Fill out your profile completely

One of the biggest mistakes people make is having an incomplete profile. Take the time to fill out every section, including your current and past work experience, education, skills and endorsements, recommendations, and accomplishments. Provide details on your responsibilities, achievements, and use relevant keywords. A complete profile demonstrates your qualifications fully and makes you seem like a serious professional. It also contributes immensely to boosting your search appearances, so think critically about the keywords you want to associate yourself with.

Customise your URL and header photo

Your URL and header contribute a great deal to your personal brand. Make sure your LinkedIn URL is customised with your name instead of random numbers. This not only helps with search appearances on the platform, but on other search engines too. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you can also add a couple of keywords relevant to your qualifications or industry on your URL, which will help boost your chances of being exposed to new opportunities. For your header, use a high-quality, professional photo that is eye-catching but not too casual. It should represent your industry and experience. Have someone take a photo of you if your selfies aren’t ideal. This tiny branding step leaves a strong first impression and adds more credibility to your profile.

Engage with your connections’ content

Once your profile is optimised, focus on engagement. Read your connections’ updates and posts, and leave thoughtful comments encouraging further discussion. The more you engage throughout your network by supporting and interacting with connections, the more LinkedIn will amplify your profile to recruiters searching hashtags or browsing your connections’ connections. LinkedIn’s algorithm is designed to show more relevant and active profiles higher in search results. A major factor it evaluates is your engagement and connections’ engagement on the platform. Each time you like, comment on, or share another user’s post or content, LinkedIn’s algorithm sees this as a vote that their profile is valuable and should have more visibility. It then increases the visibility of your own profile to others since you have demonstrated your activity level.

Post regularly

The more active you are, the more visible your profile becomes to recruiters and potential clients searching by keyword. Post regularly and provide value to your network. Aim to share 2 to 3 times per week on LinkedIn. In addition to sharing your own content, it might also be useful to share relevant news articles from your industry that your network might find valuable. By posting useful information for others, you become a sought-after connection. It’s also effective to start discussions by asking thoughtful questions related to your industry or area of expertise. In addition, connections are also more likely to endorse your skills or write recommendations when they see you supporting others on the platform. Public recommendations are extremely beneficial for bolstering your personal brand. Make it as easy as possible for your connections to recommend you by staying top of mind through frequent, high-quality posting. Over time, these recommendations and endorsements will paint a robust picture of your expertise to anyone viewing your profile.

Get recommendations

Recommendations are extremely persuasive social proof and can do wonders to boost your profile’s credibility. Ask past managers, colleagues, and clients to write recommendations highlighting your strengths and impact.