15 LinkedIn Profile Optimization Tips to Get Found This 2023

Are your buyers finding your LinkedIn Profile when doing a LinkedIn search for the products and services you sell? If not, no worries. We have 15 LinkedIn Profile optimization tips that will help you with optimizing your LinkedIn profile to get you found!

When deciding whether to work with a sales professional, 72% of modern buyers look for an informative and optimized LinkedIn profile before engaging them.

That can be a pretty scary thought if your personal brand is nonexistent and your LinkedIn About section sucks. What if someone is Googling you, finds your profile, and it’s barely there? Or worse, your profile is never found. This is the kind of situation that should make people think about LinkedIn profile optimization.

The COI (Cost of Inaction) can cost your brand and cost you business!

To ensure these decision-makers find your profile while doing LinkedIn prospecting, you must leverage the following LinkedIn SEO tips below.

These tips on optimizing your LinkedIn Profile will ensure that your profile meets current SEO best practices while addressing the business challenges facing your potential clients and buyers.

After all, getting discovered by your prospective buyer during the research phase of the buyer’s journey is one of the best ways to start a sales conversation.

Why You Need Optimization for Your LinkedIn Profile

When you hear “SEO” or “search engine optimization,” you probably think about how well your website ranks on Google, as part of your digital marketing strategy. But SEO isn’t just for your website anymore! In fact, once you know how, it is much easier and much cheaper (free!) to be found on LinkedIn.

Identifying the right keywords and strategically including them in your profile helps you appear in LinkedIn searches, as well as Google searches. Learning how to leverage keywords and key phrases to be found by your buyers online extends to LinkedIn profiles, content and media.

Creating a Buyer Centric Profile

Now, how to improve your LinkedIn profile? First of all, you must remember that LinkedIn is more than an online resume! It’s a profile that not only highlights your expertise – but what you can do to help your ideal clients and prospects.

Here’s a summary or what you can do, and then we’ll deep dive!

Creating a buyer-centric LinkedIn profile is a strategic move that can significantly enhance your visibility and credibility on professional networking sites.

Google (and other browsers) LOVE the LinkedIn URL – so make sure to optimize your LinkedIn profile URL, making it easy for LinkedIn members and search engines to find you.

Your profile picture should be professional and approachable, as it’s the first visual impression you make, so it is paramount to edit headshot yourself or delegate the task to experts.

Your LinkedIn Summary, also known as the About section, is a pivotal element where you have the opportunity to present your personal brand in a captivating way.

This section allows you to emphasize your skills, experiences, and the exceptional value you offer. Remember to incorporate relevant keywords in your LinkedIn Summary or About section and throughout your profile, as this will improve your LinkedIn search results and visibility.

LinkedIn Headlines should be compelling and keyword-rich, effectively communicating who you are and what you do.

A well-optimized LinkedIn profile goes beyond being just a digital resume. It transforms into a vibrant platform where you can interact with your audience, exchange valuable perspectives, and forge significant relationships.

Remember, every aspect of your LinkedIn account, from your LinkedIn profile page to the content you share, should be buyer-centric, designed to resonate with and attract your target audience.

Let’s take a deep dive into these strategies and more!

Identifying the Right Keywords for Your LinkedIn Profile

To enhance your profile and boost your presence on LinkedIn, it is crucial to determine the specific keywords and phrases that your potential customers utilize during Google searches for your offerings. The best place to start is with your marketing department. They should be able to supply a list of keywords they target.

If you are an independent entrepreneur or your marketing department lacks a list of keywords, there are numerous tools available for you to discover the LinkedIn keywords that hold significance to your needs.

