This cheat sheet has been created by Adam Shirley, our LinkedIn expert, to help B2B executives optimise their LinkedIn presence and enhance their personal and professional brands. Whether you’re new to LinkedIn or looking to refine your approach, these actionable insights will help you engage effectively with your audience and build a strong, authentic profile.
LinkedIn Profile Optimisation
Headline
- Clarity: Clearly state your role, industry, and value proposition.
- Keywords: Include relevant terms that match your expertise.
- Value Focus: Highlight how you add value to others.
Profile Photo
- Professional: Choose a high-quality, clear photo.
- Approachability: Ensure your image reflects professionalism but remains friendly.
Banner Image
- Select a banner that aligns with your personal or company brand, or that reflects your industry.
About Section
- First Person: Write in the first person and share a compelling story of your career.
- Accomplishments: Focus on measurable achievements.
- Call to Action: End with an invitation to connect or engage.
Experience and Skills
- Details Matter: Include specific accomplishments and relevant key metrics.
- Skills: Keep your skills up to date and request endorsements.
Content Strategy for Engagement
Frequency of Posts
- Aim for 4-7 posts per week to stay visible and engaged with your audience.
Caveat: Quality should always trump quantity. Focus on sharing meaningful, relevant content rather than posting for the sake of posting.
Types of Content to Post
- Personal Insights: Share stories about your professional growth, lessons learned, and leadership experiences.
- Industry Trends: Post about news, trends, and updates relevant to your industry.
- Case Studies: Showcase successful projects or problem-solving stories.
- Videos and Visuals: Short-form video is having a moment across all social platforms and is one of the most engaged types of content.
- Repurpose Content: Break longer content into smaller posts for easy consumption.
- Photos: Photos are the most engaged with content on LinkedIn. People engage with people, so including images in your posts increases relatability and connection.
- LinkedIn Articles: Use long-form posts for in-depth content, sharing your knowledge in a more detailed way.
Engagement Strategy
- Comment and Share: Engage with content from your network and industry peers.
- Create Conversations: Post open-ended questions to encourage discussions.
- Respond to Comments: Interact with those who comment on your posts to foster stronger connections.
Building Thought Leadership
- Consistency: Regular posting will help establish your reputation as a thought leader.
- Offer Value: Share valuable insights and advice to support others in your industry.
- Be Authentic: Share your unique perspective and voice to stand out from the crowd.
Engage with Others
- Respond to comments and questions to create deeper connections.
- Comment on others’ posts thoughtfully to remain visible.
Executive Branding
- Separate Company and Personal Branding: Keep personal and company brands distinct but aligned for consistency.
- Show Leadership: Share your leadership journey and highlight your impact on the company.
- Personal Stories: Share both personal and professional stories to build trust and authenticity.
- Celebrate Company Wins: Share key milestones and company achievements, linking them to your leadership role.
- Engage with Industry Leaders: Like, comment, or share insights from other thought leaders to increase visibility.
- Expand Your Network: Connect with peers, industry influencers, and executives to broaden your network.
Practical Tips for LinkedIn Growth
- LinkedIn Recommendations: Request recommendations from colleagues and clients to build credibility. Be generous with your own recommendations as well.
- Privacy Settings – Optimise for Visibility: Make sure your profile is open to connections and recruiters.
- Enable Open Profile: Allow people outside your network to message you.
- LinkedIn Groups: Participate in relevant groups to engage with like-minded professionals and expand your reach.
Post Timing and Best Practices
- Best Times to Post: Weekdays, typically 8-10 AM or 12 PM – 1 PM, tend to offer the best engagement.
- Engage Within 1 Hour: Respond quickly to comments to increase visibility.
- Content Scheduling: Use LinkedIn’s scheduling features or third-party tools to post during peak times.
Lastly, social should be social!
Social media should be social, so if creating and posting content starts to feel like a chore, it might be time to reassess your strategy. Consistency is key, but it should never detract from the joy of connecting with others and sharing your experiences. If this process starts to become overwhelming, it’s important to take a step back and do what feels manageable. After all, the goal is to be authentic and engaged, not overwhelmed.
