The Top Mistakes to Avoid on Your LinkedIn Profile and How to Fix Them
For many professionals, LinkedIn is now essential to maintaining an active and successful career. It’s well worth taking the time to periodically review and refine your profile to make the most of the opportunities it can provide. To help you get better results from your LinkedIn profile, we’ve put together this list of the top mistakes to avoid and how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Lacking Purpose
One of the most common mistakes is to have a profile that isn’t clear or lacks purpose. This can happen when you neglect to elaborate on the background, explain why you’re on LinkedIn and what you’re trying to achieve from it.
How to fix it
Start by taking a step back to look at your profile from the perspective of someone new to your profile. Invest a little time in developing your introduction and summary for your profile. These are great places to explain who you are, what you do and what makes you unique.
Mistake #2: Using Default Headlines
The headline is one of the most visible parts of your profile and by neglecting to make it unique, you could be missing out. The headline is especially important when you’re looking for a new job, as this is where employers will often go first to make a judgement on your profile.
How to fix it
Spend time on making sure your headline expresses your unique proposition. This can be done by adding a summary, emphasizing experience or certification, or using a targeted call-to-action that describes what service or solution you offer.
Mistake #3: Failing to Use Keywords
Look at your profile from the perspective of a potential employer working in a particular industry or industry sector. People often forget to add keywords in the headline, summary and description. While not necessary for everyone, this might be an effective approach for those looking to target certain areas or industries.
How to fix it
The goal should be to make sure potential employers or prospective customers can find your profile from a quick search. Take a few minutes to research the most relevant and important keywords to add to your profile.
Mistake #4: Inconsistency of Image and Messages
Your profile should look as professional as your resume and CV. A profile with bits and pieces of information will quickly turn off a potential employer or even a sophisticated AI recruitment system.
How to fix it
Your profile should have a consistent theme and contain visual elements such as a consistent background image, headshots and a professional logo. Inconsistent messaging throughout your profile can also be an issue. Take the time to make sure each section is comprehensive, consistent and adds value to the end user.
Mistake #5: Too Much Length
Another mistake many people make is to write a profile that’s too long, with too much information on each section.
How to fix it
Don’t forget that people are scanners and are usually looking for the key pieces of information only. Take a fresh look at your profile and make sure that you provide enough, but not too much information. Also try to use bullet points or lists whenever possible, as these make for a far more digestible profile.
Mistake #6: Not Optimizing for Search
The goal should be to make sure potential employers can find your profile via a quick search. People often neglect to add search engine optimization (SEO) elements to make sure their profile stands out and is more easily found.
How to fix it
Try to add a few relevant keywords related to your profession or industry in each section of your profile. This could include your skills, job title and the companies you’ve worked for. Also use industry terminology wherever possible, as those are the words that are likely to be used in searches.
Mistake #7: Not Including Relevant Links
Relevant links are a valuable addition to any profile, but many people forget to do this. Links can help clearly demonstrate your experience, showcase portfolio items, or publications that are connected to what you do.
How to fix it
Think about including past job titles or companies that are related to your current role, and lay out the business problems you solved. Include any links to relevant and credible content online, such as transcripts of presentations, articles and videos that demonstrate your skills.
Mistake #8: Neglecting your Endorsements and Recommendations
One of the most important sections of LinkedIn profiles is endorsements or references from former or current employers. This can help boost your credibility, just as good references and references will continue to be useful.
How to fix it
Think strategically about who you’re asking for endorsements and recommendations. Don’t be afraid to ask and make sure to let people know what compliments you would like to receive. Also, ask for them on an ongoing basis so that you’re always keeping your profile up-to-date.
Mistake #9: Lack of Engagement and Interaction
LinkedIn is essentially a social network that relies on quality relationships to succeed. You don’t want to be seen as an inactive user who’s simply posting their resume; you want to be engaging with people and showing your personality.
How to fix it
Try to engage with people on their profile, participate in group conversations, comment on articles, and reach out to people in different industries. Also, use stories to bring your profile to life and share experiences other can relate to.
Mistake #10: Not Linking to Other Social Profiles
LinkedIn works together with other social media profiles and it can be a useful way to increase your visibility and credibility.
How to fix it
Think about including external links to other social profiles, such as Twitter and Facebook, to further engage people and share your content with a larger audience.
As you can see, there are a number of mistakes you can make on your LinkedIn profile that can hinder you from making maximum use of the platform. We’ve gone through some of the top mistakes people make, how to fix them and some best practices for a successful profile. With a bit of attention to detail, you can ensure your profile is optimized for success.