5 Steps to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Lead Generation
Get better job opportunities, attract freelance writing gigs, and build a personal brand on LinkedIn with these tips
Get better job opportunities, attract freelance writing gigs, and build a personal brand on LinkedIn with these tips
I’m writing this article right after signing a $2500 US monthly contract for a freelance gig I got through LinkedIn.
If that shocks you, let me tell you this isn’t the first time this has happened. Since I started being active on LinkedIn in January 2021, I’ve got some amazing opportunities worth thousands of dollars and talked to some truly inspiring people.
Although we all have heard about LinkedIn because of those annoying emails that keep coming in our inboxes saying, “X sent you a connection request,” or “X endorsed you for Microsoft Word,” many don’t know LinkedIn is much more than that.
Effectively, LinkedIn is the social network of professionals. Any person who is good in their field would likely be present on LinkedIn. They would actively use it to make connections to find possible recruits for their team.
And if you are looking to build something that is beyond your 9-to-5 or seeking a better job, LinkedIn is an amazing place to start.
This article is about how you can optimize your profile on Linkedin and attract leads and lots of high-paying opportunities. There are five aspects every active LinkedIn member should take care of. This post discusses all five in detail.
1. Profile picture
Your profile picture on LinkedIn needs to be amazing because that’s the first thing people are going to see when they see your name in the connection requests.
So, make sure you have a professional-looking photo with a clean background where you are staring straight at the camera. Maybe you can start with a picture taken against the wall and you are wearing something professional.
After all, a good professional picture goes a long way in establishing credibility for yourself. Although it’s true that we should never judge a book by its cover, a person’s first impression is always through how they look.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile photo represents who you are at your best.
2. Profile bio
The second thing is your profile bio, where you have a chance to let a casual user who’s just stopping by your profile know who you are and what you do.
Suppose you work as a sales analyst at company X. So you can just write in your profile bio as “Sales Analyst at X.” Then, you can add the name of your college after a vertical dash (|). After that, you can add any other credentials you have so that people who are from the same college, niche, or industry can find you when they’re searching for relevant keywords.
If you are self-employed or have a business, then it’s better or to just write your bio as “Founder of X (whatever your company’s name is), followed by one line about what your company does.
3. About section
The next thing people will look at is your about section. This is where you really have an opportunity to catch the user’s attention, so make sure it tells your story of who you are, how you got started with doing what you do, and what has journey been like so far?
Most people make the mistake here by just writing one or two lines, whereas LinkedIn allows you to write up to 2600 characters. Here, you have to tell your story and make it as interesting as possible as make it spark curiosity in the minds of the people stopping by.
4. Top skills
This is yet another section where you can truly make an impression. Most people usually have set up their LinkedIn profile back in college, and at that time, the only skills they had were Microsoft Word, Java, etc. Most probably, these are totally irrelevant right now in your career.
Your current qualifications and aspirations should reflect in your Top Skills section. Make sure to add three skills that actually resonate with who you are currently.
Also, delete all other skills that make no sense to where you want to be in the next five years, irrespective of how many endorsements you have in those skills.
5. Recommendations
The final section that adds a punch to your credibility on LinkedIn is your recommendations.
When you work with someone for a while, and then the project is over, they can leave their thoughts on your prowess on your LinkedIn profile. Effectively, this is like their review of you as a co-worker or an employee.
And if you have good recommendations on Linkedin, your profile automatically looks more authentic and interesting. It sparks more curiosity in the mind of potential recruiters and will set you apart from a peer who has never optimized their LinkedIn profile.
Closing thoughts
For those of you who are still skeptical, here are some stats. I have about 10,000 followers on LinkedIn, but my posts get 20,000 views on average. Currently, LinkedIn is the only platform on the internet where I get more than twice the number of views as my follower count.
The organic reach is amazing.
I have had incredible opportunities and have found the dream sponsors and amazing clients through LinkedIn, and you can definitely do the same.
The five points that I mentioned in this article are just for beginners, but they will definitely give you the initial push to attract high-paying gigs for yourself. There’s a lot more that goes into building a personal brand on LinkedIn, and if you’d like my help, I’m just a DM away.
I’ve made a FREE 5-day course on how to be a highly paid writer to help people who are just starting out. Join here and be a part of this amazing journey towards financial freedom.
More about getting started on LinkedIn here
