Standing out on LinkedIn isn’t easy to do, but it isn’t impossible either. There are certain things that you can do to bring attention to your profile, keep people looking at your information, and even entice them to reach out to you about jobs, events, or opportunities. LinkedIn is like any other social media platform in that there are many people trying to get attention, and only a few of them are going to be able to get it. If you want that to be you, there are some basic things you can do to stand out.
Whether you are looking for new jobs, trying to recruit people, or you just want to keep a professional profile, there are a few different ways to stand out from everyone else – here are our tips to do just that:
Make Sure Your Picture Is Enticing
Everyone wants to know what someone looks like on social media, and LinkedIn is no different. However, what you use as a profile picture on Instagram isn’t going to be what you use on LinkedIn. You want a picture that is clear, doesn’t have any filters and is professional. Now isn’t the time for selfies, duck-face, or bunny ears. Instead, now is the time for a picture you’d like to show your grandmother or a picture wearing an outfit you’d show up to an interview wearing.
Change up your picture regularly – if you speak at a conference, headline an event, or do something amazing, get a picture and add it to your profile. Action shots tend to be more enticing.
Fill Out Your Profile
Make sure that you fill out the various parts of your profile. An empty profile won’t keep someone’s interest nor will it tell them anything about you. Keep your information accurate and remember to update your profile regularly. If you do something cool or interesting, share it. If you see an article that is interesting to you, write a little blurb about it. If something happened in your career, show it off.
Your LinkedIn profile is only going to work for you if you put some work into it. You don’t want to treat this like a diary, but you should log on a few times a week to share a status, talk in a group, or update your work experience.
One important tip when you are filling out your profile – proofread. Spelling mistakes, typos, and weird sentences will make you stand out in the wrong ways.
Think About Keywords
As you fill out your profile, think about your keywords. These are the words that someone would search for to find you. For example, if you are a grant writer, think about using the words “grant writer” in various places so that when people search for you on LinkedIn, they will find you. Of course, you want to work it naturally into the content so that when someone does find you, you stand out and they actually want to talk to you or hire you for a job.
These are just a few of the things you can do to stand out on LinkedIn. Start by setting up your profile, adding a picture, and proofing everything. Once you do that, you can add some of the other bells and whistles. However, even doing these basics will put you far ahead of most other people on the platform.