Want to stand out among the more than 500,000 LinkedIn members? Here are five actions you can take to help increase your search ranking factor on this business-focused, social media platform.
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- Use Industry Keywords: In the “Professional Summary” portion of your profile, use keywords that connections or HR managers would use to search for candidates, such as “CPA”, “experienced auditor,” etc. Tip: Look up dream jobs and use keywords from the job descriptions, but don’t lie.
- Talk Accomplishments: Rework your job history. For each position, provide a short blurb about what you did in the role. Leverage industry keywords in the descriptions. Using a short, bulleted list, provide impressive, actual metrics for what you did in that role. Tip: Use a dash for a bullet.
- Share & Promote Content: When you consume content online there’s usually a LinkedIn share button. If you think people in your network or a prospect would like the information, share it. Doing so helps increase your personal brand search ranking inside and outside of LinkedIn. Tip: Like and share your company’s LinkedIn posts too. It boosts your personal brand along with your company’s brand in search rankings.
- Create Content: Did you know you can write articles on the LinkedIn platform? Simply login to your LinkedIn account and on your profile where is says “Start a Post” choose the “Write Article” button just below it. You can copy/paste from Word or write directly into the editor. Articles don’t have to be long, but should be relevant to your audience. Tips, checklists, and short how-to articles are a great place to start. Once written, publish it and also share it in your groups. Tip: Download royalty-free graphics or video to spruce up the post.
- Comment & Connect: Simply having a profile on LinkedIn is not enough. Commenting and connecting are what’s needed to make the most of this business-focused platform. Avoid joining groups and disengaging. Rather read what people are sharing. Comment on some of their posts. Most of all, connect with those you want to build relationships with, including prospects and leads. Tip: Set aside 10 minutes a day to scroll through your news feed. Like a few posts and comment on at least one. Also, create a plan to connect with 2-3 people each week.
Additional Resources
Want more LinkedIn tips? Visit https://bit.ly/Penheel-LinkedIn-Resources