Keyword Tools

Here are some of the free and paid keyword tools our marketing team has used:

1. Google Keyword Planner: This is a free tool offered by Google that provides keyword ideas based on what people are searching for on Google. Google Keyword Planner
2. SEMRush: This is a comprehensive SEO tool that offers a keyword research feature. It provides data on keyword volume, competition, and more. SEMRush
3. Ubersuggest: This is a free tool by Neil Patel that provides keyword ideas, search volume, and competitiveness. It’s a good option for those on a budget. Ubersuggest
4. Moz Keyword Explorer: This is a part of Moz’s suite of SEO tools. It provides keyword suggestions, SERP analysis, and more. Moz Keyword Explorer
5. Answer The Public: This is a unique tool that provides questions that people are asking about a specific keyword. It’s a great way to find long-tail keywords and understand what information people are looking for. Answer The Public
6. WordTracker: Mentioned in the original article, WordTracker is a tool that helps identify keywords that aren’t as competitive but still have a good search volume. WordTracker

Another trick to finding more keywords to boost the visibility of your profile is to check the profiles of colleagues and competitors. Look at the Skills section of their profile to see if they have any keywords that you hadn’t thought of.

If they apply to you, don’t just add them as skills. Add them throughout your profile to increase your SEO opportunities.

Now, where and how to add keywords to a LinkedIn profile for LinkedIn Profile Optimization??

LinkedIn Profile Optimization Tips

LinkedIn and Google have different algorithms for how content shows up in a search. LinkedIn looks at two things: how many times you use the words in your profile and how they rank based on the searcher’s network.

Search results are unique to each person running the search as each network is unique to the individual and their LinkedIn network.

With this in mind, here are 15 areas to focus on to optimize your LinkedIn profile:

1. Connect with Relevant Prospects 

What does connecting have to do with SEO? Because LinkedIn looks at how you are connected to the “searcher.”

Your profile is more likely to show up on a LinkedIn searcher’s first page of results if you are first-level connections. So, connecting with prospects is key. (We cover best connecting strategies extensively in this article on “turning connections to conversations” .)

Remember, LinkedIn is known as a professional networking site. So network!

2. Name Your Profile Picture

Before uploading your profile picture, rename it to include the relevant keywords you identified.

When people search for those terms on Google, your LinkedIn photo is likely to show up, and this might drive traffic right back to your LinkedIn Profile! For example, my profile photo is labeled: Viveka von Rosen, Social Selling Expert, LinkedIn Training, Digital Sales Training, LinkedIn Keynote Speaker

3. Label your Background Image

Ensure that, similar to your professional headshot, you rename your banner or background photo image before uploading it to your profile.

Don’t forget to include your keywords to maximize your profile’s impact. Make sure to include the two or three most important to you in both your headshot and banner or background image files.

4. Create a Link in your Intro Section

LinkedIn recently added a place to include a customizable link inside your LinkedIn profile Intro section.

A couple of caveats.

• You do have to have Creator Mode turned on.
• After you add your link, you have to go back in to add the hyperlinkable text .

At the very end of the introduction section, right after the contact information section, there is a dedicated space where you can input your link when you have LinkedIn Creator Mode activated.

Once you save it, go back in to the intro section, and you will see that you now have a place to customize your URL with text. Up to 30 characters.

If you have a premium account on LinkedIn, a different option is to use one of LinkedIn’s custom buttons. You can choose:

• Visit my store
• Visit my website
• Visit my portfolio
• Visit my blog
• Sign up for a demo

And then simply add the link you want to direct them too. You can see in my profile where I have added a “Sign up for a Demo” button with link to our FlyMSG simulator👇🏻

Here’s a great Agents of Change Podcast with Kate Paine about How to Use Creator Mode on LinkedIn.

5. Include Keywords and Phrases in Your LinkedIn Profile Headline

Your LinkedIn headline should not be your job title or job position! Your headline is one of the first places people look. So how do you enhance your LinkedIn headline to entice your potential buyer to click into your profile? We’ve got you covered:

• A Buyer-Centric Headline
• Writing a LinkedIn Headline
• Elements of a Buyer-Centric LinkedIn Profile Headline
• LinkedIn Headline Examples for Sales Reps
• Create Your New Headline
• How to Update Your LinkedIn Headline

Make sure to use the 220 characters allowed in your headline to speak to your audience.

