Compelling LinkedIn Profiles

Before we dive into creating your LinkedIn profile, it’s important to remember your profiles purpose. It’s designed to make you easy to find for people who want what you do. It’s not a CV or biography, it’s a searchable landing page!

Follow the steps below to create a full and compelling LinkedIn profile that will reach and connect with the right people:

1. Customise Your LinkedIn URL

Set your LinkedIn URL to your name or professional name. Avoid numbers, hyphens, or unnecessary words.

This improves SEO and is easier to remember and share.

2. Set Profile Visibility

Make sure your profile visibility has the following settings:

• Turn Public Profile visibility ON.

• Set Profile Photo to public.

• Make sure key sections (headline, experience, about) are visible to non-connections.

This makes sure your profile acts as a landing page, not a CV viewable only to your existing contacts.

3. Upload a Professional Profile Photo

As far as possible, use a clear, well lit, professional photo. Ideally with a neutral background, friendly expression, and appropriate clothing for your industry.

This significantly improves your connection acceptance rates!

4. Write a Clear SEO Friendly Headline

Keep it short, specific, and outcome-focused. Clearly state:

• What you do

• Who you help

• Your industry or specialism

• Include searchable keywords relevant to your work.

I personally like the following format:

[Short description of what you do] | [Some specifics around how you do what you do] | Helping [your clients] with their [the problem you solve]

In general, try to avoid:

• Avoid buzzwords and vague titles.

• Prioritise clarity over creativity.

• Think: “What would my ideal client search for?”

5. Add Your Location

Be specific. Use the most relevant geographic detail (city, region, service area). Specific locations improve local search visibility and relevance, even if you work mostly online!

6. Write Your “About” Section

This is an expanded version of your headline, and should function like an SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) meta description. You want this to include common search terms relating to your work.

A structure to start with is:

1. What you do (clear and direct)

2. Who you work with

3. The problems you solve for them

4. Why you are credible (experience, qualifications, track record)

5. What makes you unique (your USP)

6. Why someone should work with you

7. Clear contact details or next steps

In general it is good practice to:

• Write in first person (“I”)

  • Front load the most important information so it displays above the fold (above the “see more” button)

  • Keep it skimmable with short paragraphs and plenty of spacing

7. Add Your Experience

Add all of your previous experience, including older and less obvious roles. Use longer descriptions for more recent or relevant positions, and use key search terms throughout.

For each of your roles:

• Use a clear, keyword rich job title

• Include the following information in the descriptions:

  • What you did

  • How you did it

  • The impact or outcomes of your work in that role

• Add relevant skills to each role.

• Remember this is SEO content, not just a work history. This is designed to make you easier to find!

8. Add Your Skills

Strategically add your skills so they reflect what you actually do and match the keywords your audience searches for.

• Aim for relevant, high quality and impact skills, not volume.

  • Endorse your colleagues and key contacts, and encourage them to do the same for you.

9. Add Education

Include your degrees, certifications, and training with brief descriptions if they support your credibility or specialism. This is especially important for regulated, technical or specialist industries.

When adding details, keep your audiences’ key search terms in mind.

10. Add Your Licences, Certifications & Publications

Where applicable, complete the additional sections including your licences, certifications, publications and projects. These add depth to your profile and can increase trust in those who want to see your track record.

11. Add Your Services

Include your key services using the content on your website or other platforms as a guide. You want this to be coherent across your profiles, sites, and directory entries.

Again, remember your key words and the problem you solve for your clients when creating these.

12. Add Content to Your Featured Section

Add content to your featured section, and review it on a semi-regular basis to keep it up to date. If you have a post go viral (or have much more engagement or reach than your other content) add that to your featured section. You can include:

• Recent posts

• Case studies

• Articles

• Media mentions

• Recommendations

The content you feature should be relevant to what you do and who you want to attract.

13. Add Recommendations

This can take time to build up, but is WELL worth it!

You can request recommendations from:

• Clients

• Colleagues

• Delivery partners

• Trainers

These act as social proof and are native to LinkedIn. You can add links to these on your website too!

14. Add Your Interests

Follow relevant companies, industry leaders, and professional groups. This subtly reinforces your positioning and relevance, while also telling LinkedIn what you want to see more!

15. Make it Easy to Reach You

LinkedIn messaging is great, but if you’re not in the habit of checking your LinkedIn every day yet it’s important to have alternative, easy ways to reach you. This can include your:

• Email address

• Website

• Booking link if you’d like people to book a call with you

Make sure people can reach out to you with as few clicks as possible.

16. Keep Your Profile Active

Profiles perform better when they show activity. Regular engagement (posting, commenting, updating featured content) keeps your profile looking fresh and on the right side of LinkedIn’s algorithm.

For more on growing your LinkedIn presence, see LinkedIn Growth Strategy (pw: growth).