According to Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite, “LinkedIn is the platform of choice for professional networking.” Building a personal brand on LinkedIn is essential for business professionals who want to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. In this article, we’ll explore some tips on how to build a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn.
Optimize Your LinkedIn Page
Your LinkedIn profile page is the first impression that customers, employers, or collaborators will have of you. William Arruda, CEO of CareerBlast, says,
“Your profile is the foundation of your personal brand on LinkedIn.”
Optimizing your Linkedin page to highlight your skills, experience, and education sections is essential. You should also use a professional-looking profile photo with eye contact and a background image that reinforces your professional brand.
Before you continue, learn the fundamentals of personal branding to grasp this powerful tool to succeed in a competitive market.
Create Content and Share Insights
Personal brands must create content and share valuable insights that resonate with LinkedIn members. Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, has said a hilarious but insightful statement about engaging content:
“Content is king, but distribution is queen, and she wears the pants.”
Share your thoughts on industry news, answer questions in relevant groups, and create original content demonstrating your expertise. You can also engage with other people’s posts and start conversations to build your professional network.
Why is Personal Branding Important on LinkedIn?
Branding on LinkedIn —or building your personal brand on this social media platform— is a game-changer because it levels up your professional brand, helps you gain authoritativeness, and stands you out from best-class industry experts. According to Dorie Clark, branding expert and author of “Reinventing You,”
“Personal branding is about uncovering what’s true and unique about you and letting everyone in your network know about it.”
Building a powerful personal brand can generate more opportunities for yourself and your business. People engage with brands that provide value, so creating high-quality content that resonates with your enthusiastic audience is a benefit for growing your reputation on LinkedIn.
In the following video, we cover 5-critical elements to building a strong personal brand:
Engage with Your Target Audience
Branding on LinkedIn requires consistent engagement with your target audience. Viveka von Rosen, author of “LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day,” has delivered a cutting-edge approach to this truth:
“It’s not enough to be on LinkedIn; you have to be engaging on LinkedIn.”
Having an active presence on LinkedIn involves providing massive value, helping others build their LinkedIn presence, and sharing behind-the-scenes insights on your own process. So, remember: being a helpful community member will help you establish yourself as a thought leader in your niche.
Get Creative with Your Cover Photo
Your cover photo on LinkedIn is an excellent opportunity to showcase your brand and attract brand-new customers. According to Melonie Dodaro, author of “LinkedIn Unlocked,”
“Your cover photo is the first thing people see when they come to your profile, so make it count.”
Get creative with your cover photo by using images representing your brand or showcasing your work. Make sure you use a high-quality image that reinforces your personal brand. That will make a great first impression on potential clients.
Moreover, consider including your personal brand logo on your Linkedin profile to communicate your brand identity and increase your engagement with your audience. Do you want to garner inspiration for great logo ideas?
Discover how to create a memorable personal brand logo that represents your unique personality and skills.
Generating Leads on LinkedIn
We live in a world of quick and easy wins —the low-hanging fruit. Everybody is looking for a formula to generate leads. Well, that’s not quite simple. So far, many experts coincide on two or three things:
- Create content that resonates with your target audience. Basically, you’re spotlighting your personal brand, which will boost your brand visibility.
- Connect with potential clients and engage with them by providing insights and expertise. Did you read an insightful book about marketing or self-development? Review it, rate it, give your thoughts about it, and share related content.
- Participate in relevant groups and customize your LinkedIn profile for search.
How to Build Long-Lasting Relationships on LinkedIn
As the name indicates, “LinkedIn” is a virtual community for building relationships, and that’s exactly what you should aim to do on the platform. You are more than welcome to build relationships by engaging with LinkedIn members. One of the most effective ways to do it is from your Linkedin profile. Here is a list of best practices on Linkedin for branding
- Answer questions: be honest and true to yourself with the info you provide to a LinkedIn member
- Provide valuable information: be responsible with this; people can identify outliers, and the last thing you want is to compromise your professional brand reputation
- Create a newsletter: to provide additional content and showcase your expertise.
- Ask for recommendations and endorsements: DM your clients and colleagues and ask for these exceptional resources. Remember, it’s part of social proof that people can rely on your brand.
Be an Active Participant in LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn groups are a great way to connect with other professionals in your industry and engage in meaningful discussions. You can join relevant groups, share your thoughts and expertise, answer questions, and provide insights. By being an active community member, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and attract potential clients.
Content Marketing Strategies
Content marketing is a powerful way to build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Creating and sharing valuable content can attract potential clients and establish yourself as an industry expert. You should focus on creating content relevant to your target market and providing value. You can also use keyword searches to find content ideas and optimize your content for search engines.
The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Personal Brand on Linkedin
Well, if you’re new to Linkedin, you may wonder, “How Do I Use LinkedIn to Build My Personal Brand?”. We’ll go one step at a time, answering questions about developing your professional brand on this social media platform.
But first, why don’t you download our personal branding pdf? This will help guide your purpose toward success, set your goals into a hierarchy of long-term growth, and find habits that work toward and against your goals.
Personal Branding
Provide massive value
To build your personal brand on LinkedIn, providing massive value to your target audience is important. This means creating and sharing informative, insightful, and helpful content.
Here are some examples of long and short-form content: blog posts, videos, infographics, and Linkedin posts. Overall, ensure your content is optimized toward solving the pain points of your target audience. Keep in mind that by consistently providing value, you establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy source of information in LinkedIn groups.
