Stand out with your LinkedIn brand out: How to make your profile stand out

Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, Corporate Trainer, the Principal of PUNCH!media, and author of “CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT”. Leslie was called a “Social Media Guru” by CBC Radio and was featured on CTV’s “The Social” discussing how to manage your digital identity. Working in digital marketing since 1997 Leslie’s clients include: Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Investment Planning Counsel, and Franklin Templeton Canada.

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With over 1 billion members in over 200 countries, LinkedIn is the undisputed champ in the world of professional networking. Yet, whenever I’m at a networking event and I tell people that I write and optimize LinkedIn profiles, most people sheepishly admit to me that they aren’t using this channel to its fullest potential.

I know LinkedIn isn’t the “sexiest” of all the channels, and we often overlook it in our day-to-day activities because, quite frankly, it’s not fun. But when it comes to creating opportunities and extending the reach of your professional brand, LinkedIn is a must-have for all professionals.

Did you know that LinkedIn is one of the highest-ranked sites when someone Googles your name? Make sure that your first impression wows and fascinates people so you can obtain more opportunities.

If you’ve created a basic profile for yourself but don’t know what to do next, here are the three things you must do now to ensure your LinkedIn profile stands out:

Professional photo and background image

Your photo is one of the first areas people look at when they visit your LinkedIn profile. You want to ensure that first impression showcases you as a competent and confident professional. 

Working with a professional photographer is a wise investment, but even if you just use the smartphone in your pocket, here are some top “dos” and “don’ts” when it comes to choosing the right photo.

DO:

• Look directly into the camera.
• Smile! A study by Photofeeler* says when you’re smiling, people view you as more likable, competent, and influential. When you smile and show your teeth, these photos were rated twice as likable as closed-mouth smiles.
• Choose a photo that is up-to-date. (No Glamour Shots from the ’80s, please.)
• Dress appropriately: Wear the same kind of outfit you would wear to a networking event or meeting.
• Ensure the background of the photo is simple and uncluttered.
• Use proper lighting. If you’re using your smartphone, natural lighting frames your face the best.
• Crop your photo to feature your face and the top of your shoulders.

DON’T:

• Don’t crop yourself out of a group photo.
• Don’t include other people or pets in your image.
• Don’t use a graduation or wedding photo – even if you look really cute.
• Don’t use a logo or avatar instead of your headshot.

Having a strong professional photo can increase your profile views and also increase the response rate for people who will accept your connection request.

Background or cover photo image

Choose a professional and relevant background image that represents your industry or personal brand. If you don’t have any graphic design skills, Canva.com can be really helpful.

Never underestimate the importance of your first impression.

Create a compelling headline.

After your photo and your name, your LinkedIn headline is also a very important part of your LinkedIn profile. Think about it as a brand statement that captures your unique value proposition.

Focus on using the right keywords that ensure you stand out.

Pro Tip: The maximum character count for the headline section is 220 characters. I highly recommend creating your master version in a WORD document or Google Docs so you can stay within the limits.

The following formula may help you to create a headline that makes a big impact.

Option #1: (Your title) at (Company). Helping (your target audience) with (solutions you provide).

Example: Marketing Manager at XYZ Company. We create unique marketing opportunities that drive awareness and convert clients.

Pro Tip: Option #1 is ideal if you’re responsible for extending brand awareness about your organization. Encourage your team to use a consistent framework so they can all become brand ambassadors of your organization.

Option #2: If your role is multifaceted, you can use keywords to let people know what you do.

Example: Digital Marketing Specialist • Delivers quantifiable results by focusing on data-driven strategies • Expert in SEO, SEM, and social media marketing.

Tell a powerful story in your summary section

Your LinkedIn Summary (now called About) section can be the most challenging area to write, but it’s also the best real estate for your professional brand to shine online.

I like to call your Summary “your resume with personality”. Think of what you’d like people to know about you and your professional competencies.

I recommend writing your copy in 1st person (I am) as opposed to 3rd person (Leslie is) because I think the reader feels more connected to you when they are reading your personal story.

You have 2,600 characters in the Summary block to highlight your accomplishments, build trust, and let your connections know how incredible you are.

If you’re feeling hesitant about including your accomplishments, you’re not alone. I’ve written hundreds of LinkedIn profiles and even the most senior executives don’t enjoy having the spotlight put upon them. Most of us don’t want to come across like we are bragging.

Here are two quick tips that will help you to feel better about writing your accomplishments.

Tip #1: LinkedIn is the channel you are supposed to include your achievements. People want to work with the best. If you don’t let your network know how competent you are, then you are doing a disservice to people who need your help!

Tip #2: The easiest way to re-frame your “brags” is to use emotional language that focuses on the results you produce for your clients or how they describe you.

