We all know LinkedIn is great. But how many of us have admitted to ourselves it can be a bit of an intimidating place sometimes too? So many polished profile pics, long lists of qualifications and links to TedX talks.
Yeesh. How on earth can you make your LinkedIn profile stand out amongst all of the suits and sales figures?
Well it’s not as difficult as it might seem. With some small changes and quick updates, your profile will soon sparkle into something to be proud of. So stop hiding in the LinkedIn shadows with these easy tips.
Create connection:
People hire people. They want to be able to work with someone who is human and has strong values. And who doesn’t sound like they have a posse of peeps taking their calls and booking in their appointments.
They want to know who you are.
So tell them.
Write your profile page to tell a story about you, your values, your skills and what you have to offer them. They don’t want to read your resume – not just yet anyway! They want to know who they will be sharing an office space, a meeting or a team with.
So keep it professional and relevant, but let your personality shine through.
Because people hire people. And your new employer is out there just waiting to find you.
Formatting:
- Say “No” to long slabs of text! For the love of all things LinkedIn, keep your sentences and paragraphs short
- Use bullet points or relevant emojis to break up your About section and add a point of difference to your headline
- Use sub-headings to allow a quick scan from the reader and inform them straight away that they’re in the right place
Let’s face it, no one wants to fall asleep while reading your profile, so keep it easy on their eyes and encourage them to stick around all the way ‘til the juicy end.
Watch your language:
Consider your intended audience.
Are they only members of your profession who also know how to speak legalese and executive jargon? Or are you intending to reach, connect with and influence others outside of your existing circles?
If so, think about how intimidating or confusing it might be for those who want to learn from you. They might immediately disqualify themselves as being out of your league, simply because your language is un-relatable or unapproachable.
I know, I know. It’s scary to tone down the corporate speak, but start small. Swap out words like facilitate for help, or particulars for details and see how much more accessible your profile suddenly becomes.
Research:
Check out the profiles that appeal to you. With fresh eyes, ask yourself what makes them appealing? Is it their profile pic, cover photo or relaxed and approachable language? Something else?
Then put your own spin on their magical LinkedIn powers and apply it to your own profile.
So to recap, bring your profile into the light through
- Creating connection
- Easy-to-read formatting
- Relatable language
- Research, research, research
Do you have any other profile tips to share? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how this has helped you, or what else you would like to know.
If you would like me to have a squiz at your current profile, you can book a free 30 minute session with me at https://calendly.com/luminouscopywriting
Happy profile polishing!
#linkedinprofile #linkedintips #copywriting
