I’ve been spending a lot of time on LinkedIn lately because… no one else is. This is a HUGE advantage to me, but lucky for you, whatever works for me, I share here, so be sure to bookmark this page and get out your notebook because you’re gonna need it!
There’s so much involved with LinkedIn, some things I’m still learning myself so I might end up turning this into a series but for now let’s talk about why I can’t get enough of LinkedIn.
The biggest benefit to using LinkedIn is that there aren’t really any algorithms like there are on other platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Not only that, but there are barely any influencers using the platform as there are 9-5 professionals.
What does this mean for you? Now is the time to strike!
The problem with influencers struggling to be successful on social media is most of the time, they’re late to the party. Being the first to market (one of the first people on the platform) will HUGELY benefit your business. In fact, it’s why most, if not all, macro-influencers are so macro!
The ideal influencer profile
Name: There is a lot in a name so think about your brand before you go creating a LinkedIn account using your birth name. I personally use my brand name which is Brittany Grace. I do this to stay consistent across all platforms.
Headline: Your LinkedIn “headline” is equivalent to your “name” on Instagram. Both should be optimized with key words/phrases for search results. Like Instagram, LinkedIn is a great search tool and headlines are used as keywords that show up in people’s search results.
For example, if you list yourself as a fashion influencer, anytime someone searches “fashion influencer” you’ll show up. If you list yourself as a beauty expert anytime someone is searching for a “beauty expert” you’ll be there.
Current position: You want to think strategically for this one as well. How do you want to be perceived on LinkedIn? What role do you want people to recognize you for?
Industry: Adding your industry helps categorize you in a bucket in case someone searches LinkedIn by industry instead of job title.
Let’s say someone’s looking to hire in retail but they’re not really sure who they want to hire. That person will search under “retail” and everyone who has listed “retail” as their industry will show up – this includes social media managers, consumer insights, business development managers, etc.
The only downside is there isn’t an option for “influencer” or “fashion” so I recommend adding “online media”, “marketing & advertising” or “apparel & fashion” as your industry since influencers kind of encompass all of those things.
Header: If you don’t have one, I’d recommend making your blog logo into a LinkedIn header for branding purposes.
You want people to know exactly where they are when they come to your profile, especially if you have a full-time job somewhere else. You want to act as if… meaning as if you’re blogging full-time and I assure you, full-time bloggers have their logo as a header on LinkedIn and if they don’t… tell them to come see me!
About: Your about section is extremely important. Think of it as the bio on any of your other social media platforms or the about page on your blog. At a glance it should explain who you are, what you do, and how you can help – all the elements of an elevator pitch.
You also want to be strategic with placement. There is so much psychology in the placement of certain things online and in person. For example, if you’re trying to grow your email list you might want to have your email offer as the first line of your about section. If you’re trying to grow your Instagram you could have a link to your IG as the first line in your about section.
Side note: should I do a post on “product” placement?! (Comment below!)
You could even incorporate your media kit into your about section by listing a few notable past brand collaborations. If the purpose of your LinkedIn is to attract and work with brands, this would be the best way to set up your profile.
How your about section is set up depends greatly on your goal for LinkedIn.
Finally, you want people to be able to contact you, so please include your email address. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to jump through hoops to find someone’s email address. I know there’s an option to add it as a button on your profile but throw it in your about section too, so it’s an easy find. I personally have my email at the bottom of my about so people can learn more about me first before reaching out.
Experience: This section can be tricky. If blogging is your side hustle, your full-time employer might get a little upset if you don’t include them on your LinkedIn so instead, I would apply all relevant skills and responsibilities that are aligned with what you ultimately want to do in life.
For example, if you want to be a social media manager but you’re currently a receptionist, I wouldn’t add “ordering lunch” as your experience. I’d add something like “maintain strong customer relationships” since that’s essentially what a social media/community manager does.
If blogging is your full-time jam, you can just list your experience as a content creator (i.e. your day-to-day running a blog).
You want to make sure each experience description is well thought out and geared toward the types of people you want to attract. If you were able to grow your Instagram account to over 50,000 followers in one year, say that! If you were able to sell $25,000 worth of product during one partnership, say that!
Recommendations: Recommendations are basically referrals from people about what it was like working with you. If you have an amazing relationship with the director of influencer marketing at Revolve, you might want to consider reaching out for a recommendation.
The more recommendations, the better!
This will increase your chances of getting new brands to work with you because you have other people backing you up.
Skills: Adding skills to your LinkedIn profile is a fun way to share all you’re capable of. It’s basically for anything left off from your headline, about, or experience section.
It’s like showing future employers or clients what else they can expect from you. Maybe you’re an influencer with web design skills or maybe you’re a fashion merchandiser with graphic design skills.
Once you’ve established your “skills” you can have people endorse them which is confirmation that yes, you can do those things and yes, you’re good at them! Unlike recommendations, “endorsed” skills are super easy to get without asking.
Do you have LinkedIn? Find me HERE www.linkedin.com/in/gracebrittany and drop you URL below, let’s connect!
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