Writing any sort of professional bio is a common source of discomfort for most people. It requires distilling the versatility of what you do into a few sentences, which can seem a bit daunting!
However, LinkedIn’s bio format is a bit more welcoming than most: it consists of specific sections that enable its users to distill their professional information easily and specifically. Lucky you!
According to HubSpot, LinkedIn beats Facebook and Twitter as a lead generation hub by 227%. It’s the best platform for attracting a professional network and community!
The LinkedIn bio wants you to distill your professional expertise in a way that’s compelling to recruiters, hiring managers, colleagues, potential clients and other contacts all at once – it should be useful to everyone who uses LinkedIn.
Moreover, a good LinkedIn bio makes it easy for recruiters to find your LinkedIn profile in a short time during their search for a particular candidate and does a good job of recommending you in front of recruitment companies due to its charming style and professional format. It’s important to really take care of it!
The first place for personal brand building, the bio section on your LinkedIn profile is just one of the features to showcase your notable milestones and connect with other professionals. Keep reading this article to find out how to make it work for you!
- What’s in a LinkedIn bio?
- What to think about when writing your LinkedIn bio
- Guidelines
- Do’s and Don’ts of creating your LinkedIn bio and profile
What’s in a LinkedIn bio?
Let’s dive into the sections of the LinkedIn bio and how to compose each one in such a way that it helps you. Here is a detailed expansion of all available sections in your bio:
Name and surname
This section requires you to include the name by which you are best recognized in your industry and with their business brand. Usually, that will be your birth name.
Profile photo
Include a clear profile picture. A headshot is your best option since it will communicate professionalism and seriousness.
Don’t use an old profile picture as it won’t win you points with interested people in your industry – this is not a dating site and honesty will always be rewarded!
Invest in a well-lighted headshot since visuals are a great way to get your personal brand in the mind of recruiters. LinkedIn profiles that feature photos of their users get 21% more responses in terms of profile views, and they receive 36 times more messages.
Here’s a great example of this:
Headline
Make sure to create a headline and subheadline that are hard to ignore! You can stay in the box by simply stating what you do for work, or you can create something that leans more toward creativity and specificity with a more original approach.
Try taking it up a notch and use your subheadline to highlight your absolute best feature. It’s a way to show how you do what you do! Here’s a great example from content marketer Brooklin Nash‘s profile and how he uses his headline and write in the subhead “B2B content that isn’t boring AF.”
Cover photo
Always add a relevant cover picture!
Humans process visuals faster than text, so having an eye-grabbing cover photo is important. One way to take advantage of that space is to create a background photo that explains what you do – specifically your skills and what results they can bring – in a few key words.
Name of profession and position in work
In your LinkedIn bio, there’s a section to highlight the current job you have. Additionally, you can include the details of your position in the headline, to make it even more evident.
Industry and hashtags
This section provides an efficient way to display the industry you work in by way of hashtags. A hashtag is a straightforward way of communication and can make you more easy to discover! So instead of creating extensive descriptions of what you do or what issues you are concerned with, use hashtags.
Education
Here you can input the university or college you’ve attended. It attracts people who also went to the same institution or others who are interested in that sort of status symbol. And it’s a good way to simply illustrate your life journey!
Location
Always make sure you are easy to find! Put details about your location for prospective recruiters to see, as well as for other users to simply know where you are.
Contact information
There is a separate tab on your LinkedIn bio for all the contact information you want to provide. This tab has provisions to include your email address, personal website, birthday and more, to make sure you are easy to reach and don’t miss out on any opportunities.
An active link
Lastly, this section allows you to include any link of your choice. It’s advisable to include one that’s relevant to your business, for instance your website or your online store.
What to think about when writing your LinkedIn bio
You need to have a plan when you write your LinkedIn bio! There are several questions you should answer for yourself.
What makes your job interesting? Be creative in your answer and don’t be scared of showing your personality!
What makes you most valuable in your role? You can brag a little – people need to be intrigued by you.
How have you personally helped your company, department or clients? Show that you care and that you are a valuable worker.
What’s one thing not in your job description that relates to why you’re so successful? Maybe you want to include a line about volunteering, about writing in your free time, or about a previous role you’ve held.