Address who you help, what their challenge, struggle or point of pain is, and demonstrate how you help them. Include keywords and phrases about your area of specialization.

6. Emphasize Value in Your About Section

First and foremost, your LinkedIn profile About section (formerly called your LinkedIn Summary) should be buyer-centric. In fact – all social marketing and social selling should be buyer centric!

You have 2600 characters available in your LinkedIn About section to emphasize your value to the reader.

The LinkedIn Summary or About section primarily focuses on capturing the attention of potential employers, clients, business partners, and anyone intrigued by your professional and personal brand.

Here’s why you should emphasize value in this section for these audiences:

1. Potential Employers: for job seekers, your About section should clearly communicate the value you can bring to a potential employer. This could include your key skills, significant achievements, and how you’ve contributed to past roles.
2. Clients: If you’re a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, your About section should highlight the value you can provide to clients. This could include the problems you can solve, the results you’ve achieved for other clients, and why you’re uniquely qualified to help.
3. Business Partners: If you’re looking to collaborate or form partnerships, your About section should emphasize the value you can bring to a potential partnership. This could include your network, skills, resources, or unique insights.
4. General Networking: For anyone in your professional network who might view your profile, your About section is an opportunity to communicate your professional identity and the value you bring to your industry or field.

Remember, your About section should be buyer-centric or audience-centric. It should not just be about you, but about how you can help or provide value to the reader. It’s also important to include keywords relevant to improve the visibility of your profile in LinkedIn searches.

At Vengreso we say, “Make your LinkedIn Profile a Resource, not an Online Resume.” To ensure that your content becomes a valuable resource, it is essential to incorporate buyer-centric keywords that enable your target audience to easily discover and engage with your material.

And while LinkedIn SEO optimization is vital, the flow of your LinkedIn About section, the story you tell and the insights you provide, are even more critical.

A buyer-centric summary builds positive sentiment and credibility.

7. Add Media to Your Featured and Experience Sections 

Adding media to your LinkedIn Featured and Experience sections can significantly enhance your profile for several reasons:

1. Showcase Your Work: Media files such as images, videos, presentations, or documents can provide tangible evidence of your skills, projects, and accomplishments. It’s a way to showcase your work in a more dynamic and engaging format than just text.

2. Visual Appeal: Media makes your profile more visually appealing and engaging. A profile with relevant images or videos is likely to attract more attention and interest than a profile that’s purely text-based.

3. Provide More Information: Media can provide additional information that you may not be able to fully convey through text. For instance, a captivating video can offer a sneak peek into a noteworthy presentation you have given, while a meticulously crafted document can present an in-depth case study showcasing a successful project you have accomplished.

4. Boost Credibility: Sharing professional media content can boost your credibility. For instance, if you’ve been featured in a podcast, sharing that in your Featured section can enhance your reputation as an expert in your field.

5. SEO Benefits: When you add descriptions to your media, you can incorporate keywords that improve your profile’s visibility in LinkedIn and Google searches.

When adding media to your Featured and Experience sections, make sure to (you guessed it) use keywords in the titles and descriptions.

However, make sure that your title and description accurately represent the added media and aren’t just a list of keywords.

Of course, you want to share articles, testimonials, endorsements, white papers, use cases and other media that your reader could find useful.

Remember, the media you add should be professional and relevant to your industry, role, and the message you want to convey to profile visitors.

8. Add Keywords to Your Experience Section

Instead of merely listing your Job Title in your Experience section, add keywords and phrases next to your title. My job description’s actual title is Chief Visibility Officer, but my headline is:

CoFounder & Chief Visibility Officer, LinkedIn & Personal Branding Expert | Social Selling Training.

And then don’t forget to build out the 2000 characters in your experience section when you write this section. Your Experience reads a bit more like a LinkedIn resume.

That being said – you still want to focus on your network, how you and your company serve them, and even share an example or two about what you can do for them.

