Update the Most Important 120 Characters on Your LinkedIn Profile

When you post content on LinkedIn or even comment on someone else’s post, what part of your profile do your connections see in their feed? Three things. That’s it.

1. A mini thumbnail of your headshot
2. Your name
3. A headline (120 characters or less)

Most lawyers and other professionals use their LinkedIn profile headline for their literal job title. That’s not actually the best way to maximize this line. Job titles all tend to sound the same and they aren’t really that interesting. Imagine seeing a sea of these titles in a search result.

Yawn.

Your headline can convey more than your actual job title. It can become an advertisement for your profile page. So, for today’s tip, consider how you can update your LinkedIn headline to maximize the value of all your views:

• Can you describe how you help your clients?
• What types of clients do you work with?
• How do clients benefit from working with your firm?
• Can you describe the style in which you deliver your services?
• Why did you choose this line of work?

Take 5 minutes today to update the most important line on your LinkedIn profile. It’s a worthwhile step, given the exposure it gets relative to the rest of your page.

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For related reading, see these past articles on Slaw:

• LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts for New Lawyers
• Who’s Looking at You in LinkedIn
• 5 LinkedIn Profile Mistakes Lawyers Make

Also, see the following related articles by Sandra Bekhor at Toronto Marketing Blog:

• LinkedIn books for lawyers: An interview with author Marc Halpert (videos)
• LinkedIn for lawyers: What’s next? (13 pros chime in!)
• Legal marketing – what’s next? (42 legal marketing pros chime in!)