Why do you do what you do? What drives you? If you can communicate how inspired you are by what you do, you will gain the respect and admiration of people.
Who is your reader? Who are you hoping to reach? Keep your target audience in mind so that you can write something that will resonate with them.
Will you be using LinkedIn to find a new position? Be clear about your goals.
Are you using the platform to connect with thought leaders and experts in your industry? Don’t hesitate to spell that out and make it clear.
Will you be recruiting new employees through LinkedIn? Again, make sure there’s no confusion possible!
Guidelines
Define your audience
Before writing a LinkedIn bio, you must be very clear about the goal behind making your LinkedIn profile, as well as who are your target readers.
If you are the job seeker, you must prepare your profile by keeping the psychology of recruiters in your mind. Try to put yourself in their shoes!
However, if you are an employer, the job seekers should find you easily by throwing a single glance at your LinkedIn bio and profile.
Any good writer knows the fine art of research. Before you start writing your bio, find a few examples that inspire you. Start with some thought leaders in your industry and branch out from there. You can find original ideas outside your niche, too!
Be specific
Instead of writing “I have a track record of success,” try something more specific, such as “I increased sales by 10% in my first year.”
Instead of “I have strong communication and organizational skills,” try “My favorite part of my job is meeting new people and learning new things.”
Any time you catch yourself falling back on cliches, try instead to think of a personal anecdote or professional win that is unique to you. Being specific and personal will help you stand out from the crowd!
Use keywords
Use words related to your brand – that is, words that will clearly indicate what you or your project are about.
Remember how you search for products, services, specific brands or people yourself – this is how others are looking, too!
By using keywords, you will get people used to associating important terms with you. For example, if you have a content marketing company, ask yourself how you want people to talk about your service. Let’s assume that you bet on words such as “convert,” “SaaS,” or “optimize.” Make sure you use them throughout your posts on LinkedIn consistently!
Do’s and don’ts of creating your LinkedIn bio and profile
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Use visuals
Your presentation is also something to think about, considering the internet is a highly visual place. It’s a principle that also translates to your LinkedIn profile and your visuals are a huge part of solidifying that first impression that will help make you memorable. |
Don’t be too modest
While bragging is sometimes negatively perceived by people, your bio is a place where it is advisable to talk about your successes and accolades. Therefore, in your bio, don’t be afraid to present the extent of your work and your successful results. |
| Add a slogan
Many well known brands choose to include their slogan in their bio. It’s a consistent way to introduce who you are and show off your mission in an easy way! |
Don’t mention unemployment
The truth is, a lot of us go through periods of unemployment in our job search journey due to a million different reasons that are all completely okay. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s something you want to include in your profile! Even if that leaves a gap in your employment timeline, it’s best to leave that out. Omit that part of your work history instead, and trust that people will understand. |
| Tell your audience what you care about
You can also highlight your values, goals and ideals. Show that your business is much more than just a way for you to earn money. Speak about the fact that you promote, for example, a healthy lifestyle, conscious shopping or that you support the development of technology in your region or field. |
Don’t use buzzwords
Leave the tired jargon for other people. Though LinkedIn is full of digital profiles, there are real people behind them looking to connect with others! Jargon lessens your chances of connecting and leaves you sounding stuck up and irrelevant. You need to convey your message in simple language. Clarity is paramount! |
| Edit your bio every few months
Think of your LinkedIn bio as a living and breathing resume. In other words, it never stops evolving! As your career evolves, you will accept new positions, work with new clients and learn additional skills, and each of your profile sections will need to reflect that. Schedule a checkpoint moment every few months to update it. |
Don’t leave sections blank because you think they don’t apply
If you’re new to an industry, looking for a completely new job, or you’re just entering the workforce, you might not have the relevant skills that are must-haves in your industry. However, this isn’t an excuse to leave the most important parts of your profile blank. Try to fill them in as best as you can! |
With all these tips, you should be able to come up with a great LinkedIn bio that will get people interested in you and what you’re all about!
For more help with using LinkedIn, check out this article about scheduling your LinkedIn posts, and if you are making LinkedIn part of your marketing strategy, check out our Ultimate Guide!
