How to Make a Great Linkedin Profile - TIPS + EXAMPLES

Expert Academy
2 Jul 201908:39

TLDRThis video offers essential tips for crafting an impactful LinkedIn profile. It emphasizes the importance of a professional profile picture, suggests using Photofeeler.com for evaluation, and advises on optimizing the background photo. It also highlights the significance of a compelling headline that includes job function, keywords, and a 'zing' factor, and the necessity of a strong summary that showcases skills, strengths, and social proof, with the option to embed media links for enhanced engagement.

Takeaways

  • 😀 LinkedIn is the premier platform for business networking, making it crucial for professionals to have a strong profile.
  • 📸 A professional profile picture is essential; it should be a close-up with a neutral background, avoiding casual attire and accessories.
  • 🕺 Use Photofeeler.com to get feedback on your profile picture based on likability, influence, and competence.
  • 🖼️ Customize your background picture on LinkedIn to stand out from the default and project a more professional image.
  • 🔖 Your headline on LinkedIn should act like an advertisement; it should be engaging and include your job function, company name, and important keywords.
  • 🔑 Incorporate keywords into your headline that people might use to find professionals like you on LinkedIn.
  • 💡 Add a 'Zing factor' to your headline to make it more memorable and conversation-starting.
  • 📝 Write a compelling summary that outlines your skills, strengths, and how you can help others or businesses grow.
  • 🔗 Include social proof in your summary by adding links to your website, blog, SlideShare, or YouTube videos.
  • 🔧 Edit your LinkedIn profile easily to add external media, enhancing your summary with interactive content.
  • 🔄 For feedback on your LinkedIn profile, consider leaving the link in the comments for review and suggestions on improvement.

Q & A

  • Why is having a good LinkedIn profile important for professional success?

    -A good LinkedIn profile is important for professional success because LinkedIn is the largest business-to-business social network in the world, and it's where many business connections, job opportunities, and business proposals are made.

  • What are the key elements of a good LinkedIn profile picture?

    -A good LinkedIn profile picture should be a close-up, with the person looking into the camera and smiling, against a neutral background, dressed appropriately with minimal jewelry and accessories, and avoiding headwear or sunglasses.

  • Why should you avoid certain types of pictures on LinkedIn?

    -Certain types of pictures, such as those with sunglasses, alcohol, or taken in casual settings like a car or on holiday, should be avoided on LinkedIn because they do not convey a professional image, which is essential for a business-oriented platform.

  • What is Photofeeler.com and how can it help with your LinkedIn profile picture?

    -Photofeeler.com is a free online application where professionals review your profile picture based on three criteria: likability, influence, and competence. It helps you understand how others perceive your image and can guide you to choose a picture that best represents your professional self.

  • How can you improve your LinkedIn headline to make it more engaging?

    -You can improve your LinkedIn headline by using your job function and company name, adding the most important keywords related to your field, and including a 'Zing factor' that surprises people and can act as a conversation starter.

  • What is the purpose of the 'Zing factor' in your LinkedIn headline?

    -The 'Zing factor' in your LinkedIn headline is an element that adds a unique and surprising detail about you or your work. It helps to attract attention, make your profile stand out, and potentially spark interest or conversation.

  • Why is it beneficial to update your background picture on LinkedIn?

    -Updating your background picture on LinkedIn is beneficial because it helps you stand out from the standard blueish background and can communicate more about your professional identity or brand, making your profile more memorable and professional-looking.

  • What is the role of the summary section in your LinkedIn profile?

    -The summary section in your LinkedIn profile is where you can explain your skills, strengths, and what you can offer to others professionally. It's also a place to add social proof, such as links to your website, blog, or videos, to showcase your expertise.

  • How can you add external media to your LinkedIn summary?

    -You can add external media to your LinkedIn summary by editing your profile, scrolling down to the summary section, and using the provided upload buttons for files and links. You can paste the URLs of websites, blogs, or YouTube videos to include them directly in your summary.

  • What is the offer made by the speaker at the end of the transcript?

    -The speaker offers to review viewers' LinkedIn profiles if they leave their profile links in the comments below the video. They will provide feedback and tips on how to improve the viewers' LinkedIn profiles.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile Picture

The first paragraph emphasizes the importance of a professional profile picture on LinkedIn for attracting connections, job offers, and business proposals. It advises against casual or inappropriate images, such as those with sunglasses, alcohol, or poor lighting. The script suggests a close-up photo with a neutral background, appropriate attire, and minimal accessories. It introduces Photofeeler.com, a free online tool that rates profile pictures based on likability, influence, and competence, and shares the presenter's personal experience with the service. The paragraph concludes with the suggestion to update the background picture on LinkedIn to stand out from the default and appear more professional.