For example:

• “I’m driven to ensure my clients receive (results you deliver)”
• “I’m passionate about delivering (results you produce)”
• “I’m honoured to have received X award, which acknowledges my commitment to my industry and my clients.”
• “My clients have described me as trustworthy, honest, and forthright.”

I love the following metaphor: “when you’re inside the jar, you cannot see the label”.

Often you don’t see the unique value you bring to your clients and your network. If you really don’t know how other people see you – just ask! Send an email to a few of your connections and ask them to describe you in five words or less. I think you’ll be surprised (and delighted) to hear what they think about the value you bring to the table.

Important: Remember to proofread your copy before you upload it to LinkedIn. You’ll also want to ensure you leave enough whitespace or paragraph returns to make the content skimmable.

As LinkedIn continues to grow, and as professionals lean on this channel more for building up their network of connections, you’ll be happy you spent the time to optimize your profile.

There is a Chinese proverb that says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now”. Think about where social media was 15 years ago, and where it will be even five years from now. Your future self will thank you for ensuring you’ve made a solid investment in your professional presence, so get started today.

Build thought leadership and stay top-of-mind with your network using LinkedIn

You are a brand.

Back in 1997, Tom Peters wrote an article entitled “The Brand Called You” in Fast Company magazine.* He stated that “You’re every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop.”

Today, you have unprecedented access to build your professional brand using channels like LinkedIn so that you can develop an audience of connections who are actively interested in what you have to say.

You may be thinking, “But Leslie, I don’t have anything to say!” or “No one really wants to listen to me.”

Here’s the thing: Nobody knows what you know from your perspective. You are an expert.

You’ve learned things over your career that can help to empower and educate others.

Building thought leadership will provide you with more opportunities and help to add value to your connections. Sharing quality content helps you to build trust and become the go-to resource in your niche.

7 suggestions to build thought leadership

1. Solve common problems.

This is the easiest way to source content. If one person has a question or a challenge, chances are many other people are struggling with that same issue. Write a blog post or record a video that describes how your network can solve that simple problem, and they might be interested in hiring you to solve the problem for them.

2. Don’t be overly promotional.

As Seth Godin says in his 2003 TED Talk, “How To Get Your Ideas To Spread”**,

“The world revolves around me. Me, me, me, me. My favorite person — me. I don’t want to get email from anybody; I want to get “memail.”

People don’t want to hear what you can sell them; they want to know about solutions to the problems they have.

It’s okay to toot your own horn and share upcoming events or promotions; just don’t focus on self-promotion for each and every post. A good rule-of-thumb is to publish at least four status updates that solve problems for every sales promotion.

3. Mix up your own content with curated content.

Writing your own content allows you to provide your own perspective and helps you to shine as the foremost thought leader, but even if you publish content from trusted third-party sources, you’ll continue to stay top-of-mind as someone who is “in-the-know”.

To leverage curated content, re-share information provided by your marketing department, or turn to trusted news sources (such as the Women of Influence blog or newsletter!) and include the link in your status update. With each post, ask yourself “Is this information useful and will it help people in my network?”

4. Get out of your own way.

I know that clicking “publish” can be nerve-wracking.

I’ve been writing blog posts and creating videos for over 15 years, and I’m still nervous when I click publish.

Often, after I write a blog post, I’ll revisit the draft copy just to ensure the copy flows properly. If I’m nervous about clicking “publish”, I’ll have a trusted colleague review the copy just to get their input and perspective.

The power of social media comes from two-way engagement and conversations. I even invite people to disagree with my views. I think it’s very healthy to have contrasting opinions, (as long as no one is being a troll or is attacking anyone).

5. Publish content regularly.

You don’t have to publish every day. Your goal should be focused on sharing quality content. This way, you’ll build a following of people who begin to know, like, and trust you.

To build brand resonance it takes a minimum of eight to ten times for someone to see your name before they begin to build an emotional attachment or even remember who you are.

Start by publishing a post once a week and grow from there.

6. Get organized.

One of the easiest ways you can save time and get organized is by assembling a content calendar. Whether you’re using a Google calendar, or an Excel spreadsheet, reverse-engineer what you want to post and when you want to post it.

For example: If you want to focus on an upcoming promotion or event, plot out how often you want to remind people what’s coming up next.

Pro Tip: If you’re in a compliance-based industry, you’ll need to ensure your compliance partner approves the content well in advance as well.

This way, you can focus on your strategy and objectives instead of scrambling with what to post next.

7. Engage in two-way conversation

Engagement helps you extend the reach of your message.

Along with your posts, ask open-ended questions such as “So, what do you think?”

By responding to their feedback, you’ll not only begin to deepen relationships with your audience, but you’ll also get exponential reach from people outside of your network as well.

Remember that every brand relies on a combination of reach and frequency. Publishing the right content, to the right audience, using the right messaging helps to build up your brand so that you can obtain more opportunities.

People need to know what you know from your perspective.