Linkedin pimping

1. profile picture.

The profile pictures that greet you on LinkedIn are quite funny at times: pixelated, poor images that were clearly taken in a non-business setting. Take the time to do a photo shoot with a good photographer. These pictures will come in handy for other profiles and occasions!

2. profile slogan.

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression," the saying goes. After your photo, your profile slogan is the first place a visitor to your profile will look. This is also shown to people who are searching by keywords, but not yet linked to you.

It's therefore worth putting some effort into optimizing this. Use the most important keywords that describe you and your activities. It doesn't need to be in full sentences. You can simply divide the words with a dash.

3. vanity url.

Have you noticed that the URL for your LinkedIn profile includes an array of mixed numbers after your name? LinkedIn lets users dress this up using the "Vanity" function. Click on "Edit URL" in your "Public profile settings" on the top right-hand side.

4. profile description.

You can use the summary to write about you and your professional experience. Be thorough and describe your professional journey, where you are now, what makes you stand out and what fields of work you are active in.

Use important keywords that will improve your chances of being found through keyword optimization.

Are you self-employed, looking for a new position or need support for a specific project? Add a "Call to Action", which could be something like:

"Please contact me if you are looking for somebody to work on the PR for your project / design your new website / optimize your social media strategy / write content for you"

5. add media.

Under your profile summary and within each professional stage description, you can add links or upload relevant media. Use this function!

Is there an interesting new story that has been written about you or your company? Have you been interviewed or written a guest article on a specialist topic? Then add a link to them in this section. Small video clips or photos that describe you or the contents of your work are also great ways to stand out.

6. list projects.

As the name indicates, under "Projects" you have the option to describe your noteworthy projects and provide links to the relevant websites. This function is particularly great for project managers and freelancers (graphic artists, programmers, marketing and PR consultants), but is also useful for anybody else who wants to highlight specific aspects of their daily work.

The project entry function is on the right-hand side under "Add Profile Section" and then under "Accomplishments". Here, you will also find a series of additional sections, such as "Honors & Awards" or "Certification" that you can add to your profile.

7. individualization.

One very useful function in LinkedIn is the ability to individualize your profile. This means that you can move individual professional entries or projects up or down.

Go to the grid under the editing function of the respective section (for example, Experience or Current roles) and move them up or down.

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8. post regularly.

You should post relevant new items or interviews about you or published by you, new milestones for your business such as website relaunches or new partnerships (for example, using a graphic image created for this or a link to the corresponding blog entry) on your LinkedIn page, which will thus be disseminated across your network.

This will keep your contacts in the loop. And, who knows: this could turn into new projects or even inquiries about sales or cooperation! LinkedIn's analysis function on posts is very helpful. You can see how many people you've reached, at which companies and in which positions.

9. own articles.

LinkedIn also has its own publishing tool that lets you post your own articles on the online platform. Writing an expert article, for example, is a good opportunity to highlight your knowledge in the field, to provide information on new projects or to express your own opinion on a current point of discussion.

10. updating and maintaining.

A day or two after attending a conference, trade show or evening event, send contact requests to the interesting people you meet.

This will help your network to grow continually. It's also worth looking at your recommended contacts to see if there is anybody you know from previous projects or events.

11. endorsements and recommendations.

The degree to which you interact with others plays a role here. Your contacts can confirm your skills or write mini testimonials. This validation by a third party will reinforce your profile tremendously.

You can obtain such endorsements by asking your contacts specifically or by validating your work colleagues' or partners' areas of expertise, who will then return the favor.

12. engagement.

Like with all other platforms, there is no benefit to only uploading your own content. You should interact with your network. In other words, you should like, share and comment on interesting posts and connect people with each other. The more active you are, the more your visibility increases.

13. profile badges for email and website.

To make it possible for new contacts to find you on LinkedIn, it's worth directing people to your profile, for example in your email signature or on your website.

LinkedIn offers a function for creating your own "Public Profile Badge" that you can use for this. Go to your profile and, on the right-hand side, click on "Edit Public Profile and URL". On the bottom right-hand side, you will find the function to create the badge.

pimp your linkedin profile 13 tips.