Top 12 Tips for Personal Branding on LinkedIn
Want to build personal branding on LinkedIn? Follow these 12 proven steps to increase visibility, credibility, and business opportunities on LinkedIn.
It doesn’t matter what field you are in, without having a strong social media presence, you’re sure to struggle. With social media evolving rapidly, building your brand is far more crucial than ever. But what platform should we choose? With too many platforms available, it’s quite easy to get lost.
However, despite having too many options, LinkedIn stands on top of all platforms when it comes to Personal Branding.
LinkedIn is designed for professional who wants to build their network and drive business growth. That is why LinkedIn is the perfect fit for you to showcase your expertise with potential clients.
If you’re thinking about establishing yourself as an expert in your job field and building your own personal brand on LinkedIn, then stick with me.
In this article, I will guide you through some basic concepts on what actually is Personal Branding, why it is crucial for your business, and how you can build authority in your industry with my 12 proven strategies that will help you Boost Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What is Personal Branding and why it matters?
Personal Branding is the process of creating a unique online identity that showcases your skills, values, and uniqueness, making you stand out in your job field.
It is the impression people have when they hear or remember your name. For instance when you hear the names
Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Former CEOs of Apple and Microsoft, right?
Similarly, the goal is to create a strong grip in your job field using personal branding.
When you are looking to grow your career or business, having a personal brand is a must. It gives you:
- Authority in your field
- Trust and authenticity among your audience
- Ranking as a specialist
- New business opportunities
Personal branding is not about selling yourself; it’s about being yourself and letting your value shine.
Your personal brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room.
12 Steps of Personal Branding on LinkedIn
1. Change your Profile Picture and Banner:
Your profile picture and banner are the first things a person sees when they visit your profile. So you need to ensure that this first impression should not go wasted.
Things you need to do:
- Always use a high-resolution image that has good lighting and the photo should be a professional-looking headshot of yours. (Avoid taking others on your profile pic)
- Ensure you are well dressed according to your industry.
- Don’t add blurry or busy backgrounds, instead use a neutral color or your brand color as background.
- You can use Canva or Adobe Express to create a visually appealing design.
- And make sure you add your tagline, expertise, or contact details to the banner.
I have a detailed blog on how you can optimize your Profile Picture and Banner for better personal branding. You can read that after this.
2. Make your Profile SEO Friendly:
The goal is to make your profile visible when somebody searches with relevant keywords like your skills, job roles, niche, or industry. This is crucial for building your brand more fast and enhancing searchability on LinkedIn.
Things you need to do:
- If you’re still confused about selecting your niche, ask yourself these 2 simple questions; What service do I offer, and why would people pay for it? Answering these questions will help you find your niche and stay focussed on your goal.
- Now that you’ve selected your niche, take your notebook out and start researching your industry-related keywords. (you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or LinkedIn search suggestions for this)
- Now you can start adding those keywords naturally to your headline, About section, and work experience. (this enhances search visibility)
- Keep your job title clear and specific with keyword-rich descriptions.
- And don’t forget to customize your LinkedIn URL (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname).
3. Add an Interesting Headline:
A LinkedIn headline is a short text that appears under your profile name. This short text describes, who you are, what you do, and how you can add value to others. The best part? This text shows up almost everywhere. So let’s see how we can utilize this feature correctly.
- The headline should sound natural and give your viewers a clear picture of you, so instead of just adding your job title try to explain what you do and how you help in as short and simply as possible. (You can use chat GPT to write an Interesting Headline.)
- Highlighting your skills & expertise and even adding some keywords from your niche will also work.
- Whatever you do, make sure it’s simple & scannable. (Most people don’t read much. They just scan it)Â
If you want to learn more about how to use chat GPT for generating a LinkedIn headline, we have a detailed article on that.
4. Improvise your LinkedIn Profile Summary (About):
A LinkedIn Profile Summary gives you the chance to tell your story and show what makes you stand out. The main focus is to keep it short, authentic, focused on value, and easy to analyze. Not everyone will read your full Summary, most will only read the headings. So you have to use a good framework to hold your visitor’s interest.
- You can start with a strong hook that grabs attention
- Use some popular writing frameworks like AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), PAS (Problem, Agitation, Solution), or Storytelling Framework, etc. ( Learn more about Frameworks)
- Share your journey and show how you add value ( make sure you don’t sound Robotic, use a natural friendly tone)
5. Create High-Value Unique Content:
Content is KING. You can attract potential leads to your business using value content. LinkedIn algorithm pushes freshly written human content that resonates with the audience. So content creation is the best way to promote your personal brand.
