Marketing is an ambitious and connected industry. LinkedIn is an ambitious and connected platform. Goes hand-in-hand, right?
Whether you’re studying, completing an internship, getting started in your career or on your way to becoming the next C-suite leader for your company, an optimized LinkedIn profile can usher your career to the next level.
Grounded firmly in the space between what could be and what is, LinkedIn optimization:
- Exposes you to new professional opportunities.
- Builds trust and credibility.
- Enhances your network and reputation.
Here, we explore how to properly leverage your LinkedIn profile to position yourself as a marketing leader — no matter what professional chapter you’re in.
Why Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile?
If you’re a marketing professional, you should optimize your LinkedIn profile because it’s where clients, collaborators and future bosses check you out. Generally, a sharp presence demonstrates you’re an “active, engaged professional.” Specifically in the marketing industry, it shows that you know your stuff.
Given the 76% YoY uptick in global marketing job posts within the platform, it could also land you a gig where you get to slink away to the Bahamas for three months because the piña coladas taste better over there — and still keep your job. Here are a few reasons why marketers are paying attention to LinkedIn optimization:
- Build your personal brand: Show prospects who you are, what you do and why — and do it your way. Your LinkedIn profile is personal, so you get to write the guidelines.
- Get new opportunities: With your new fan-dangled pizzazz (and activity — this does take some effort), unexpected opportunities that require your specific experience will present themselves more readily.
- Trigger career progression: Marketing’s not always a linear industry. Whether you’re going forward vertically, horizontally or diagonally, LinkedIn optimization allows you to move.
But be warned: Profile optimization is a powerful and effective strategy. If you go too hard, you may become a head honcho and need to reoptimize your LinkedIn profile for an executive role.
LinkedIn Profile Optimization Tips for a Strong Presence
Honing the elements that make your LinkedIn profile a cut above the rest is the simplest place to start. Let’s trace over the key checkpoints to begin with as you forge a powerful presence.
Professional Headshot
Even though we’re told not to do it, people form first impressions from faces. This means your LinkedIn profile picture is in the spotlight. But it’s not all about your physical appearance — it’s about the emotions you convey, the attire you wear and the lighting.
To get a decent, professional headshot:
- Use a clear, recent photo with good lighting.
- Dress how you’d show up for client meetings.
- Smile as though you like people.
LinkedIn Headline
Focusing on your value, not just your job title, can help you capture a sense of vision and purpose. Try to include relevant keywords that speak to your industry and experience. LinkedIn SEO is a thing, and these keywords increase your visibility in searches. Finally, avoid cliches — leave the coffee, gurus and ninjas for office banter.
About Section
You have a maximum of 2,600 characters to tell a recruiter or potential employer about yourself — that’s around 350-600 words. The key is to keep it authentic while flying a few professional flags.
Describe what makes you tick and frame your experiences in a light you desire others to perceive you, but keep it real. This is your space to show some personality, put your achievements front and center and create a connection with your audience.
Pro Tip No. 1: If you wouldn’t say it on a phone call to your mom, don’t put it on your LinkedIn profile. This is a good litmus test for tone.
Pro Tip No. 2: Your audience should absolutely learn something about you they won’t find on your resume. But also, spare us the Snapchat stories. Find a balance that works for you.
Featured Section
Created eBooks, newsletters or LinkedIn articles you’re proud of? Show them off in your featured section. Showcasing your best, most relevant work builds credibility fast. Just remember to update these as your career develops to keep your offerings relevant.
Skills and Endorsements
This section on your LinkedIn profile shows a potential employer precisely what you’re capable of. Include relevant keywords a recruiter searches for and cut any irrelevant fluff. Here are a few tips to keep your LinkedIn skills polished and shiny, according to the experts:
- Prioritize upskilling: Learn about new technology and AI tools.
- Develop diverse skillsets: In marketing, you need technical and human-centric skills. Think collaborative problem-solving and emotional intelligence.
- Stay agile and embrace change: From changes in consumer behavior to tech advances, agility is essential in marketing. Keep a growth mindset and be open to new challenges.
(And just because we like you, the top three key skills for marketers in 2024 were marketing tech, AI and creative execution).
Recommendations
Seek an authentic, specific LinkedIn recommendation from colleagues. These offer social proof of your contributions in a professional environment. Prioritize quality over quantity and offer to return the favor — it builds goodwill.
Open To Work/Collaborate Banners
LinkedIn provides these tools to increase your visibility for others seeking to employ or collaborate with you. As a general rule:
- Use Open To Work when you’re job hunting.
- Use Open To Collaborate if you’re looking for freelance.
- Adjust your visibility depending on your audience.
And here’s the kicker: Even the best profile in the world won’t win you all the opportunities if you leave your presence stranded for six months. So, what can you do to stay active?
Staying Active on LinkedIn: Best Practices for Marketers
When your profile is in shape, staying active is how you pull the big fish. Below are some best practices to get noticed:
- Set a weekly engagement goal: Start with something manageable. It could be engaging for five minutes daily, making five connection requests per week or commenting with your insights on five posts. Build it up from there.
- Follow thought leaders and brands in your niche: They keep your LinkedIn feed packed with relevant content for your industry.
- Join LinkedIn groups: It’s not just about joining the groups; you have to contribute to discussions actively. Ideally, chime in with your expertise or thought leadership.
- Stay consistent when you post: LinkedIn’s algorithm evaluates visibility based on a few factors, including expertise and value-add. Consistently posting this content positions you as a resource in your field.
- Send newsletters: Newsletters are among the best content to post on LinkedIn. They show you have an audience and something valuable to say. Then, they demonstrate you have the initiative to put it out there.
- Create polls: Ask your audience to engage. Polls give insights into trends and sentiments in your industry.
- Use hashtags: Tacking a few hashtags to each post makes your LinkedIn content searchable, improving your discoverability.
- Tag a valuable connection: Keep it cool and simple by adding people to the conversation, but only if it creates exposure and authority in a mutually beneficial way.
So, now you’ve got a picture-perfect profile and you’re actively engaging, how do you know it’s working?
How To Tell if Your LinkedIn Profile’s Getting More Attention
If you want to know whether your LinkedIn efforts are really bringing home the bacon, check your analytics dashboard. These numbers will show how engagement increases over time, ultimately telling you whether your strategy works.
Here’s what to check:
- Profile views: If this number’s increasing, your visibility is, too.
- Connection requests from relevant people: This indicates you are appearing on more relevant searches.
- Increased direct messages: When more people want to reach out, you’re likely perceived as an authority.
- Better post engagement: Likes, comments and shares signal that your content is visible and valuable.
LinkedIn Premium also has a few analytic advantages, giving insights into who viewed your profile and how people find you.
If any or all of the above numbers rise over time, your strategy is working. If they’re not, check where the gaps lie and adjust your approach accordingly. For instance, decreasing engagement over a few months could mean the content you share isn’t landing with your audience. If that’s the case, compare your content types and subjects with engagement metrics to see which content gets love, then post more like it.
As you’re getting started, you’ll likely have to experiment. When it comes to strategic growth, failure tells you just as much as the wins do!
Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn
An optimized LinkedIn profile shows you know your stuff, which is especially important in marketing. It develops your personal brand, strengthens professional networks and exposes you to new opportunities. And in a connected, aspirational space like marketing, who couldn’t use a little extra help?
As a final word to the wise, LinkedIn optimization doesn’t mean you have to be chained to your devices all day. Choose a strategy and posting interval that aligns with your time availability to maintain consistency. Remember, you can always pivot as needed.