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With over 330 million active users globally and a targeted user base of business professionals, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. LinkedIn is no longer just a tool for recruiters, but has evolved into a powerful marketing platform that provides a professional ground for Advisors looking to network. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you are missing out on opportunities to connect with clients, prospects and industry professionals.
Hubspot reports that over 560,000 professionals visit the LinkedIn homepage daily and that 41% of people using LinkedIn for marketing have generated business with it. LinkedIn states that ‘’close to 90% of people with assets between $100k-1m turn to social media to help them make important financial decisions.’’ As discussed in our article on the Buyer Journey , people are 60% along in their decision-making process before they decide to engage with a salesperson. This means that there is a very high likelihood that prospects have checked out your profile before deciding to engage with you. Your profile is the first stop that new business contacts are going to use to evaluate you as a businessperson so it is imperative that you are putting your best foot forward.
Here are 5 easy ways to optimize your LinkedIn profile and enhance your personal branding:
Claim your Vanity URL
LinkedIn will assign you a random URL with a million confusing numbers. Instead of a URL with meaningless numbers, customize your URL to make yourself more searchable on Google. Your page will become far more optimized from an Search Engine Optimization point of view and also helps your profile to rank higher in Google to make it easier for people to find you. To change your URL, follow these steps:
Upload a Professional Photo
Upload a photo where you are in a professional setting and dressed appropriately. You want to present a personable and professional image that conveys who you are as a professional. You don’t necessarily need to hire a professional photographer to make a great impression. Your best bet is to upload a smiling photo that communicates professionalism.
Your Headline Matters
Write a great headline. Your headline is the first thing someone will see about you so make it catchy and attention grabbing. The LinkedIn search provides users with the ability to search using keywords and location to find prospective clients or networking contacts. ‘’Financial Advisor’’ should appear in your headline but go beyond just your title and communicate to prospects, in 120 characters, what you do or what makes you different. Your LinkedIn headline is one of the most significant factors that will help your page show up in LinkedIn search results.
LinkedIn Summary
You have up to 2000 characters to create an engaging LinkedIn summary, which provides an opportunity for you to expand on what you do, your experience, success stories, what makes you different, and your goals and objectives. You can also use the summary section to integrate keywords that you’d like to be ranked for in search engine results.
Update your Status Regularly
By updating regularly, you are increasing your engagement with your LinkedIn community. By updating regularly, you are also going to show up on news feeds more often, which keeps you relevant and top of mind for your connections. Update your profile with relevant articles, industry updates, blog posts, curated content. or updates about you and your business.
LinkedIn can be a very powerful marketing tool that should be checked just as often as your email. These 5 tips will help you optimize your profile for maximum exposure and help set you up for effective LinkedIn engagement. There are over 250 million active LinkedIn members, use these tips to help yourself stand out and increase your chances of being found.