5 Mistakes You’re Making on LinkedIn and How to Fix Them

5 Mistakes You’re Making On LinkedIn and How to Fix Them

Let me paint the picture for you real quick….766 million people are on LinkedIn. Why? Because it is largest social media platform dedicated to business professionals. But get this: only 310 million are active on the platform monthly and just 3 million share content weekly.

That means there is less competition and HUGE opportunity for you, especially if you have a business to business (B2B) company. LinkedIn generates 80% of the B2B leads on social media.

Quite simply, if you’re not using and maximizing LinkedIn, you’re missing out on revenue.

Hello? Need I say more?

Ok, I have to whisper this…listen closely: LinkedIn has the best opportunity for organic reach of all the social platforms right now. You don’t need to buy ads to have your content seen by your followers. Note: this might change soon, so take advantage NOW.

But before you do, check out these 5 mistakes you’re making on LinkedIn:

1. You’re not active on the platform or using it regularly

Listen, LinkedIn is THEE social media platform to use to build your personal brand. You have to be in it to win and ON it regularly to get results.

The fix: Post at least twice a week. But wait, there’s more. Don’t just post and hope for the best. Engage with the content of others. This means you’re reacting and leaving a thoughtful comment. Don’t just type “Nice post.”

2. Your profile is not complete/at “All Star” level

LinkedIn ranks the strength of your profile based on the level of completion. A complete profile is an All Star profile and that’s where you want to be. Not only will you rank higher in search results, but also if you have an All Star profile you are 40% more likely to get contacted through LinkedIn.

The fix: Complete 100% of your profile. Have a profile picture, experience section filled out, skills added, three recommendations, 50 connections, etc.

3. Your headline is generic.

By default, LinkedIn will use your most current job title as your headline. It’s time to think outside of the box. A generic job title does not help you stand out.

The fix: Add to your job title or change it to something that better positions your brand or helps you to be found easily. You can include a brand statement like “I help companies triple their lead generation” or “Digital Marketer Helping Brands Connect with People.”  Or use multiple keywords like this:
Software Engineer | Full Stack | Data Analyst.

4. You have nothing in the About section or it sounds like a resume.

Easily the most important part of your profile is the About section (formerly called Summary). You have an opportunity to share your brand story here and how you differ from others.

The fix: Use this space. Do not leave it blank. Also, please don’t let it sound like a resume: “A customer service oriented professional…blah, blah, blah.” Maximize the 2000 characters you get to work with.

5. Your posts/updates have too many hashtags.

The 20 hashtags you use on Instagram are not working. While hashtag usage is encouraged on LinkedIn, using too many looks a little crazy and slightly desperate.

The Fix: On LinkedIn 3-5 hashtags is best. That’s all you need, boo. Also, make sure your hashtags are relevant.

There you have it. Those are 5 mistakes you might be making and how to fix them. If you’re a beginner and really want to step it up and start using LinkedIn to generate more business, start with the Level Up on LinkedIn masterclass.

For a done-for-you option contact Jazzy Pen and ask about our Jazzy LinkedIn Makeover.