Streamline Your Brand: Tidy Up Your LinkedIn

What better way to begin the New Year by marketing a new you or simply spiffing up the old you. Let’s face it; you and I both know that you’re great so it’s time your LinkedIn profile reflects that. We all know that it serves as a great online resume tool but LinkedIn is also a platform that can and should be used to promote your personal brand.
If your profile has fallen behind, here are some pointers to help bring it back up to speed.

1. First and foremost, complete it!
   A profile without a picture, a sufficient summary or a lack of solid experience is suspect and will generate a dismal following. If you’re going to start it, you need to complete it. Give people a reason as to why they should add you to their network – this starts with some semblance of a finished profile.

2. Once it’s completed, keep it current.
   This should go without saying. If you’ve transitioned to a new job, make sure that your profile reflects that. Your job title and experience are one of the first things that people see. If you’re looking take it one step further, add multimedia components to show off your work and boost your profile’s appearance.

3. Details are important but don’t get lost in them. 
   Try to rework your profile so that it reads less like a resume. A great way to start this is my using first person. This will help people to connect with you. Remember that LinkedIn is a tool to showcase who you are in addition to what you do.

4. That summary … 
   … is more important than you realize. It is your hook and will draw in the audience you would like to target. Once you’ve created your one-of-a-kind introduction, make it easier for readers to skim through you profile by using bullets to break up the rest of your text.

5. Re-write your headline. 
   With every job change, LinkedIn defaults your headline to your new title. This was something I was not aware of until I did the research. Your headline is one of the most important components of your profile that helps you to stand apart from the crowd. Make it strong, make it interesting and go the extra mile by combining SEO terms with words that describe you, making your profile all the more searchable.

6. Utilize the often-overlooked volunteer section.
   One little known fact I was surprised to learn is that LinkedIn places a lot of weight with search on the volunteer section. If you have some notable volunteer experience, add it to your profile!

Depending on your profile’s status, it may take a bit of time to update it to what works best for you but in the end, it will be worth it. If it seems daunting at first, work on one piece of advice at a time, gradually working your way towards re-branding your LinkedIn presence.