by Petra Fisher | Aug 2, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
Media on LinkedIn can stuff your reputation. If done without thought. Yup, gotta put thought into it. The banner on your LinkedIn profile strengthens or weakens your message. I explained this in “3 Things you need to know about your profile banner.” This goes for any media you add to your profile. Make sure it sends one clear message with the words on your profile.
TYPES OF MEDIA TO ENHANCE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
Below 5 ways to use media on LinkedIn that are pretty clever. First, let me tell you what types of media you can add to your profile.
- Video: if you are lucky, you can now record native video on LinkedIn (I haven’t got it yet (July 2017). You can also embed from 50+ providers such as YouTube, Vimeo or Hulu.
- Images: I love creating images with Canva and with Paint (scribbling on screenshots). You can upload an image from your computer or embed an image from sites such as Instragram, Dribble or Dinosaur Comics. Yeah right!
- Rich Media: I always struggle with this. What does the rich stand for? Also makes me wonder if we can display poor media on LinkedIn. LinkedIn gives Slideshare (which they happen to own 🙂 ), Prezi and Storify as examples.
You can also add ‘Audio’, ‘Products’ and ‘Other’ to your profile. Explore all 50+ options here, pretty much anything you can embed with embedly by the looks of it. (I got this from this page on LinkedIn Help).
5 CLEVER WAYS TO USE MEDIA ON LINKEDIN
- Counter attack prejudice.
- Showcase written publications.
- Conduct a mini lecture.
- Record a live video.
- Make a point.
1. An Armenian guy (3rd generation in The Netherlands) asked me: “When your last name is 5 syllables and your hair is pitch black, any idea what that does for your profile views?” Unfortunately, I understood his point. To counter attack he recorded a 1 minute video introducing himself. The main aim of the video was: prove he spoke flawless, accent-less Dutch.
2. If you’ve been published in a magazine, journal or newspaper there is not always a digital version to link to. You can take a picture of the publication and add this to your profile. Does miracles for establishing your authority. I published several articles in a Dutch Publication called “Marketing Rendement”. The generation that values paper publications is a dying breed, but we have not gone extinct just yet!
3. After you add media to LinkedIn, 2 items display without scrolling. I wrote 3, went to grab a screenshot and LinkedIn had changed it to 2! You can create three images that explain a topic to your audience or give step by step instructions. If you want to go over 2 images, write a table of contents on the first image, so people will know to scroll. Pay attention with uploading. The most recent upload displays first.
4. Social platforms always favour their own content. It won’t surprise me if LinkedIn will favour ‘native video’ over embedded video. What I like about live video (I use it on Facebook) is that people do not expect high tech quality. I do download the video afterwards, add captions, upload it to my YouTube channel and share it again. 85% of Facebook video is watched without sound. I have no doubt things on LinkedIn will go in the same direction.
5. Why would people read the articles you publish on LinkedIn? If you have a good title, that might entice people to click through. When people scroll quickly through their news feed an image stands out more than a text message. Always create a banner image for you LinkedIn articles that includes wording with the main point of your article.
>>> One of these days I shall follow up on my brilliant thought under point 3. How do you use media on LinkedIn? <<<
by Petra Fisher | Jul 8, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
People view your LinkedIn profile for your knowledge, experience and skills. You need to make sure though they actually stay on your profile long enough to read. You do this by (A) hitting the nail on the head with your first impression and (B) write in a tone that grabs them.
LINKEDIN PROFILE TIP: SHOW ME (DON’T TELL ME)
I can’t stress this enough in training and in blog posts. Don’t tell me what you are good at, show me! Let your experience and achievements do the talking. From your job title, I can guess most of your responsibilities, no need to write them down. Add your responsibilities as skills so people can endorse you. This validates your professionalism and they function as keywords.
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
You have no control over who visits (and reads) your profile. Your readers are as diverse as they come, so there is no pleasing them all. How about pleasing the ones you like? The people you dream of working with as your next client/partner/employer? That is SO MUCH EASIER than it seems! Stay close to yourself. Don’t pretend. Don’t use formal language if that is not you. The closer you stay to the true you the more your profile resonates with the people you’d LOVE to work with. Easy as that!
HOW NOT TO LOOSE YOUR PROFILE VISITOR
It is all very well to write a great LinkedIn Profile, but what if people don’t bother reading it? How do you keep them from visiting one of the other 500+ million members? You will need to make a killer first impression. As superficial as it sounds, your mugshot is the first go/no-go decision your reader makes.
Next up is your headline. It needs to state WHAT you do and WHO you it for. This tells your reader if it is worth their time to continue reading. If you kept them intrigued so far it is time to add a summary. This is where you introduce yourself. What makes you tick, your personality, what makes you stand out from the next person?
EASIER SAID THAN DONE?
I happened to write a workbook that guides you through all the steps and thinking involved. You still need to do the work, but I’ll be there (almost) to hold your hand. Grab your copy of the free LinkedIn Profile Workbook here or by clicking the button top right of this page.
>>>What is the first thing you’ll fix up on your profile after reading this post? Let me know in the comments below<<<
by Petra Fisher | Jul 4, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
Your LinkedIn Profile Headline is the most visible part of LinkedIn. I’ve already bored my followers out of their mind, explaining how the FULL headline is visible in Google search results. We all know it is one of the first things people notice on your profile.
FIRST IMPRESSION
- LinkedIn Profile Picture
- Your name
- LinkedIn Profile Headline
THE MAGIC LINKEDIN HOVER
See an update or comment by a person you don’t know? Hover over their name or picture and LinkedIn will give you a tonne of information. Is this a 1st or further removed connection? How many connections do you have in common? The option to directly message them and … the FULL LinkedIn Profile Headline of that person.
