Tips to Polish Up Your LinkedIn Presence (And Why You Should)

Is LinkedIn still relevant? Does it even work? How much effort should I put into my profile? 

If you’re asking these questions, this is for you.

With over 800 million users in over 200 countries, LinkedIn is still a powerful place for professional networking, job searching, and business acquisition. Despite this, many people feel overwhelmed or confused by the platform and give up on it all together. 

But we know with a little polish and a little effort, LinkedIn can start working for you to help meet professional goals. Here’s why you should use the platform, how to optimize your profile, and some best practices on the platform.

Why Use LinkedIn? 

LinkedIn is an effective professional platform and relevant to both individuals and businesses. Consider these LinkedIn stats: 95 job applications are submitted every second, 50 million people use it to search for jobs, and six people are hired every minute on LinkedIn.

On top of that, LinkedIn reports:

• Marketers see 2X higher conversion rates on LinkedIn.
• 40% of B2B marketers indicate that LinkedIn is the most effective channel for high-quality leads.
• Audiences exposed to brand advertising on LinkedIn are 6X more likely to convert. 

Given this, you need to be on LinkedIn.

But to make the most of it, you need to know your goals for using it. Knowing your intention for the platform will help you optimize your profile and use the platform to get what you want. 

Here are common uses for LinkedIn:

• Job searching
• Recruiting employees 
• Networking
• Thought leadership
• Business acquisition

You might be interested in just one or a few of these different goals. It is important to narrow down what you’re looking to do on LinkedIn, though, because it will dictate whether you should use a personal profile or a company page. Consider these options:

• Personal profiles are all about you as an individual, highlighting your own skills, experience, or services. Personal profiles are best for job-seekers, employees, and those primarily seeking to learn and network. 
• Business pages are about, well, the business. They’re best for businesses (including solopreneurs or freelancers) who want to use LinkedIn to establish themselves as thought leaders, need to recruit employees, or want to acquire new business leads. 

It’s possible to have both of these. On LinkedIn, a “profile” and a “page” are two separate things, so you can run both at the same time, depending on your goals and time availability to do so. If you want a further breakdown on page vs. profile, check out this LinkedIn article. 

Take some time to consider what you’re looking to get out of LinkedIn to help identify where you should invest most of your time and effort. 

LinkedIn Profile Tips

Given how effective LinkedIn can be for your professional goals, it’s time to polish up your profile. Here’s how.

Personal Profile Tips

• Bring your personality. This is your personal profile and, while it’s a professional platform, it’s okay to show off your personality. Choose a high-quality photo that represents you well, feel free to include some of your personal interests and hobbies alongside your professional experience, and add visual interest with the banner option and attachments to your experience descriptions. 
• Be active. Apply for jobs, comment on posts, write articles, re-share things that interest you, update your profile… Being active on the platform exposes you to more opportunities and shows recruiters and companies that you’re engaged and ready to work.
• Show off a bit. If a recruiter is looking through your profile, what will they learn about you? LinkedIn is the place to include any and all professional achievements. Make sure to list significant achievements (include numbers and stats if possible) and attach examples of your past work and projects. 

Company Page Tips

• Write like you mean it. Optimizing your “About Us” section is essential. Use simple, clear language that explains who you are and what you’re about. This is your chance to show off your brand personality and connect with potential clients or employees. 
• Share value. LinkedIn is one of the only platforms that encourage long-form content (i.e., articles) in addition to short-form (i.e., feed posts). Use all the options by regularly creating content that provides value to your audience and establishes your company as thought leaders in the space. Share what you’re learning—from one of these great podcasts for pros, for example—and key insights that will be helpful to other people. 
• Be people-centric. You might sell products or services, but at the heart of every company are the people. Make your LinkedIn company page reflective of that. If you’re a solopreneur or small team, highlight your company’s story and how you go there. If you have a larger team, highlight employees by giving them shout-outs or engaging with the content they post. 
• Upgrade: You can do a lot for free on LinkedIn. But if you’re serious about channeling LinkedIn’s powers, consider upgrading to premium. This allows you to use recruitment software to find team members or use Sales Navigator to reach clients. There are a few different options, so check out the LinkedIn Premium options to decide what’s best.

LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts

After you’ve polished up your LinkedIn presence, you’ll start engaging more on the platform. There are some general do’s and don’ts—best practices—that everyone should be following: 

• DON’T connect at random. Every time you connect with someone or reach out via InMail, make sure there’s a reason. Personalize your message and give context as to why you’re reaching out. These 6 steps to network organically apply both in-person and online.
• DO follow groups, influencers, and companies that interest you. This helps you stay in the know about what’s going on in your industry and increases connection opportunities. 
• DON’T overdo it on the buzzwords. While you want to maximize SEO for your industry to boost visibility, try not to pack your profile full of jargon and buzzwords. Simple, plain, and easy-to-understand language is the way to go.
• DO join groups and attend virtual events. You’ll learn so much about your industry and benefit from connecting with like-minded people. 
• DON’T treat LinkedIn like any other social media platform. There’s space for personal anecdotes and stories, absolutely. But no one wants minute-by-minute updates about your day. Keep in mind that it’s a professional platform and use it accordingly. 
• DO be honest and authentic. Just like lying on your resume is never okay, neither is it on LinkedIn. Be truthful about your accomplishments and don’t be afraid to be transparent and open about where you are in your career. People connect with people, not a list of accolades. 
• DON’T leave any section of your profile or page empty. Every section is a chance to tell people more about who you are and what you’re about, so maximize it. 
• DO be generous—with your comments, recommendations, shares, and likes. If you see something that you connect with, say so. 
• DON’T spam. Just don’t do it. If you’re reaching out to people, make sure you’re offering them value and considering their time. Personalize your messages, make genuine efforts to connect, and avoid sales-y talk (even when you’re selling.).

Like other social media platforms (i.e., using Instagram reels to promote your business), LinkedIn takes some time and effort to get right. But because of its many benefits to both individuals and companies, it’s worth polishing up your LinkedIn presence.

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