Little did you know, LinkedIn is more than a social media platform and is actually a powerful search engine that has the power to drive targeted, high-volume traffic to your business. Rather than leaving your profile unattended for months on end, utilize those powerful capabilities so you can turn that traffic into new clients and valuable professional relationships. How do you begin?

Profile Aesthetic

Focus on two features: your profile photo and cover photo. When choosing a profile photo, you will want a professional, high-quality image that shows your personality and makes you look approachable. It should be a close shot of your face (LinkedIn suggests an image in which your face takes up 60% of the frame) with a simple background and appropriate attire. Your cover photo gives you space to tell profile visitors what you and your business are all about. Here are some ideas: add a tagline that tells what you do and who you serve. Include a call-to-action or let users know how to contact you. Draw in your target audience with an attractive backdrop image.

LinkedIn SEO

The keywords that users type in to find things on LinkedIn aren’t always the same as what they would type into Google. For example, users may search “copywriting services for small businesses” in Google, but “copywriter” or “writer” on LinkedIn. Add keywords such as these into your headline, summary, experience, recommendations, and skills sections.

Profile Copy

Rather than treating your LinkedIn profile like a resume, make it a little more interesting by writing to appeal to the type of people you want to attract. You can do so in your headline, summary, and experience sections. Use LinkedIn SEO keywords and compelling copy in your headline to attract traffic and keep users engaged. Don’t use a tagline; be very clear about what you do. In your summary section, many people tend to list things that they have accomplished. Instead, create a summary that shows what your target audience is looking for. Lastly, your experience section should highlight what you took away from working at each company and the results you got for them. Write naturally rather than including a bulleted list to make your examples compelling.

Make the Right Connections

Tons of people use LinkedIn like they use Facebook, adding every single person they know, or even adding every person they can find. This can cause you to become associated with profiles outside of your industry, so your profile is less likely to be associated with your target keywords. Build connections within your industry and the industries of your target audience.

These are only a few steps that you can take to optimize your LinkedIn profile. You can gather recommendations, skills, and endorsements, post consistent content, engage with other users, and more. If you already have a LinkedIn profile, which you should, you have already completed the first step. It’s time to step up your profile and put yourself out there! Contact us today to see how we can help you market your LinkedIn profile and manage your business.