Here are the basic steps you need to follow in order to optimize your LinkedIn profile, especially if your goal is to generate leads for your business.
Your Resume is tailored for the specific role which you’re applying for. LinkedIn should be a General Overview of who you are as a professional. So you shouldn’t just copy your resume into LinkedIn, but create a special representation of your skills.
The first things someone looks when visiting your profile are your Profile Picture, Background Picture and Headline. So it makes sense to optimize these 3 first.
Profile Picture The main checkpoints here are:
You can follow this guide to create the perfect profile pic. Pick a picture that represents yourself and that you look straight to the camera. Visit remove.bg and upload your picture. This online tool will detect and remove the background of your picture. Then download the High-Resolution transparent picture (you only have one free high-res download, so choose wisely).
After that head to Canva.com to create a nice background. Start a New Design with dimensions of 1600x1600 px and upload your previous picture. On the left, search for background presets. A tip is to pick a minimal - color gradient background so the focus is on you. Then align yourself in the center of the picture and you are set!
Background The same importance has the background picture of your profile. The easiest way to find the best picture for you is to go back to Canva.com and create a New Design. This time search for LinkedIn banner and you will open the correct dimensions canva. There are a lot of quality presets, many of them free, that you can use. Check and modify whichever fits best to your personality and business. Keep in mind you want it to be clean, without much noise so the focus isn’t solely on the background.
Headline Usually people just write their job title at the Headline section. It is smarter to write in a sentence how you can help people. This way you imply your current job position and also give value to people looking at your profile - potential leads/clients.
For example:
“Helping SaaS Businesses overcome stability in a profitable way”
About Section When working on the About section, keep in mind that it’s purpose is to compliment your resume. It should be an extremely simple summary of what it is that you do, the big problem that you solve for them and a call to action. The idea behind it is to keep it as a one-liner, consistent with the story you want to tell (without abusing adjectives and buzz-words).
For example: