You’ve heard of SEO, but did you know you can apply SEO techniques to your LinkedIn profile too? There are plenty of hidden tips and tricks you can use to increase your profile views and grow your potential connection pool.
1. Name Your Profile Picture
Before uploading your headshot to LinkedIn, take a moment to think about the filename. If you want to show up for specific keywords, rename your profile picture to match the terms you’ve identified before adding it to your profile. Do this, and your photo starts appearing whenever someone searches those terms. We labelled our own headshot “Digital Strategist,” for instance, specifically to show up in searches for that term.
This trick works for your LinkedIn banner too, so it’s worth applying there as well.
2. Customise Your Public Profile URL
Your profile URL matters more than most people realise, since it effectively represents your entire profile. You can change it easily, but like any URL, it has to be genuinely unique, so don’t be surprised if something generic like “business consultant” is already taken. That’s where it pays to get creative, stringing together keywords that are actually relevant to you and thinking through what else might add useful touchpoints to your profile SEO.
It’s a small step that takes very little time, so it’s worth trying out until you land on a URL that actually works for you. If you manage a company’s LinkedIn page, the same trick applies there too, and it can help push your company higher in the rankings for potential customers.
3. Customise Your Professional Headline
Your professional headline is one of the most viewed parts of your profile, right up there with your name and photo, since it’s what shows up whenever you appear in search results. Make it count. Stack it with titles and keywords tied to your field, especially any terms you’re actively trying to rank for, so people can find you easily and often on LinkedIn.
4. Customise Your Experience Section
If your profile’s missing certain keywords, your Experience section is a genuinely good place to fill that gap. There’s plenty of room to build out detailed descriptions of your past and present roles, each one an opportunity to weave in the keywords you’re targeting.
It’s also worth studying other profiles that are trending well to see where they’ve chosen to place their ranking keywords. Is it in the headline? The skills section? They’ve likely tested a few placements before landing on what works, so following their lead isn’t a bad starting point. That said, if you’ve got your own theory about what’ll work for your profile and business, test it properly rather than just following the crowd, especially if there’s real logic behind it.
Want to start building a business and a growing client base from your LinkedIn?
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