From the Blog: June 12, 2024

Optimizing LinkedIn Through Effective Branding

Lauren Helm, APR, CPRC, is speaking to the audience sharing LinkedIn insights to optimize their profiles.

Recently, I spoke at at the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce’s Beyond the Basics program on how to optimize LinkedIn through effective branding. To my surprise, I spoke to a sold out event where attendees were eager to learn more about the world’s largest professional network and how their brand, professional or personal, can stand out amongst the crowd. I shared tips on how to format your LinkedIn content, streamlining the content creation process, and emphasized the value of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies when creating content. I’ve summarized the high-level points below.

Formatting Text on LinkedIn

Now, if you know anything about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) then you’re going to cringe when I share this. However, I still maintain that you must adhere to responsible accessibility practices across all of your digital and print assets.

Using a Unicode Text Converter, you can faux format your LinkedIn posts to have bold, italic, script, and even strikethrough text. The theory behind utilizing this is so that your content will stand out and stop people from scrolling because it appears that your content is formatted in rich text. I tend to shy away from this, but I’m seeing it become more common across LinkedIn for those who are touting their “thought leadership” (which is a term we can discuss in another blog post someday). However, there are formatting options that are much more accessible and may be all that you need when creating content for your LinkedIn profile(s). You may which to utilize emojis or create a bulleted list of key points you’re trying to convey.

The takeaway on text formatting is to consider the ramifications for your brand and if you decide to utilize it, use it sparingly.

Streamlining Content on LinkedIn

The best advice I can give you is to create a content calendar. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but utilizing this tool can help you keep your goals in mind like what are you trying to achieve this week, month, or quarter for your brand. It also helps when you’re analyzing LinkedIn content to better understand what is resonating with your audience. I have a LinkedIn weekly content calendar template available for download to help you get started.

In order to make sure you’re consistent with your content, consider utilizing the LinkedIn Post Scheduling Tool. This free native tool can be used to schedule your content to be published at a date and time that you choose between one hour and three months in advance. For busy schedules, this helps ensure that your content is being shared on the platform while you’re focusing your time elsewhere.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on LinkedIn

Now, here’s the real hook and why you’re here. In simple terms, the better SEO within your content, the more likely you are to have your content found and clicked on. For the purposes of organically growing your SEO efforts on LinkedIn, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

  1. What content can I create to help my brand stand out on LinkedIn?
  2. How can I prioritize engagement opportunities on LinkedIn?
  3. What relevant hashtags for my content ideas have a large following on LinkedIn?
  4. What keywords can I use throughout my content that people are searching for?

These questions can help guide you into the direction of utilizing SEO to stand out on LinkedIn and create value for your audience.

LinkedIn Profile Audit

Creating and managing multiple social media profiles can seem overwhelming, especially when each platform has its own audience and content. My LinkedIn Profile Audit is designed to help your unlock your full potential. Here’s what it includes:

  • Profile Basics: I’ll review items like your profile picture, headline, summary, and background photo to ensure it aligns with your brand and is engaging.
  • Experience and Skills: I’ll evaluate your listed experiences and skills to ensure they accurately reflect your capabilities and are relevant to your goals.
  • Recommendations and Endorsements: I’ll assess your reputation on LinkedIn through examining your recommendations and endorsements from colleagues.
  • Connections & Engagement: I’ll analyze your connections and engagement to identify areas of opportunities for growth.

Regularly auditing and optimizing your LinkedIn profile is not just a recommended practice; it’s essential for your brand to remain relevant and nurture meaningful connections. Whether you’re a recent graduate seeking job opportunities, an established brand, or an entrepreneur, LinkedIn can be a very powerful tool. To secure your LinkedIn profile audit, schedule your 45-minute virtual consultation today!