Answer a Common Question in Your Industry
One effective way to build your personal brand on LinkedIn is by answering a common question of the LinkedIn community. It spotlights your expertise and willingness to share your knowledge with other LinkedIn members. You can do this by participating in relevant groups, where people often ask questions about specific topics. You can also create blog posts or videos answering questions and sharing them on this social media platform.
Make Video an Integral Part of Your LinkedIn Profile
At Creatitive, we encourage you to stay relevant and avoid falling behind on this trend. In fact, videos are an important pillar of any personal branding strategy. Most people use videos on LinkedIn to create long-lasting relationships with other members. So, consider creating short, informative videos that showcase your expertise and personality. You can also create video content that provides insights into your industry or showcases your work. By making video an integral part of your LinkedIn profile, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Keep in mind this quote from Peter Field, who said,
“Nothing builds a brand like emotion, and nothing drives emotion like video.”
Use Your Description to Sell Yourself
Your LinkedIn profile description is an opportunity to sell yourself and your personal brand. Write a description highlighting your unique value proposition and your services. Incorporate relevant keywords that will help potential customers find you in keyword searches. Be sure to include a call-to-action, encouraging people to connect with you or visit your website.
Need to garner inspiration? Discover the best personal branding examples to inspire your success!
Help Others Build Their LinkedIn Presence
Branding on Linkedin involves more than being an active participant in Linkedin groups, it involves helping others build their LinkedIn presence. Believe it or not, this is a win-win situation. Certainly, that’s a great brand visibility booster because you will establish yourself as a thought leader and community builder.
Consider offering personal branding tips and insights to others in your industry, helping them to optimize their profiles and create compelling content. By providing value to others, you can establish yourself as a go-to source of information in your field.
Optimize Your Linkedin Profile for Search
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile for search can help potential clients find you when they’re searching for someone with your expertise. Use relevant keywords in your profile description, headline, and summary. Make sure to include a clear description of the services you offer and the benefits you provide to clients.
Customize Your LinkedIn Profile’s URL
Branding on Linkedin demands more than an eye-catching job title and a great profile picture. According to SEO experts, customizing your LinkedIn profile’s URL is a simple way to make your profile more memorable and easier to share. This is not rocket science, and it’s a quick, doable hack to improve your Linked profile visibility.
It could literally take you no more than three minutes to do it, so let’s jump right into it:
- Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Click View Profile.
- Click Edit public profile & URL on the right side.(You’ll be redirected to the Public profile settings page.)
- Under Edit your custom URL on the right side, click the Edit icon next to your public profile URL.
- Type or edit the last part of your new custom public profile URL in the text box.
- Click Save.
Consider using your name or your business name in your URL, making it easier for people to find and remember your profile.
Share Your Take on Industry News
Sharing your take on industry news can help you establish yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn. Consider commenting on news stories or sharing your thoughts on industry trends. You can establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy authority in your field by providing your unique perspective.
Show Your Audience the Value You Can Bring
It’s important to show your audience the value you can bring. Use case studies and testimonials to showcase the results you’ve achieved for past clients. Share content relevant to your personal journey within the industry, and you’ll be more likely to establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field.
Share Behind-the-Scenes Insight on Your Process
Sharing behind-the-scenes insight on your process can help you build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Consider sharing photos or videos that provide a glimpse into how you work or how you develop your products or services. By showing your audience your process, you can establish yourself as a transparent and trustworthy authority in your field.
In this video, you’ll see how to tell your brand story to your audience. Use it as an example. You must be sincere and share content that evokes emotions in people who follow you.
Provide Social Proof
Providing proof of the impact you can make is essential to building your personal brand on LinkedIn. Use case studies, testimonials, and other forms of social proof to showcase the results you’ve achieved for past clients. By providing proof of the impact you can make, you can establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy authority in your field.
Create Branded Graphics and Video Content
Creating branded graphics and video content can help you build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Consider creating infographics or other visual content highlighting your expertise or showcasing your services. Use your brand guidelines, such as colors, typography, and logo, to reinforce your post. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your thought process. Write a post and impact other Linkedin members.
This is an example of branded visual assets, such as your logo, infographics, videos, etc.
Accept All Connection Requests
Getting a connection request from people you have never seen before is very common on LinkedIn. It’s ok; you decide whether decline it or accept it. Keep in mind Linkedin is a professional social network, so if you receive a connection request from an unknown person, answer the following questions:
- Does this person have commonalities with me?
- Do we have connections in common?
- Is it worth connecting? What could be the outcome?
As we said before, Linkedin is quite different than Twitter. Linkedin is more than followers and likes; it’s all about building long-lasting relationships. Linkedin entitles people to keep be themselves in a professional environment. That’s why people tend to be polite and show off the better of themselves.
By growing your network, you can increase your reach and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. Be sure to engage with your connections and provide value to them through your content and interactions.
Create a Newsletter
Creating a newsletter is a great way to provide additional value to your audience and build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Consider sharing relevant news, industry insights, and tips for success in your newsletter. Use your newsletter to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Ask for Recommendations and Endorsements
Asking for recommendations and endorsements can help you establish social proof and build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Reach out to past clients and colleagues and ask them to recommend your services. Recommendations will level up your credibility and showcase your expertise to potential clients.
Conclusion
In conclusion, building a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn is essential for business professionals who want to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. By optimizing your profile, creating valuable content, engaging with your audience, and using LinkedIn groups, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and generate more opportunities for your business. By utilizing these strategies, you can create a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn and position yourself for success.
Need help from a branding mentor?
Start a project today, and jump on a call with one of our experts. Give value to your audience, and become a personal branding example to high-achievers on LinkedIn.
