People will look at your LinkedIn profile when they want to know more about you, your business, and what you offer.
So what does your LinkedIn profile say about you?
Importantly, what are they going to see that is going to entice them to want to read further?
People want to know more about your business, the products or services you offer, and how you can help them. Ultimately, they want to reach out to you, become an inquiry, and become a lead for you and your business.
This is why the optimization of your LinkedIn profile is vital.
LinkedIn Profile Optimization:
Like to know how to optimize your LinkedIn profile?
Start by using Wordtracker.com to research your top 3 keywords for your industry. These should be used throughout your LinkedIn profile in your
Headline,
About Section,
Experience section, incl headline.
Top 3 skills
Create a Good First Impression:
When a prospect first opens your LinkedIn profile, 4 areas of your LinkedIn profile that immediately stand out and create an impression are your
Banner image.
Face picture.
Headline.
Featured section.
Make the right impression in these 4 areas and your prospects will be much more inclined to want to read further.
Brand Positioning & You.
Your profile should be written using the W,I,I,F,T formula, which stands for 'What’s In It For Them'.
So think about the solutions you provide your audience, the key benefits to them, and lots of ‘You type’ conversation.
So what should be included in these 4 areas of your LinkedIn profile?
1. Your Banner Image
Create your own banner image with either Canva.com or Snappa.com using the dimensions of 1584 X 396 pixels.
Try to include a key benefit statement aimed at your target audience.
2. Your Face Picture.
Make sure you have an attractive and professional-looking face picture. Preferably, the background should be clear and non-distracting. Use Photofeeler.com to get valuable feedback about how competent, likeable, and influential your face pic looks.
3. Your Headline.
Use this template as a basis to get your headline started. (Remember W,I,I,F,T and a Key Benefit Statement towards your target audience) Start with
I help X (Your target audience)___________ achieve Y (their most desired result)_____________ with Z (What you offer) _______________ (finish with either a CTA or Social Proof)
Test, polish and perfect your headline with https://headlines.sharethrough.com/
4. Your Featured Section.
Your Featured section is a great place to highlight
Lead Magnets,
Social Proof, latest recommendations, testimonials, case studies etc.
Your Landing page,
Your Website,
Your Calendar link,
Newsletters,
Articles in the media,
Content, posts etc.
Your About & Experience sections.
About section (Upto 2600 characters)
Write about your readers, not about yourself. Your target audience wants to know what’s in it for them. Give your audience a reason to want to read further, to want to know more.
Start with a Hook:
Begin with a compelling statement that captures attention.
Identify Your Target Audience:
Highlight Your Value Proposition:
State the value you bring to your audience.
What problems can you solve for them?
What benefits do they gain by engaging with you or your services?
Outline your areas of expertise.
Quantify Achievements. Numbers and data can be powerful indicators of success and results.
Emphasize Unique Selling Points (USPs):
Clearly communicate what makes you unique. Explain how your skills, knowledge, or approach set you apart from others in your field.
Use Client-Centric Language:
Frame your accomplishments and experiences in a way that shows how they have positively impacted your clients or employers. Focus on the outcomes and benefits they received.
Speak to Pain Points: Identify the pain points or challenges your target audience might be facing. Position yourself as someone who can provide solutions or alleviate those challenges.
Include Social Proof, your latest Recommendation etc
Include a Call-to-Action (CTA):
CTA & Your Contact Details. Make it as easy as possible for your prospects to contact you, especially after they have just read about how you can help them.
Experience section. (Upto 2,000 Characters)
Written about your business and what you provide to your clients or customers. Again, from the positioning of what’s in it for them.
Headline: Think about a (Key Benefit Statement) for your target audience.
Highlight Achievements and Results:
Showcase Client Success Stories:
If applicable, highlight success stories or case studies of satisfied clients or customers.
Use Testimonials or Recommendations:
Highlight Client-Focused Initiatives:
Customer Satisfaction Metrics:
CTA & Your Contact Details. Make it easy for your prospects to contact you. This is especially important after they have just read about how you can help them.
Remember to focus on the specific ways your business has positively impacted your target audience. Use language and examples that resonate with the needs and interests of your ideal clients or customers. By doing so, you'll position your business as a valuable solution. This aligns with the needs of your audience.
You can include other areas that,
Demonstrate Problem Solving:
Emphasize Innovation and Adaptability:
Highlight Client-Focused Initiatives:
Highlight Partnerships and Collaborations:
Address Industry Challenges:
Illustrate Continuous Improvement:
Add Value and Visual Appeal.
Make your LinkedIn profile more visually appealing. Add media to the lower area of your Experience sections. This will make it more interesting to the reader. Media can be anything that adds value or builds credibility about you with your audience and may include
Short 'How to' style videos,
Case Studies,
Testimonials, Recommendations etc,
Articles, Industry papers etc,
Certificates, achievements, milestones etc,
Other images etc.
Recommendations:
Social proof is valuable for building trust. It influences decisions and enhances the overall perception of you and your brand.
Many prospects will look at your recommendations before they decide to reach out and contact you.
You should ask happy customers for recommendations. It should be a key part of your business development strategy.
Here's to your continued LinkedIn for business success!
Regards from,
Derick
P.S. Learn more about my Linked Into More Business – Kickstarter course here
P.S. Follow me on LinkedIn here Derick Mildred for More LinkedIn for Business Tips & a Daily Dose of Inspiration. 😎😎
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