So you know you want to get your LinkedIn up, raring to go and ready to start expanding your audience, but you also realise that your LinkedIn probably needs a little bit of TLC. Let me guess, the last time you updated it was when you were working for that random company four years ago and since then you’ve avoided the professional platform like the plague?
Yep, gotcha.
Well, you’re in luck, we’ve done the hard work for you by working with some incredible entrepreneurs, founders and C-Suite executives to realign their LinkedIn & launch their voice onto the platform with confidence and ease.
This blog is packed with tangible information that you can take away and do it for yourself and your LinkedIn, but if you’re not that keen on doing it yourself…you know where we are (hint hint).
Okay, let’s get to it.
Why LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has matured in a way we never thought possible, from the pre-pubescent teenager that liked to build a pretty CV picture to the confident adult that uses their voice, tells their story and builds an audience through vulnerability, storytelling and skill.
LinkedIn is becoming the go-to platform to tell your story, grow your network and showcase your skills without having to faff around with video editing or creating a pretty grid.
For us, it’s timeless and it’s ready to be utilised…yesterday.
But we totally understand, you’re here because your LinkedIn is still in that pre-pubescent phase and there’s nothing wrong with that, we’re just glad you’re ready to take the bull by the horns and mature it at pace.
How To Upgrade Your LinkedIn In Four Steps
Who’s ready? We’re ready. Let’s go.
Step 1: Get clear on who you are as a person
Sounds simple right?
Wrong.
We’re all confused lost children running around in circles trying to figure out who we are, plus if we throw entrepreneurship in or running a business, we genuinely are even more confused about who we are as individuals when we remove the concrete elements.
However, I have good news…we all have a story.
We all have the smaller moments that added up to create the bigger moments, that created our businesses or bought the plane ticket, or brought us to want to put our voices out into the world on LinkedIn.
Who we are runs so much deeper than just your business, it’s the foundation of your message and to bring that out front and centre (not too much oversharing I promise) means getting clear on your journey.
So before you even begin to think about your LinkedIn bio I want you to do the following:
- Write out your journey, all the moments that mean something to you, that changed your perspective, that created your business. Bullet point them out.
- Then I want you to write out the things you are most passionate about — think about what lights you up the most when you’re speaking out loud.
- Think about who you want to speak to directly, write out their problems, their passions, and why they should work with you.
- Then write down the transformation they would go through by working with you.
Perfect, we have some foundations.
Next up.
Step 2: Realign your LinkedIn profile
It’s time to up your LinkedIn profiles GAME my friend, we’ve been upping the skill level across all our clients, and we don’t just do it once…we’ll continue to revisit it throughout the time they work with us to ensure it stays on brand and aligned with their journey.
Firstly let’s discuss the ‘Header’ section, this is the line underneath your picture — it usually stipulates what it is that you do, for example:
LinkedIn Ghostwriter
CEO of I’m Amazing At LinkedIn Profiles
Social Media Manager
etc, etc.
The list goes on and everyone has something slightly different, however, this line is also what’s searchable on LinkedIn and people will usually stumble upon your beautiful profile due to what’s written there.
So — get clear.
What is it that you do?
Can you add something a little extra in? Such as who you actually help?
Instead of just: LinkedIn Ghostwriter, I would write: LinkedIn Ghostwriter | Supporting time-poor entrepreneurs build an audience on LinkedIn
Next up.
Your bio.
Please, please do not just write bullet points of your skills and hobbies — tell a story!
The first line is your headline, make sure it’s catchy enough for someone to want to click ‘read more’.
Then I want you to talk about your industry in a small paragraph/sentence, followed by what you do as a whole: You help who, do what? Tell me again, please.
Next, I want you to tell me how you help people by doing what you do — even if you work in a company as an employee, you’re helping people do something, tell us!
Third in line, let’s edit that experience section.
Don’t just note down where you work, I want you to tell people in the description section what you brought to the table, don’t hold back.
Finally, let’s discuss your banner.
Please don’t just put another photo of your face, create a catchy banner.
Take a look at other creators here, what have they got? Does it have a CTA? Do you need a CTA for your website or email sign-up?
Hire a graphic designer if you feel lost here, it’s worth the spend.
Step 3: Build a content strategy
So, we’re all here for one reason and one reason only and that’s to launch ourselves onto LinkedIn — so our strategy doesn’t need to be overcomplicated.
If anything, the more you hone in on one platform to start, the better the outcome, plus you then build up a bank of content that can be later utilised across other platforms. You do not need to be everywhere all at once remember this.
Let’s start with going back to Step 1, all those notes you made about you & your business, you’re going to start pulling ideas out and putting them under sub-headings.
- Pain (what pains have your clients faced, have you faced etc)
- Problem (the problems you see the most in your field of work)
- Proof (how you have created transformation)
- Philosophy (your beliefs, your story, what made you…you)
Try and aim to get 5 ideas under each one, that way you will have 20 content ideas, which technically could mean 20 posts, but try not to think like that just yet.
I want you to take it easy with LinkedIn to start, don’t get yourself overwhelmed or stuck in the comparison trap, start slow and build up — I believe in you.
The first post should be you announcing yourself back to the LinkedIn world, a little about what you do & for LinkedIn to be kind.
Next, start sharing more of your story, what you do and how you do it.
Aim for 3 posts per week to start.
Pre-write these posts, try not to write on the spot, it’ll only put you off.
Choose a time that works best for you to post consistently, most choose around 8:30am/9am, when people are on that pre-work scroll vibe.
Next, start interacting with other creators, connect, follow, and comment on posts — it’ll work in your favour, trust me.
If you’re still a little confused, take a read of our content strategy blog here.
Step 4: Start posting on LinkedIn
Yep, it’s time to take your words and start posting.
Like I wrote above, take it easy, slow your pace down and don’t overthink it.
Make sure your first line has a hook, you want people to stop their scroll and click ‘read more’.
This means keeping it on the shorter side and follow the first line with another little insight into why people should be reading.
Deliver value, and don’t be scared to give away some secrets or home truths.
Be honest. Honesty and vulnerability lead to trust.
Don’t be scared to get it wrong or get zero likes — the fact you are showing up means more than anything, there are THOUSANDS of people observing and viewing, and not as many creating, you’re already one step ahead of everyone.
Lastly, have fun — you putting your voice into the world is so incredibly important and brave, have fun with it!
In Conclusion
Building your audience does not happen overnight, but if you work through these four steps to upgrade your LinkedIn you’re onto a winner.
Remember to look at what others are doing, how they’re writing and creating, and find your style, voice and consistency.
If you’d like to book a strategy session to get clear on how you can upgrade your LinkedIn, book in here.
