Social media platforms have become a must for businesses and business owners, but some are better than others for helping you get engagement, sales, partnerships, and so on. One that stands out when it comes to business has to be LinkedIn, which is a place for business leaders to connect, engage, and showcase their expertise. However, it’s wise to understand how to use LinkedIn effectively and really make the most of your chance on the platform if you want to move forward – read on to find out what you need to do.

Get The Right Headshot

Your LinkedIn profile picture is the first thing anyone will see about you, and if it’s not giving the right impression or setting the right tone, you’ll be misunderstood and perhaps completely ignored. And when you’re trying to connect with people, that image you’re using might be what makes them decide not to engage with you.

The best kind of image to use is a professional headshot where you have a friendly smile, but you look smart and well-groomed. Use an AI LinkedIn photo to give you more choice when it comes to your image, but always pick something that matches your personal brand, and make sure it gives off the right image that you want to portray.

You Need A Good Headline

On LinkedIn, your headline is the brief statement that appears under your name on your profile, and it’s easy to get this wrong. However, when you get it right, it can make a huge difference, and it can be what helps you make the right connections and use LinkedIn in the most effective way. What most people do is list out their current job title, but why not use the space to showcase your expertise and what makes you different from everyone else? Highlight your key skills, industry knowledge, and how you can make a difference, and this should gain the attention of people in your sector looking to connect and network.

Really, this is your digital elevator pitch, so take the time to craft something compelling and succinct; it needs to be interesting enough to get people’s attention and full enough to tell them what they need to know.

Write Your Summary

The summary section of your LinkedIn profile is there to give you an excellent opportunity to explain your own professional journey from the start right up until the present moment – you can also use the space to talk about your goals and aspirations, to give people an idea of which direction you’re going to be moving in next.

What really works here and what will help you to use LinkedIn in the right way, is not just to list everything out (like everyone else does), but to throw in some anecdotes and stories about how you did this thing or that thing, what you learned, and which industry professionals you met along the way. Plus, don’t forget to make the entire thing easy to read by cutting it into small chunks – even the more interesting LinkedIn summary will be difficult to follow if you’ve not thought about how to present it properly.