EDIT YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE HEADLINE
A funny thing happened recently: when you edit your headline on mobile you can go past the 120 characters! There appears to be a difference in devices:
- Desktop gives you 120 characters.
- Android gives you just a few more.
- Apple allows you to really extend your headline.
TWO TIPS FROM MY WORKSHOPS
Have a look at these two slides. The first one gives you tips about writing your LinkedIn Profile Headline. The second slide gives you some examples. You can opt to write a proper sentence, to use keywords or a combination of both (that is what I have). There is no right or wrong in that respect, chose what best suits you.
>>>Please copy/paste your headline in the comments with a link to your profile, someone might just need you!<<<
by Petra Fisher | May 23, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
Every professional photographer is going to kill me. Two out of these 5 tips they will argue vehemently against. Never mind, you want to look your best, professional self on LinkedIn right? Then these three tips are worth checking out.
MIRROR YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE PICTURE (1)
You want to have an open and welcoming posture towards your visitors. Your LinkedIn Profile Pictures sits smack, bang in the middle of your profile. On the homepage, where you share all your clever insights, you appear to the left of the writing. You want to make sure your shoulders are facing straight forward or turned in to the writing. If you face the wrong way: mirror your picture in any old picture viewing software, and upload that version to LinkedIn.
CROP YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE PICTURE (2)
You haven’t got your partner, dog or half empty bottle of booze in your pic right? I think you still want to crop a bit more. The ideal LinkedIn Profile Picture focuses on head and shoulders. It is so tiny, you want your face to be fairly big. Ideally, you crop a teeny, weeny little bit of the top of your hair (if you have any on top of your head). That way you are very ‘present’ instead of framed like on your grandma’s sideboard.
FILTER OR ADJUST YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE PICTURE (3 & 4)
LinkedIn offers filters! Don’t get all excited, you won’t get a rainbow mat rolling out for your mouth like the kids do on SnapChat. The filters can be just what your picture needs if the colour or light is less than brilliant. Which brings me to tip 4. If the filters don’t cut it for you, there is the option to manually adjust brightness, contrast and saturation. Never mind the last option here. We are on LinkedIn, not Instagram.
MAKE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE PICTURE VISIBLE (5)
Visibility. I kid you not, some people hide their profile pic. LinkedIn is your professional network. You don’t have anything to hide. There is no point to hide your picture from those not yet connected to you. How am I going to make sure you are the person I met last night? LinkedIn themselves state that profiles with a visible picture get 7 times more attention.
>>> Tell me, are you totally happy with your pic or did you implement one of the tips above? <<<
by Petra Fisher | May 8, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
First introduced in 2014 the LinkedIn Profile Banner received a major overhaul in 2017. What didn’t change, is that it is widely underused. Basically, there are 3 things you need to understand about using a LinkedIn Profile Banner.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- LinkedIn is not Facebook. Instead of adding a picture just cos it is pretty, think about how the image strengthens the message of your profile.
- The dimensions are 4:1 the recommended size being 1584 x 396px.
- If it looks brilliant on desktop it might still look crap on mobile.
HOW TO ADD A BANNER TO YOUR PROFILE
- Top right click “Me” under your tiny little face.
- Choose “View profile”.
- Click “Update background photo”
- Upload a picture in the right dimensions
- Hit “Save”
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE BANNER
A picture tells a 1000 words. Truer than ever in creating first impressions. I visited a profile and the LinkedIn Profile Banner had two horses galloping in a meadow. I thought this person might work at some stables. As I was not looking for a horse professional, I nearly clicked away.
Your banner needs to strengthen the message in your headline. So at first glance, people know what you are about. The other option is to have a neutral banner. Be careful though, is it neutral to all readers?
>>> What do you do and what type of banner did you add? <<<
by Petra Fisher | May 2, 2017 | LinkedIn Profile |
LinkedIn gives you 2000 characters to write your summary! That is great. Don’t let the word ‘summary’ fool you, this place can be utilised much better than by literally summarising your profile. As I said before: “Never use your LinkedIn Summary to ehm … summarise“.
LinkedIn underwent a major overhaul early 2017, this affected how your summary displays big time! Out of those 2000 brilliantly worded characters people get to see either: about 200-230 or as little as 60 characters.
BEWARE EXTREME LOW VISIBILITY
Your LinkedIn Summary is easily overlooked. Two lines of text. You’ll need to find a way to interest readers to click to see more. It gets even worse on mobile, only about 60 characters displaying.
Beware of missing spaces! Notice something strange in the image to the left, thanks Sarah Haïlé-Fida for letting me use your profile. What is a STORYAs? That is when you add a ‘return’ to go the the next line and LinkedIn kindly removes it to display more of your summary!
HOW TO FIX MY ☆ STORYAs
Is your first line shorter than what’ll be displayed? Maybe you started with a heading or short statement? In that case start the second line with a hyphen and a space. In the full profile it is still the next line. In the preview it looks like this: ☆ MY STORY – As a manager. Just a tad easier on the eye.
HOW TO EDIT YOUR LINKEDIN SUMMARY
- Click your pretty little face top right
- Scroll down to summary (add one if needed)
- Click the pencil
- Write a brilliant, catchy, enthralling first line
- Click save
For more help on brilliantly compelling summaries, read this clever little piece I wrote some years ago.
Still pretty darn useful if I say so myself.
>>> TELL ME what are the first two lines (not sentences) of your summary? <<<