05:02

🔍 Crafting an Impactful LinkedIn Headline and Summary

The second paragraph focuses on enhancing the LinkedIn headline and summary to improve visibility and engagement. It explains that the headline should act as an advertisement, drawing people into the profile with the use of job function, company name, important keywords, and a 'Zing factor' to stand out. The summary is described as an opportunity to showcase skills, strengths, and provide social proof by including links to websites, blogs, slide shares, and YouTube videos. The script provides examples of effective headlines and demonstrates how to add external media to the summary for increased interactivity and credibility. It concludes with an offer for the presenter to review viewers' LinkedIn profiles and an invitation to engage with the content by liking, following, and subscribing.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Linkedin Profile

A Linkedin Profile is an individual's professional online presence on the LinkedIn platform, which is a business-oriented social networking site. It serves as a digital resume and networking tool, showcasing one's professional experience, skills, and connections. In the video, the importance of having a good Linkedin profile is emphasized as it can lead to business proposals, job offers, and networking opportunities.

💡Profile Picture

The profile picture on LinkedIn is the first visual impression one makes on their connections. It should be a close-up, professional photo where the individual looks into the camera, smiles, and is set against a neutral background. The video script provides examples of what not to do, such as wearing sunglasses or being in a car, emphasizing the need for a professional appearance that aligns with the business environment of LinkedIn.

💡Photofeeler.com

Photofeeler.com is a free online application mentioned in the video that allows users to receive feedback on their profile pictures based on three criteria: likability, influence, and competence. It helps users to objectively evaluate and improve their profile pictures to make a better first impression on LinkedIn.

💡Background Picture

The background picture on LinkedIn is a less commonly customized aspect of a profile but can contribute to a more professional and personalized look. The video suggests updating the default background to something that reflects one's professional brand, using Tara Hunt's background picture as an example that communicates her role as a market researcher and strategist.

💡Headline

The headline on LinkedIn is the text that appears below a user's name and serves as a concise summary of their professional identity. The video suggests enhancing the default job title with a combination of job function, company name, important keywords, and a 'Zing factor' to make the headline more engaging and searchable.

💡Keywords

Keywords in a LinkedIn headline or profile are essential for discoverability. They are the terms that people might use when searching for professionals with specific skills or in certain roles. The video advises incorporating relevant keywords such as 'SEO' or 'email marketing' into one's headline to increase the chances of being found by potential connections or employers.

💡Zing Factor

The 'Zing factor' is a unique or surprising element added to one's LinkedIn headline to make it stand out and spark interest. It can serve as a conversation starter and provide a brief insight into what sets the individual apart from others in their field. The video illustrates this with the example of a communication trainer who adds 'Helping people in their professional growth' as their Zing factor.

💡Summary

The summary section on LinkedIn is an opportunity to elaborate on one's professional story, skills, and strengths. It can also include social proof such as links to websites, blogs, or videos. The video demonstrates how to add rich media to the summary, enhancing the profile's appeal and providing additional avenues for connections to learn more about the individual.

💡Social Proof

Social proof on LinkedIn refers to the inclusion of links or references that validate one's professional claims and achievements. It can include links to personal websites, blogs, SlideShare presentations, or YouTube videos. The video shows how to embed these links directly into the summary for easy access by viewers, thereby providing credibility and showcasing one's expertise.

💡Professional Growth

Professional growth is a central theme in the video, referring to the development and advancement of one's career. It is exemplified in the summary section where the speaker mentions helping people with their professional growth as part of their service offering. This concept is important as it ties into the overall goal of a LinkedIn profile: to present oneself as a resource for others and to attract opportunities for personal and career development.

Highlights

LinkedIn is the biggest business to business social network in the world.

A good LinkedIn profile is crucial for success on the platform.

The profile picture is essential as it influences connections and job offers.

A professional profile picture should be a close-up with a neutral background and minimal accessories.

Avoid certain types of pictures like those with sunglasses or taken in a car for a professional look.

Photofeeler.com can help evaluate your profile picture based on likability, influence, and competence.

A professional image on LinkedIn is more important than being overly likable.

Updating your background picture can make your profile stand out.

The headline on LinkedIn should act as an advertisement to draw people into your profile.

Enhance your headline with your job function, company name, important keywords, and a 'Zing factor'.

Keywords in your headline can help others find your profile when searching on LinkedIn.

Including a 'Zing factor' in your headline can make it more attention-grabbing.

A strong summary can explain your skills and strengths, and offer social proof.

Adding external media like website links and YouTube videos to your summary is easy and enhances your profile.

The speaker offers to review viewers' LinkedIn profiles and give feedback in the comments.

Encourages viewers to like the video, follow, and subscribe for more content.