How is Your LinkedIn profile coming along?

Nice Silhouette, dude!

Are you serious about using LinkedIn to its fullest potential? Or are you using it just because you were told it’s the thing to do by a colleague or friend, without really giving it much thought or priority?

A fully completed profile is a necessity to take advantage of its networking opportunities, the ability to market yourself and/or your business, showcase industry expertise, generating sales leads, and so on.  Here are a few elements of profiles that I see often enough that necessitate commentary.

PROFILE PHOTOS/IMAGES
I am amused by those on LinkedIn who represent themselves with the generic silhouette profile image.  Nobody can be that unattractive that they don’t want their photo on a networking site, right? LinkedIn has indicated that by adding a photo or image, your profile is 7x more likely to be found in searches.
And moreover, having a quality image or photo that portrays you in a serious manner or an image that positively represents your brand gives more credibility to your professional profile.

HEADLINE/TITLE WITH KEYWORDS
Use a headline that depicts what you are about professionally and how you can add value. Your headline beneath your name defaults to your current position, but it can be customized. Instead of your default specific job title, try using Keywords, such as ‘Marketing’, ‘Social Media’, ‘Sports Marketing’ ‘Consultant’ that will make it easier for potential connections to find you within a particular industry. Also, by making yourself easier to find through keywords presents an opportunity to give your personal and business brands extra exposure.

JOIN GROUPS AND ENGAGE/INTERACT
Joining a club and then never using the facilities or interacting with other members would be such a waste of time and resources (and money). Okay, so the comparison is a stretch, but when you get a LinkedIn account and don’t take advantage of the opportunity to be part of groups of like-minded people and take part in discussions, you are wasting a very valuable resource that LinkedIn has to offer. Being able to network in this way and share is also a wonderful way to showcase your expertise in certain areas and can generate potential leads.

POSTING PERSONAL INFORMATION
Social Networks such as Facebook and Instagram are where you post that you had a great time at your cousin’s cookout yesterday, complete with a photo or two. LinkedIn IS NOT the place for personal status updates. On LinkedIn, the updates should be professional in nature. So unless it personally has to do with a career change, an article you've published, or some good news about your company that you need to share, LinkedIn isn't the place for it.


These are just a few, but there are many tips and nuances of the LinkedIn platform that one should consider when setting up and maintaining a strong profile. We're curious about what you think. Please give us your thoughts and comment on LinkedIn profile needs.

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