Admittedly, it took me a long time to put any effort toward my LinkedIn profile. I’d signed up for an account years ago, but since I was a freelance writer and the site seemed more for corporate types, I put zero effort towards sprucing my image up at LinkedIn. Recently, however, I’ve begun to see the value in LinkedIn and have taken more of an interest in how my profile appears.

Here are a few quick tips I’d like to share:

LinkedIn Profile Tip #1: Add a Photo of Yourself

I know a lot of us who work online value our anonymity, but when you’re seeking new business connections, an actual photo really does make a difference. Ask yourself this: are you more inclined to do business with a professional who offers you a real name and image or someone offering a make believe screen-name with a cartoon character as their profile pic? The former, right? Simply put, if you want people to respect you as a professional, unless you’re in a witness protection program, it’s in your best interest to offer a professional looking photograph along with information about your business and your skills.

LinkedIn Profile Tip #2: Add a Background

With a proper photo in place, the next step in improving the appearance of your LinkedIn profile is to add a background. Same as you would for Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus, LinkedIn also allows you to get creative with a unique background to make your page look more appealing. The typical dimensions for a LinkedIn background are 1400 x 425. I recently changed mine using the preset Twitter Background selection in Canva, removed the text from a free one I liked and uploaded it in a matter of seconds.

LinkedIn Profile Tip #3: Use Your Headline to Really Sell Yourself

Get creative with the headline in your LinkedIn profile. Don’t just put something ordinary like ‘photographer’ or ‘writer’, but use that space beneath your name to really spell out who you are and what you do. Try something like ‘Director of Photography at XYZ Corp.’ or ‘Editor-in-Chief of Blah, Blah, Blah Blog’. If you need a few ideas, spend some time cruising LinkedIn and see how others are making use of this free space.

LinkedIn Profile Tip #4: Include a Well-Written Summary

For a long time, I left my LinkedIn profile with just the most basic resume information available for viewing. After several potential clients asked for my LinkedIn profile link and a few clients even asked me to help them work on retooling their profiles, I began to realize the need to improve my own professional image on the site. In addition to implementing some of the very tips shared here, I placed my focus on publishing a solid professional summary.

Beyond space to write about your experience, education and skills, LinkedIn offers a separate field dedicated to a summary of all of these things. Think of your summary as a generic cover letter. One where you’re putting your best foot forward in showing a potential client who you are and how you can help improve their business with your skill set. Let a bit of your personality shine through in your summary and be sure to double check your copy for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation before publishing.

Any Tips For Updating a LinkedIn Profile?

Have you updated your profile lately? Do you have questions about what to include in your LinkedIn profile? Share this post with a friend who needs it and be sure to leave your tips and questions in the space below.