4 Tips for Creating an Engaging LinkedIn Profile
Approximately 80 percent of B2B (business-to-business) leads originate from LinkedIn according to the company’s Marketing Solutions Blog. Additionally, 43 percent of marketers say they’ve had success sourcing customers by using this site’s platform.
The question is: what does it take to get your LinkedIn page to not only draw in leads, but actually help them convert? The answer lies in creating an engaging LinkedIn profile, and here are four tips that can help you do just that.
Choose the Right Headline
Some people like to be creative with their headlines, but if you want to be found by people most interested in your products or services, it needs to tell others what it is you do. If it doesn’t, they have a higher likelihood of passing you by.
For instance, if you look at Deb Fulghum Bruce’s LinkedIn heading, you know instantly what she does because it gives you that information. It tells you that she is a “Digital Content Writer, SEO Specialist and Author.” So, if you need one of these services, you know up front that she supplies it.
Use a Header Image that Tells a Story
Other than your profile photo, your header image is the first thing someone will see when they go to your LinkedIn page. So, what story does your current header say about you? Does it give the viewer a good idea of who you are, what you do, and the experience you have to offer? Ideally, it should do all of this.
Someone who knows how to create a story-based header is T. Harv Eker, author of the New York Times bestseller “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.” Eker’s image is a series of pictures that show him both at work and at play, while also highlighting his many accomplishments. Together, they give you a better glimpse of not only who he is, but also what he can potentially do for you.
Make Your Summary Personal
Though LinkedIn is a professional networking site, if someone wanted to know nothing more than your education or experience, they can get that from your resume. That’s why you want to craft a more personalized summary that reads like you speak. This helps the people viewing your profile learn a little more about you, also helping them better determine whether you’d be a good fit for them and their business.
Craig Japp does this extremely well as his LinkedIn summary shows that he has a good sense of humor while also giving you insight as to the journey he took to get where he is today. He also shares why his role as “Solution Leader” is so important to him, giving you just a taste of what motivates him to succeed.
Post Regular Updates
If you’re the type of person who created your LinkedIn profile just because you felt you should, yet you never go to the site and post anything, then you’re not getting out of it what you could. People like to engage with those who are willing to share information about who they are and what they do. So, if you’re not doing that, you’re less likely to be considered a valued connection.
Take Daymond John from the hit TV show “Shark Tank,” for instance. He posts regularly about the things he’s involved in, whether show related or a blog that he’s published about being an entrepreneur. In fact, he posts so often and has so many followers, LinkedIn has named him a top influencer.
Do these four things and you can create a LinkedIn profile that compels others to you, increasing your leads and turning prospects into customers along the way.
