At PodCamp3 I co-presented on LinkedIn and we only had 45 minutes to share ways to use LinkedIn better and how to make your profile stronger. Here are some tips we shared and some we didn’t have time to share.

Use this list to take your usage of LinkedIn up a couple levels.

1.  Change the standard URL from linkedin.com/in/13?3a&3d  to a "vanity URL" so instead change it to this style: linkedin.com/in/blakeimeson  This will allow you to rank for your name in the SERPs.

2. Use keywords you want to show up in LinkedIn search results for. Use these keywords naturally in your "summary" and list them in your "specialties".

3. Great tips from Chris Brogan: For your summary…

• Lead with what I do most.
• Lead with the type of business I want to do.
• Move into the reasons why you’d do business with me.
• Move from there into all the nuances of what I do.

4. Put your LinkedIn URL in your email and forum signatures.

5 Have the LinkedIn icon in your email signatures.

6. Print a LinkedIn symbol on your business cards

7. Add a LinkedIn widget/button to your blog or website. 

8. Don’t ever use the standard message LinkedIn gives you. Whether connecting with someone, asking for a recommendation. Make it personal.

9. Export your LinkedIn contacts occasionally in case your account gets deleted or banned.Go to "Connections" and click export at the bottom.

10. Use a string of operators to search for people on LinkedIn through Google.

(Thanks Cybersleuthing)

Or for Yahoo…

11. Add a LinkedIn widget to your Facebook profile.

12. Join groups to increase the amount of people who’s profile you can see. 

13. Use a creative headline for your profile. If working for a company use that in the title.

14. Add a few "power users" to vastly increase who you can directly contact. Use this list.

15. Put your email and phone number in your contact settings at the bottom of your profile.

16. Add all the email addresses people might search for you with, including previous work email addresses.

17. Recommend only people you can honestly recommend and ask people who know you well to recommend you.  Mention specific things about working with them and the projects you worked on. Don’t just say “John was a hard worker”, instead give a specific example of how John worked hard on a specific project.

18. If you have a blog add it as an application.

19. Create a brief PowerPoint of your skills/work experience or portfolio and upload it to SlideShare or Google Presentation. Add this into an application. 

20. Use specific adjectives, colorful verbs, active construction (”managed project team,” not “responsible for project team management”). (from 901am)

21. List your blog and other websites. Don’t just use the option “My Website” instead describe it well so people know where they are going. “Visit John’s Blog on SEO” or John’s SEO firm”

Hope this list gave you some concrete ways to use LinkedIn better. Please add your brilliant tips below in the comments!

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Resources

Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future – Chris Brogan

Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You – Chris Brogan

Thanks for reading. 21 LinkedIn Hacks, Tricks and Ways to Make Your Profile Better is a post from Blake Imeson