Remember, you want your LinkedIn profile to create value for your professional network and help you get found more in search results.

9. Customize your LinkedIn Personal URL

An optimized LinkedIn profile is not complete without having a customized LinkedIn profile URL!

When you Google “LinkedIn Expert” OR “Viveka von Rosen”, my LinkedIn profile is the first link under the paid ads that you are likely to see.

I’d have to pay a LOT for that placement (or be way better than I am at SEO), to get that kind of visibility if it wasn’t for LinkedIn.

You can do the same by replacing the automatic characters assigned by LinkedIn. Customizing your LinkedIn URL is a quick and effective method to create your own unique personal brand and guarantee that you will be easily discoverable when people are looking for you.

Customizing your LinkedIn URL

Customizing your URL is a simple process that can make your profile look more professional and easier to share. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log into your LinkedIn account and click on your profile picture at the top of your LinkedIn homepage to go to your profile.

2. On your profile page, click on the “Edit public profile & URL” link on the right side of the page.

3. This will take you to a new page where you’ll see a section on the right side labeled “Edit your custom URL”. Click on the pencil icon next to your current URL.

4. You’ll now be able to edit the last part of your URL. LinkedIn allows you to use 5-30 letters or numbers, but you cannot use spaces, symbols, or special characters.

5. After you’ve entered your new custom URL, click “Save”.

Remember, it’s best to use your name or a variation of it to make your profile easy to find. If your name is already taken, consider adding your middle initial, a number, or a relevant professional designation.

A personalized URL is particularly crucial for those with common names.

My profile URL is: linkedin.com/in/LinkedInExpert

10. Beef Up Your Profile with Additional Profile Sections

You can significantly enhance your LinkedIn profile by incorporating additional sections. By incorporating a wide variety of keywords and relevant phrases, these sections enable you to capture the exact terms your customers are using to find your products and services.

For instance, leverage the Accomplishments section of your profile.

Here, you can include Publications, Projects, and Organizations that you’ve been a part of or awards you’ve won. Some options may include case studies or venture projects.

In many cases, you didn’t do these in a silo. So, be sure to tag others. Then you’ll show up on their profile and begin to leverage their network in search engines’ results.

How to Add Your Additional Profile Sections on LinkedIn for better Profile Optimization

Improve the quality of your LinkedIn profile and strengthen your professional brand by adding supplementary sections that provide a broader perspective of your professional expertise and abilities.

By doing so, you will create a profile that is not only more robust but also more attractive and enticing to LinkedIn users

Here’s how you can do it:

First, log into your LinkedIn account and navigate to your profile page.

On your profile page, you’ll see an “Add profile section” button at the top of the page.

Click on this button to reveal a dropdown menu with various categories like “Background”, “Skills”, “Accomplishments”, and “Additional Information”.

Each category has several options. For instance, under “Background”, you can add work experience, education, licenses, and certifications.

Under “Accomplishments”, you can add projects, publications, patents, courses, and more.

To add a section, simply click on the option you want to add, fill in the relevant information in the form that appears, and then click “Save”.

Remember, the more complete your profile, the more attractive it is to potential employers, clients, or collaborators. It also increases your chances of appearing in LinkedIn search results.

11. Get Recommendations

Similar to Accomplishments, when someone writes a LinkedIn Recommendation that is published on your profile, you show up on their profile. And you become more findable. And it’s like Yelp for LinkedIn!

Best Practices for a LinkedIn Recommendation.

Securing a strong recommendation on LinkedIn can significantly enhance your profile’s credibility and appeal.

To get a good recommendation, start by identifying individuals who know your work well and can speak to your skills, accomplishments, and character. This could be a former supervisor, a colleague, a client, or even a mentor.

Reach out to them personally, explaining why you value their perspective and how a recommendation from them would be beneficial.

Be specific about what you’d like them to highlight, such as a project you collaborated on or a skill you’ve demonstrated.

