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6 Best Practices for Maximizing Your LinkedIn Presence

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6 Best Practices for Maximizing Your LinkedIn Presence

What you will find in this blog:

LinkedIn is an incredible networking tool, and keeping up on your online presence is vital, particularly if you are looking for a new job. 

Even if you have a social media aversion, professionally speaking, LinkedIn is a must. How do you make the most of LinkedIn? I am glad you asked. Here are my six best practices for maximizing your LinkedIn presence. 

1. Select a good picture (no AI, please)

Your LinkedIn profile photo is an important piece of your online presence.  Be sure to wear professional attire, essentially what you would wear to an interview or to work. You do not need to have a professional photo taken, but ideally your LinkedIn photo will not be a selfie or have other people in the photo. 

Ask for help or use a tripod to get the right shot. Head outside into some share or soft evening light and have a friend or family member take your picture. I know AI is really popular right now, but do your best to avoid an AI headshot. They are becoming so popular they are easy to spot, and often those photos end up not looking like you. Check out some of LinkedIn’s own tips for a great profile picture.  

Pro tip: Remember to give attention to your header image. If you run a business create a customized header, or select an image that makes sense for you and your industry. Check alignment on both mobile and desktop versions of LinkedIn to ensure important information and imagery is visible in both. Need help? Check out tools such as Canva or Adobe Express. 

2. Fill out all the sections

LinkedIn profiles offer several different areas to showcase your background and experience. Use the About section to tell your professional story, and then make sure your Experience section matches your resume. Take advantage of other sections including Skills, Services, links to your website, projects, licenses and certifications, featured posts, email and contact information, and more. When it comes to your LinkedIn profile, more is more. 

3. Put thought into your headline

Speaking of making the most of each section, avoid using a simple job title as your headline. While there is a character limit here, you still can maximize your LinkedIn profile presence with a descriptive headline. Include key skills, the value you bring to a role, recent success rates, or even what you are seeking if you are transitioning to a new career. Some examples of transition headlines include:

USMC Seargent transitioning to Senior Supervisor

Senior B2B Marketing Manager seeking Associate Director role

Customer Support Specialist transitioning to Sales and Account Management

4. Request recommendations

Testimonials written by previous managers or co-workers are gold on your LinkedIn profile and can give recruiters an insight into your work ethic and how you would fit into the company culture. The thing is, people do not often just write a recommendation for you. You need to request recommendations from those people who you think can highlight your value. Consider offering a recommendation in return to entice participation.   

5. Engage

It is not enough to have a complete LinkedIn profile, you must engage on the platform. That means liking, commenting, and sharing items from within your network. Follow important industry influencers even if they do not follow you back. Frequent engagement will keep you on the forefront and help people think of you when opportunities arise.

6. Produce content

I mentioned this in my leveraging your network blog, but producing your own content and sharing it on your LinkedIn profile can be beneficial. Share any blogs, videos, social images and posts, and other types of content to help establish yourself as a thought leader and knowledgeable about your vertical.

The best LinkedIn profile

These are six best practices for maximizing your LinkedIn presence. LinkedIn offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase your skills, give recruiters and companies a deeper insight into your work history and the value you can bring to a role. You must, however, invest time in not only completely filling out your profile, but engaging and sharing content to make the most out of its value. This is a case of you get out of it what you put into it.  

Connect with me for help with maximizing your LinkedIn presence and identifying thought leaders to follow. I can also help you craft recommendation requests and more.

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