LinkedIn is a powerful search engine where professionals are looking for other professionals to provide a service that solves their problem, looking for what leaders or topic/industry experts are talking about, or hiring managers are looking for candidates to fill jobs.
When anyone does a search on LinkedIn, they typically search for someone by a common title, and they refine the search by company name, location, or the other filters LinkedIn offers.
In comparison, when you search using Google or other search engines, typically the search is ‘how to do something’ or by company names for example.
If you want to be found in a LinkedIn search, your profile must contain the following:
- A common or recognizable title that your ideal audience, prospect or colleagues would search to find you. Using a clever or un-typical industry title does not help you get found.
- Following the title include a compelling customer focused headline with keywords that say what you do and who you serve.
- Experience section should also include the same title.
- Skills section – include skills you most want to be known for that someone would search for to hire you. You can now connect each skill directly to a current or past role, and other sections of your LinkedIn profile. Skills are highly searchable.
Once someone lands on your profile in a search, you can enhance your profile by:
- Adding the Featured Section showcasing your best work. The images are large and draw you in. With 900+ million members by end of 2022, you want to showcase your expertise here & other areas described here.
- Write the first 3 lines of your About Section and Experience Section to draw people in to learn more about you.
- Gaining recommendations every year.
Who’s viewed your profile is now available only to premium customers.
Unfortunately, the ‘Who’s Viewed Your Profile’ feature is now only available to those who have a premium account. This is a great feature because taking the time every week to look at who is viewing your profile gives you some interesting data points:
- You will see if the person found you in a search, which tells you most likely you have excellent keywords in your profile
- You can see what company, industry and location the viewers are in.
Where to find your premium features
You will see on your left side panel of the HOME tab – ‘See your Premium features’ to access.
..You will be directed to a dashboard that looks like this where you will see all the premium features you have with your subscription.
Making your profile work for you is key
When your LinkedIn profile is optimized with the right keywords in the most effective areas, combined with compelling text and images you will stand out from your competitors.
With that said, copying your resume to your LinkedIn profile isn’t effective because typical resumes contain too much information and many of it historical rather than current and relevant to what you are doing currently.
Manage your online reputation
Did you know that if you were to do a Google search on your name, your LinkedIn profile would be one of the top results? This is important because when anyone does a search on your name (and they will especially if they are hiring you) your LinkedIn profile will likely be clicked on, so first impressions matter to your professional success.
LinkedIn Professional Profile Update
Learn how to get a professionally written LinkedIn profile in just a week that will drawn in those professionals you most want to attract. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