Here’s what you need to do:Â
- Write fresh, humanized content and actively post it on LinkedIn 2-3 times a week.
- Share your industry insights, personal experiences, and success stories that resonate the most.Â
- Always use frameworks to write your content. (when you are just starting, it’s better to follow frameworks)
- Make your content easily scannable. (Add headings, subheadings, and bullet points where needed)
- Don’t just stick with the same content types, instead use a mix of text posts, carousels, and short videos for better engagement.
6. Use Visuals and Infographics in your Content:
Visuals are the backbone of every content. No matter how good your content is, if it’s not eye-catching– people won’t read it. People just love engaging visuals.
Adding some eye-catching images, infographics, carousels, or videos is enough to make your boring text content interesting. Â
Some people prefer gathering information from texts and some prefer visuals. Since we’re targeting both types of audiences, It’s better to use both texts and visuals side by side.
- You can use Canva or PowerPoint to Create carousels. But if you are lazy like me, you can simply use AI.
- Turn your data, tips, or industry trends into infographics.
- You can also use screenshots, charts, and before-after comparisons. It’s easy to make and people simply love watching it.
- But make sure these visuals are branded with your brand colors and fonts.
7. Like and Comment on Others' Posts:
Liking and commenting consistently is a great way to connect with your ideal prospect, as it helps you build relationships and increases visibility organically.Â
Things you need to do:
- Select 10-15 industry leaders and engage with their posts on a daily basis.
- Always comment and reply with thoughtful messages that add value. (Don’t just reply “Great Post” try to drive a conversation with them naturally, you can do it by asking open-ended questions or giving an appropriate solution to their pains )
- Always try to like and comment as fast as you can. This increases your chances of getting a reply soon.
8. Build Connections with Other Influencers:
Just perform a short research for top voices in your industry and make sure you follow them this will Build Connections. Here are some tips on how to make it count.
- Take your research list and visit each influencer’s post to like and comment. Then politely send them a connection request.
- You can also DM them with a personalized message instead of sending generic text.
- Your goal is to offer collaborations (e.g., guest posts, podcast invites, LinkedIn Lives).
9. Send and Accept Connection Requests:
Sending and accepting Connection Requests are crucial parts of growing your network. You can personalize your request with a short connection message that will make your first impression memorable.
Things you need to do:
- Send up to 30-35 connection requests daily to grow your network. But don’t overdo it, because the LinkedIn algorithm might think you are doing some automation as it is strictly forbidden.
- Make sure to Personalize each connection request with a short intro and mention their first name. (this creates a good impression)
- Accept connection requests only from your niche. (avoid random connections to stay focussed)
- Make sure to send a warm welcome message after you connect with your targeted audience.
If you are curious about crafting hyper-personalised messages that convert – read our full blog.
10. Join different Podcasts, Groups, or Industry Events:
Search for relevant LinkedIn Groups from your industry and request to join as it can boost your personal brand visibility.
- You can actively participate in discussions by commenting and sharing insights.
- Also, join different industry events, webinars, or LinkedIn audio sessions that will help you gain visibility.
- If possible, be a guest on a podcast relevant to your industry and share it on LinkedIn.
11. Seek for Endorsements & Recommendations:
Social proof does matter! You can Endorse skills for others so they return the favor.
- Ask your past clients, colleagues, or mentors for recommendations.
- To make it easier, you can provide a template when you’re asking for recommendations.
12. Utilize LinkedIn’s Featured Section:
Finally, you can highlight your expertise and achievements by adding your top-performing posts, case studies, articles, media links, or presentations in the Featured Section. This will help people know your work better.
Things you need to do:
- First, navigate to the Featured section.
- Then click “Add” and upload your top-performing posts, case studies, media links, or presentations.
- You can also pin the best-performing ones.
- And lastly, update your work to keep it relevant.
Bonus tips:
- LinkedIn growth can take time so be patient and stay consistent
- Track every type of content you post and analyze what works best.
- Don’t stop networking. Keep engaging with the right people.
- Last but not least, don’t be afraid to showcase your personality and expertise!
Final Thoughts
Most people treat LinkedIn only as a resume, but it’s more than just a resume. LinkedIn is your personal brand. So it’s up to you if you would like to unlock its full potential or not. It’s not as complicated as most people think, you just have to look for another angle and it will position you as an authority in your field, attract the right connections, and open business opportunities. What do you think?
12 Steps of Personal Branding on LinkedIn
