Back in 2007, I received an invitation from a friend to join him on his LinkedIn® network. At that time, I hadn’t heard about LinkedIn so I ignored the request. However, soon after, I started to receive more invites from numerous colleagues. Intrigued, I decided it was time to say “Sure, let’s LinkIn.”
I didn’t give it much thought. I accepted the invitations, but still wasn’t quite clear on the value of this social network and how it would benefit me.
That’s when I started asking questions. Curious, I contacted a colleague and asked why he liked it.
He said there was value in connecting with others and starting conversations. He’d even gotten new business this way. With that feedback, I took a different approach, reworked my profile and started getting more involved.
When I speak on the topic of LinkedIn today, there are many people in the audience who say “A friend invited me so I said “yes,” but I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
I want to change that. I want to clear up the confusion so you can leverage the lead-generating power of LinkedIn.
As of February 2022, with more than 810 million members (it was 277 million in 2014) in over 200 countries, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking site. By interacting with members you give other like-minded colleagues the opportunity to get to know, like and trust you – 3 vital keys to building successful relationships.
Copywriting Tips to Optimize Your Profile with Keywords
Creating your professional profile is more than just posting your resume. Similar to your website, when you’re writing content, it’s important to utilize keyword phrases in your profile. After all, when prospects are searching for someone like you, you’ll show up high on LinkedIn’s results list.
For instance, a few of the phrases I use in my headline are “marketing speaker,” “copywriting services,” and “LinkedIn marketing.” So, I have these keywords placed throughout in at least 6 strategic locations. Here are the 6 places to include your keywords when setting up your profile:
1. Your professional “headline” – this appears right below your name. If you have a succinct tag line, use it (i.e., mine is “Marketing and writing with heart, not hype.”) You should also use those phrases you think someone might search to find a professional like you. Unless you work for a big-name brand, it’s not likely someone will be searching for “President of the ABC Company.”
2. Current work experience – include the keyword phrase(s) in the title and don’t forget to complete the description field as well. Many people neglect the description and it’s a ‘no no,’ especially when you want other professionals to know more about what you do and how your business helps them.
3. Past work experience – as with your current experience, use keyword phrase(s) in the title and weave them into the description where you can, if it’s appropriate.
4. Skills and endorsements – list the key areas that you specialize in – areas of expertise that you want others to endorse you for. Delete any that don’t apply to you. You can also move these around – place the three that are most important to you at the top as that is what visitors will see before clicking “see more.”
5. Websites – include links for up to 3 different pages on your site (or to 3 different sites, if you have more than one) and use keyword phrases to describe them. Don’t use LinkedIn’s generic defaults (i.e. Personal Website, Company Website, Blog). Here’s how to do it.
6. About – the most important section because it communicates who you are. It also conveys what you’re passionate about and, more importantly, how you can help others. Avoid having really long paragraphs. Shorter ones make the content more inviting to the readers’ eyes. And, use sub-headings. Make an impact in the first 2-3 lines as that is what visitors will see when they first land on your profile (enticing them to click on “see more”).
Whether you’re already a LinkedIn member or thinking about it, take advantage of these 6 strategies when you’re writing your profile. They’ll help you harness the power of the world’s largest professional networking site. It’s a place to access valuable information . . . build your brand . . . become part of a conversation . . . connect with other professionals.
Whether you’re just getting started on the platform or haven’t reviewed your LinkedIn profile in a while, now is the time to incorporate these easy-to-use copywriting tips to optimize your profile for increased visibility and exposure. Let me know how it goes.
Want to join my LinkedIn network? Visit me at http://linkedin.com/in/debrajason I look forward to connecting with you there! Thanks a million.
