How does your LinkedIn profile headline represent you?

How to Get Attention newspaper headline promising advice and tips on getting good exposure and awareness through public relations, marketing or communication techniques

When I review a client’s LinkedIn profile in order to make suggestions for improving it, one of the first places I start is with their profile headline, which, if you are not sure what I am referring to, is found just below their name.

Too often, people simply use the default headline, which is the title of their current position and the company name. In the case of business owners, it is often something like founder or owner or whatever they call themselves, plus the name of their company. This is not enough information – and it’s all that comes up under “People You May Know” in addition to your name and photo.

Keep in mind that when people decide whether or not to connect with you, they often do so in a matter of seconds. Since you can use up to 120 characters for a profile headline, why not make the most of it? Use your official title if you like, but add a few key words to or the tag line for your company to help people know more about you when they come across you or find you if they are looking for something you do.

Here are just a few of the headlines that my colleagues are now using after getting some advice from me about their headline:

  • Fitness Professional, Outdoor Bootcamp, Group Training – Chris Promersberger, a personal trainer with Camp Gladiator
  • Couples Counseling, Marriage Therapy, Adoption, Trauma, EMDR – Suzanne Smith, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Align Counseling of Colorado
  • Speaker Coach, Youth Speakers, TEDx – Ashley Sakker, a coach for both adult and youth speakers

 

Tips for Creating a Powerful LinkedIn Profile Headline

  1. Review the LinkedIn headlines of others in your field and see what approach they take. Look for common key words included in their headlines.
  2. Ask your clients or people who patronize your business or nonprofit which search terms they used to find you. Use those terms in your headline.
  3. Be sure to use the terms used by lay people, not those used by professionals in the field, such as “teens” vs. “adolescents.”
  4. If you are an employee, ask your manager if there are restrictions or requirements regarding what you should/can put in the headline. See if there is a way to expand on your job title in your headline.
  5. Business owners and leaders of nonprofits, be sure to include the tagline for your organization.
  6. Whenever you add a job listing to your experience section for a current position (either paid or unpaid), be sure to uncheck the box that says “update my headline to…” If you leave that box checked, the title for this new position becomes your headline.

 

How About You?

What appeals to you in a LinkedIn headline? How has your headline evolved over the time you have been on LinkedIn? What advice would you give to someone revamping their headline?

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel, Founder of Boomers' Social Media Tutor

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 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.