Remember, it’s often helpful to offer to reciprocate with a recommendation for them as well. Lastly, always express your gratitude for their time and effort in providing a recommendation.

While the testimonial alone is powerful, the fact that it can help others find you more easily is a bonus.

12. Build Up Your LinkedIn Skills

The Skills section was originally designed for recruiters search to find candidates with the skills they were looking for. Consequently, having the right keywords and phrases here was essential for individuals using LinkedIn for their job search. But it’s so much more today – and really is essential for anyone wanting to maximize their LinkedIn SEO.

Make sure that your skills are not limited to “customer service,” “Leadership” or “Microsoft Office.”

Instead, include keywords and phrases that set you apart, such as “Strategic Selling Skills” or “Leadership Development” or “Social Selling Expert”. Then, get your friends, family, and co-workers to endorse you. Because on LinkedIn ‘s algorithm, at least as far as Skills, size matters.

13. Use #Hashtags in Your Posts

Using hashtags in your content (Publications, Updates, and videos) can massively increase your visibility and make your LinkedIn profile stand out. Especially when you add them to your Intro section in Creator Mode.

Hashtags are a prime opportunity for you to develop your thought leadership in specific topics, appear in searches, and create unique brand-related hashtags.

Using hashtags in your content (publications, profile, updates, and videos) can massively increase your visibility. This is a prime opportunity for you to develop your thought leadership in specific topics, appear on searches, and create unique brand-related hashtags.

According to Scott Ayers of Agorapulse Social Media Lab, LinkedIn posts using at least one hashtag received 29.59% higher impressions than posts that had no hashtags.

Consider adding:

• 1-2 very popular hashtags (you can see how many followers a hashtag has by using LinkedIn’s search).
• 1-2 “niche” hashtags – they might not have many followers – but your niche knows and uses them.
• 1-2 location-based hashtags (when relevant).
• 1-2 unique hashtags that only you or your company is likely to use (like #VengresoPics or #VengresoVids).This will help you find your own content and also support employee advocacy if you can get the rest of your company searching for and sharing content with those unique hashtags.

14. Create Native Videos for Better LinkedIn Profile Optimization

It’s unclear how LinkedIn and Google index native videos from a search engine optimization perspective. However, I do know, based on observations, that native video is being published by LinkedIn heavily—so the better you optimize your title and description, the more likely others will click through and watch. Don’t forget to include relevant hashtags!

15. Use Keywords in Your LinkedIn Lives

The description section of a LinkedIn Live is a great opportunity to use keywords. You can also use them in your titles and strategy when creating a Live show.

Find one or two Keywords that are “key” to your business (for us, it might be “#VengresoLive” or “Social Selling” or “Personal Branding” or “#LinkedInTips”) and use that in the name of your show.

Then promote the show every week.  Not only will you get great SEO, but you are also likely to go pretty far in positioning yourself as an expert in that field.

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

There are so many more areas to consider when optimizing your LinkedIn Profile

Obviously adding keywords to your LinkedIn photo and banner image, adding keywords to your job titles, and the content in your Experience and About (Summary) sections. Getting endorsements and testimonials that include keywords.

When writing your profile, don’t overuse the same keywords.

These keyword-stuffing techniques of the past no longer work and will not help with your LinkedIn optimization.

While you should include the most important keywords multiple times, don’t forget to include related options as well.

To put it simply, leveraging these tips about how to optimize a LinkedIn profile for SEO is just smart marketing.

Wrapping Up

Also, be sure to check out these 23 LinkedIn Tips & Tricks That Will Rock Your World. In this post I share a comprehensive list of LinkedIn tips and tricks that can help you fill your pipeline, find new prospects, and close more business.

Do your sellers have LinkedIn profiles with buyer-centric messaging that builds credibility? Do you need a LinkedIn Profile Makeover?

Click on the image below to read the Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Profiles for Sales Professionals to learn how to transform your reps’ profiles from resumes to resources.