of on LinkedIn, connecting people more than ever.  Once you join a group, you can participate in discussions and develop relationships that may have never been possible outside of LinkedIn.

 

#6. Review: 

Just like how you would proofread a resume, the same should occur with a LinkedIn profile.  After all, it will be someone’s first impression of you.  Look not only for grammatical errors but also information you’ve left out.  The more thoroughly a profile is filled out, the more views it will generate.

 

Let BAER help you and your business link up with a whole world of possibilities: https://www.linkedin.com/company/baerpm/

 

Sources:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-create-killer-linkedin-profile-get-you-noticed-bernard-marr/
https://www.businessinsider.com/8-steps-to-creating-a-powerful-linkedin-profile-2013-12