4 Easy Steps To Infuse Power & Charm Into Your LinkedIn Headline
LinkedIn – if you’ve got a business (or a job), you’re there.
So are your prospective clients, employees, business connections and who’s who.
They’re likely to be searching for you. But they either don’t find you, or you’ve been sneaking away.
Think about it. How many connection requests have you sent out? Too few?
Is it because your LinkedIn headline is far from inspiring?
Perhaps it starts with your title and company name, and stops there.
You’ve noticed how some colleagues have amazing headlines.
You’ve tried to craft a headline like theirs. But it never turns out that way.
You cringe at the thought of others noticing your bland headline.
Diagnosis: You’re suffering from LinkedIn headline shame.
Yet, that’s one-half of the story.
Your flat headline may be costing you serious visibility and business opportunities.
“Attention to your professional headline” is the #1 tip for effective LinkedIn SEO (and more views) on your profile.(Source: Job-hunt.org)
Feel like you’ve missed the bus?
Fret not.
Crafting a powerful LinkedIn headline is not a tall task.
Here are few headlines that I dig because they do their job well. In fact, the first two of these are my own clients, and the other two are examples:
- Muddita Gupta: Founder @ Free Spirited, Image Consultant & Designer for Styling Women Into Confidence
- Anita Rajagopalan: Art Therapist — Help Children Discover Their Genius
- Sue Savvy: Strategy Director @ DIY Social | Help Small Business Owners with DIY Strategies for Social Media
- Sally Anderson: Founder @ Cuddles Pet Salon | Help Pet Owners Groom & Pamper Their Pets
Wondering how you can get there?
Take pride in talking about who you are, with a 4-step cure to LinkedIn headline shame.
Let’s get you a stunning new headline that makes you proud and eager to connect on LinkedIn.
All set?
1. Kick-start with an introduction that’s easy to understand
People understand designations and companies.
Start with Designation @ Your Company Name.
Follow this with a vertical line divider. It works like a full stop. It separates your standard job description from the rest of your headline.
2. To crack the rest of your headline, let’s figure whom your business helps
All businesses work to serve people.
Who are the people you serve?
Define your target audience.
Are they food entrepreneurs, small business owners in the IT space, pet owners, women in their 30s, bikers, children between 12–15 years? Slot them into clear categories.
3. Move to their pain points. Be specific, and detailed.
You created your business to serve a certain pain point.
Let’s think it over using the examples above.
Maybe as a fashion stylist, you noticed women in their 30s struggling with body image and confidence issues.
Or as an art therapist, you may have observed how parents struggle with shy kids. They’ve tried a ton of things. Yet it hasn’t helped much.
Maybe as a social media expert, you realised how small business owners struggle with social media. Neither can they afford to hire a specialist, nor can they do it by themselves. They can’t afford to miss the social media train either.
Or as a pet salon owner, you may have come across pet parents who are guilty that they get little time with their pets. They want to indulge their furry friends.
Find out what your business is designed to address.
4. Put together a headline that says whom you help and how
Now that you know whom you help and how, it’s time to weave them into your new headline.
You get a whopping 120 character limit to pack a serious punch.
Start with Designation @ Your Company Name, follow it with a vertical line, and then start crafting the rest of your headline.
To build the cases above:
Start with “Muddita Gupta: Founder @ Free Spirited |”. Now maybe your fashion and style aesthetic helps women feel confident through what they wear.
- You can frame your headline to say “Muddita Gupta: Founder @ Free Spirited | Image Consultant & Designer for Styling Women into Confidence”.
Or you know how art can help children find the genius within.
- You can craft your headline to the tune of “Anita Rajagopalan: Art Therapist | Help Children Discover Their Genius”.
In the next instance, maybe your social media expertise helps small business owners. You may be giving them DIY strategies to help run their social media plan.
- Your headline could then be “Sue Savvy: Strategy Director @ DIY Social | Help Small Business Owners with DIY Strategies for Social Media”
Or your exclusive salon helps pet owners indulge their four-legged babies in grooming.
- Your headline could read like “Sally Anderson: Founder @ Cuddles Pet Salon | Help Pet Owners Groom & Pamper Their Pets”.
While working this out, think about how prospective clients will come looking for you.
This will help you zero in on keywords to insert in your headline.
Keywords like ‘social media / small business strategy’, ‘styling/women’, ‘children/self-confidence’ and even ‘pet/grooming’ are good fits above.
Close in on those words.
Try and include as many as of these keywords as you can in your headline.
You may not be able to fit in all, and that’s fine.
“You must use keywords relevant to your industry. Get to know what words and skills come up in job descriptions and other people’s summaries.” — Julie Dossett, Communications Lead, LinkedIn Canada (Source: http://bit.ly/1Qh7GL2)
Keywords are a magnet for your prospective clients and business connections.
In summary:
Start with your designation separated by your Company name.
Put a vertical line, and follow it up by crafting a headline that shows whom you help and how.
Your stunning headline is round the corner.
As you get on with it, be mindful of a few things:
- Don’t put years of experience in the headline, or what you’re looking for. “Seeking marketing opportunities” is a no-no.
- Remember, no one will search by traits such as ‘team player’. People will search you for skills such as writing, styling, coaching, and so on.
- Don’t be too clever or esoteric. People should get what you do when they read your headline. No rambling words.
- Let your headline inspire. No boring jargon.
- Transitioning careers? Mention both your jobs — such as a Creative Director and Art Therapist.
Take pride in yourself and let your LinkedIn headline shine with that.
Start with your title and company name.
Define your audience.
Find their pain point. Find how your business serves it.
And now get going — your awesome new headline will help you face the world with pride.
Inspired to craft your brand new LinkedIn headline? Here’s a quick visual guide to help you with it:
Use these tips and get cracking on your sparkling new LinkedIn headline.
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