Whether you’re an employee looking for a new job, a consultant seeking to fill your appointment book, or a freelancer looking to connect with clients, an optimized LinkedIn profile will greatly improve your chances of connecting with employers, clients, or customers.
At TMC Typing & Internet Services, one of our specialties is managing social media for our clients. Starting with a high-quality social media profile will do more to attract the right people than simply posting on your timelines or feed each and every day. If you haven’t taken the time to optimize your LinkedIn profile, consider taking some time today and begin with the six tasks below.
1. Add a Profile Picture & Background
Images are designed to capture the attention of others. Adding a profile picture and background image will do just that. Be sure your profile picture is recent and clear. Avoid pixelated or fuzzy images. The background photo should accentuate your brand or the message behind your business. If you’re a writer, you can add a stock photo of someone typing on a computer. If you’re a consultant or coach, you could include an image of individuals shaking hands.
2. Create an Enticing Headline
While you can simply add your job title to the headline portion of your LinkedIn profile, creating an enticing headline will boost your visibility even more. Consider including aspects of your professional role that could be beneficial to future clients or employers, along with your specific area of expertise.
3. Don’t Forget About the Summary
The summary is an expansion of your headline and can be entered into the About section of your profile. Here you can write a small paragraph, maybe two or three sentences, showcasing your professional expertise and sharing how an employer or client would benefit from hiring you.
4. Include Relevant Skills
Attract the attention of future employers or clients by including your relevant skills and abilities. LinkedIn provides a complete list of skills from which you can choose. Be wary of adding too many as this can water down your professional abilities rather than highlighting them. Often, employers are looking for specialists and experts and if you have too many skills listed, you may get passed by for someone who is more specialized.
5. Enter Services You Offer
Round out your LinkedIn profile by filling out the Services section. Again, you can pick and choose the exact services you offer. This particular section also allows you to note your specific location (such as the United States), if you’re accepting work remotely, in-person, or both, and how you prefer to be contacted.
6. Begin Growing Your Network
Last but not least, begin growing your LinkedIn network by syncing your account with your email address book. The people in your email are already used to hearing from you so they won’t be surprised to hear from you on LinkedIn. No contact requests are sent without your permission. You can pick and choose each individual you wish to send a connection request.
Improve Your LinkedIn Profile Today
If you can’t add one more task to your busy calendar, then schedule a free consultation with our team. We are more than happy to help you optimize and improve your social media strategy in order to bring in more clients and essentially grow your business.