LinkedIn bills itself as the world’s largest professional network. After presenters Michele Graham and Rhonda Hurwitz went through how much you can pack into a LinkedIn profile, it’s no wonder. If you haven’t looked at LinkedIn recently, or it’s been ages since you updated your profile, there’s so much that you can do beyond a simple “résumé”.

Why LinkedIn? If your business’s sweet spot is B2B, LinkedIn and blogging are your two most effective social media tools. Also, keep in mind that LinkedIn is part of Google searches and that a keyword-rich profile can help boost your search rankings. LinkedIn even has features that help you find keywords for your industry.

Amp Up Your LinkedIn Profile:

• Talk about yourself in the first person. This makes you seem more “human” whereas talking about yourself in third person puts up a wall between you and the reader. There’s a reason it’s called “social” media!
• Change the default options for websites, Twitter, and public profiles to customize your name or URL. Using the edit function here is easy.
• Maximize the 120 characters allotted for your headline and make sure to include keywords. Keywords can be skills, products, or geo-targets.
• It’s OK to provide some personal or background info to enhance your profile’s dimension and point out experience in a relatable field. We loved the example of the intellectual property lawyer who talked about his prior experience in theater and how it made him value the creative process.
• For businesses beyond a sole proprietor or a few people, a LinkedIn company page is great for showcasing Products & Services. Then all your employees can link to the company page. Check out 341 Studios’ company page on LinkedIn if you want to see an example.
• Adding video is an interesting and interactive way to upgrade your profile. (Google loves video for search. It’s kind of like bonus points!!)
• Take a look at the new “Add Sections” feature. You can add projects, awards, and events. It’s like having an online portfolio or bulletin board. Plus, every time you update, people in your LinkedIn network see what’s new with you. So cool.

Once you’ve completed your LinkedIn profile, you’re ready to get the maximum utility for growing you business. Tips on building your business through LinkedIn will be in our next post.