Do you customize your LinkedIn Profile Headline?

When people search you, the first things they see are your name, your photo, and your profile headline. Having a customized headline is a terrific way to enhance your professional brand.

Many people aren’t aware the default headline in a LinkedIn profile is their current job title and company. In some cases, it makes sense to use this default.

However, if you are a business owner or a job seeker, you will benefit by crafting a headline that is tailored to you.

By taking this approach, you differentiate yourself from your competition.

 

Ways to Customize Your Headline

  • Include your company tagline if you are a business owner. For example, my tagline of “Making Social Media Simple, Easy and Fun” intrigues people. They mention it when they ask to connect with me.
  • Spell out the certifications that appear as letters after your name. For example, a Realtor who puts CRIS after her name can list spell out Certified Real Estate Investment Specialist in her headline. People looking to purchase real estate for investment purposes, but who don’t know what the initials stand for, will be more impressed by it when they know what it is.
  • Include search terms that people use when they are looking for the services or products you provide.
  • If you’re looking for a job, be sure to use search terms that reflect the types of job you would like to get.
  • Include your target market in your headline. In mine, I mention small business owners and business development professionals, because they are my two primary target markets.

 

Other Considerations Regarding Your Headline

  • After you create your tailored headline, make a record of it. Take a screenshot and keep that on your computer in case you change positions and the default is restored.
  • Consider creating a document with different versions of your headline so you can change it every so often to keep your profile fresh.
  • When you add a new position to your experience section, uncheck the box that says: “update my headline.” If you don’t uncheck that box, the title for your new position will replace what you have put in your headline.
  • You are allowed up to 120 characters when updating your headline on your computer. In the LinkedIn app on a mobile device, you can add up to 100 characters beyond this limit. However, the headline could appear too wordy if you used all 220 characters.

 

How About You?

Are you a business owner or a job seeker? What approach have you taken when crafting your profile headline on LinkedIn?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, to become more comfortable using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, leaders of nonprofit organizations, job seekers, retired people, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.