TOP 10 WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
vanity URL. Personalize your URL so it’s clean and easy
to share with others. To do this, click Profile > Edit Profile.
Below your photo, hover over your URL then click the
Gear icon to the right of it. See graphic 1
In the right-hand pane, under Your public profile URL, click
the pencil icon and personalize the last portion of the URL. Use
your name (e.g., http://www.ca.linkedin.com/in/janeadvisor)
and if it’s already taken, try adding your middle initial.
5. MAKE YOUR WEBSITE LINKS RELEVANT
CREATE YOUR PROFILE: VISIT LINKEDIN.COM
TIP! Before making minor changes to your profile
temporarily turn off activity broadcasts so they don’t
trickle out to your followers (you can turn it back on
once you’ve made your update). To do this, hover over
your photo at the top right then select Privacy & Settings.
Click the Privacy option. To the right of Sharing Profile
Edits, click Change. Below the question “Should we let
people know when you change your profile, make
recommendations, or follow companies?”, change
the answer to No. Click Close.
1. USE A PHOTO
Upload a professional image. Readers are more likely
to engage with an individual or company that has an
accompanying photo. Successful pictures are close up
and clear, and display an approachable person who
looks like they fit into the industry.
2. HAVE A GREAT SUMMARY
Describe who you are, the market you serve, and how you
help. Think about your target market and the keywords
you want to be found for when other professionals perform
a search. Write a brief, descriptive, and compelling
description of yourself using those keywords.
3. LIST YOUR CURRENT POSITION AND AT LEAST
TWO PAST POSITIONS
Make sure your profile is complete and avoid missed
opportunities to be discovered by prospective clients. List
at least two past positions and describe each of your roles
in depth – again, using keywords that will resonate with
your target markets.
4. PERSONALIZE YOUR PUBLIC PROFILE URL
When you first create your profile, LinkedIn creates a URL
for you with random characters. This is also called your
Your contact info will list websites that you have associated
yourself with. Instead of using the default text “Company
Website” or “My Website,” change it to something more
appealing (e.g., your business name) so that it grabs the
reader’s attention. To do this, click Profile > Edit Profile.
Click Contact Info then the pencil icon to the right of
Websites. Select Other then change the Website Title
to be more relevant.
6. ADD YOUR EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION
INFORMATION
List your university, college, and high school education,
as well as any certifications you have. These round out
your profile with a more complete picture of your various
talents, training, and life experiences. Also, this is another
potential connection point that could land you in someone’s
search results and open doors for you.
7. INCLUDE YOUR TWITTER ACCOUNT IN
YOUR CONTACT INFO
This will increase your chances of getting more followers
and potentially, more clients. To do this, click Profile >
Edit Profile. Click Contact Info then the pencil icon to
the right of Twitter and follow the prompts to allow
LinkedIn to associate this profile with your Twitter profile.
Likewise, add a link back to your LinkedIn profile in
your Twitter profile.
8. BE IDENTIFIABLE
Find out who’s checking out your profile by allowing others
to see who you are if you view theirs. Hover over your photo
at the top right, click Privacy & Settings. Click the Privacy
option. Under Profile Privacy, find Profile Viewing Options
and to its right, click Change. Ensure Your name and
headline is selected. Click Close. Being identifiable could
potentially create opportunities for you. If you’d like to
see stats on your own profile’s views, go to your Home page,
click # people viewed your profile in the past 30 days, or
Profile > Who’s Viewed Your Profile.
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9. BE CHOOSY
Resist the temptation to play the numbers game to build
a network. Choose a networking strategy that’s a mix of
people you’ve met both online and offline in the industry
rather than one that connects you with everyone and
anyone. Remember that on LinkedIn, more than any
other social network, quality trumps quantity.
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10. GET INVOLVED IN GROUPS AND DISCUSSIONS
You may have joined a few groups early on based on
invitations or other outdated reasons. Don’t feel limited
to joining only employee or alumni groups. Clear out the
groups you don’t love and try some new ones. Join a
discussion and you may find yourself networking with
peer experts or potential clients. To search for new groups,
click the Menu button (three lines) to the left of the Search
box and select Groups. In the Search box, type a keyword
(e.g., life insurance) to get a list of groups which you can
join. Some are open and some are locked. Just click the
Join button – for groups that are locked, you will usually
get approved by the Group leader, especially if your profile
is complete, professional, and fits the industry. See graphic 2
Gear icon
Personalize the last portion of the URL
2
Menu
Search
GET ACTIVE WITH NETWORK UPDATES
Found on your Home page, network updates are posted or
shared by your connections or groups you are following.
Check in periodically to see what others are up to and get
engaged in the conversation. Click the Like icon if you
like someone’s update, make a comment on it, or re-share
it. When making a comment, make sure it is either
supplementary or complimentary. Sharing knowledge
or publicly expressing kind words to a connection can
potentially help someone. Network updates are a great
way to get in touch with possible prospects, keep ongoing
relationships fueled, and demonstrate your expertise.
Groups
LEARN MORE ABOUT LINKEDIN
LinkedIn hosts free weekly learning webinars, such as
Creating an Online Presence on LinkedIn and Engaging
with Your LinkedIn Network. Attend these from the
comfort of your desk and become an expert in growing
a strong network.
FOLLOW US: Need some content to share
for one of your network updates? Take a look
at PPI on LinkedIn and click Follow.
To see what’s available, visit:
https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/530
PPI. The link between.
PPI and the Link symbol are registered trade-marks of PPI Partners. PPI Partners and LinkedIn are independently owned and operated.
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