LinkedIn is a great platform to leverage social networking on a professional basis. And if you are looking for a new career this is the place that lets recruiters and hiring managers find you. You can also connect with people in your industry and keep in touch with old co-workers. But if your profile isn’t optimized no one will be able to find you among the sea of other professionals. Having your LinkedIn profile optimized for SEO is simple and essential.
Why Optimize?
You need to optimize your profile so it will be found by the right people. Plus, Google has a list of sites they index for their searches and LinkedIn is one of the top 5 sites. Optimize your page for LinkedIn and you will also increase your chances of being found on Google.
The Right Keywords
Your goal is to be found by your target audience, so you want to use the right keywords. And you must use the right strategy when it comes to your keywords.
- Keep your target market in mind: Use keywords that your target market would use to find you. Google’s keyword planner will help you pick the right words and phrases to perfect your page.
- Use your keywords throughout: A little extra effort goes a long way to enhance your profile. You can even optimize images before you upload them. For example, you can label your headshot as Your Name-SEO-Expert. Google likes optimized images!
- Your experience, it’s more than your job title: The experience section of your profile is an opportunity to shine. You are not tied to job titles and duties. This is a chance to add the perfect keywords again and show how you provide value to your clients.
- More sections: LinkedIn is flexible when it comes to customizing. You have the freedom to add sections as necessary. This will help you create a high-quality profile.
The Strategy
Think like your ideal client. What problem is your ideal client looking to solve? Which keywords do they use as they are searching for a solution? What kind of experience do they expect? If your competition has additional certifications, should you? Considering these things will help you know where you stand. From there, you can improve your profile.
Your goal is to be found by your target audience, so you want to use the right keywords. And you must use the right strategy when it comes to your keywords.
- Keep your target market in mind: Use keywords that your target market would use to find you. Google’s keyword planner will help you pick the right words and phrases to perfect your page.
- Use your keywords throughout: A little extra effort goes a long way to enhance your profile. You can even optimize images before you upload them. For example, you can label your headshot as Your Name-SEO-Expert. Google likes optimized images!
- Your experience, it’s more than your job title: The experience section of your profile is an opportunity to shine. You are not tied to job titles and duties. This is a chance to add the perfect keywords again and show how you provide value to your clients.
- More sections: LinkedIn is flexible when it comes to customizing. You have the freedom to add sections as necessary. This will help you create a high-quality profile.
Don’t be shy. You want connections. Clients will see how many connections you have and it will have an impact on your profile’s appeal. However, once you hit 500 connections, LinkedIn just shows it as 500+.
Get recommendations. One of the best ways to get recommendations is to give them. Do you have a vendor who did an awesome job on a project? Or someone who you could always depend on? Give them a recommendation, and don’t be afraid to ask for one too. Recommendations build credibility when clients and prospects visit your profile.
Use LinkedIn Publisher. Are you an expert in your industry? Why not write about it? LinkedIn has a publisher feature where you can use write and promote articles. This will benefit your readers, establish you as an expert and develop your page.
Your headshot. To complete your profile, you must have a headshot. It is not required but it’s so beneficial. It’s a chance to add more keywords and it establishes trust with your prospects. Use a professional image and you want to look approachable.
LinkedIn is a great resource to grow your network and find your ideal clients or vendors. Optimizing your profile for SEO is easy once you have the right tools plus, it is a worthwhile investment in your career.