LinkedIn is one of the world’s most powerful social media platforms today.
With more than 40 million professionals actively using the platform, it has become a central hub for finding jobs, building networks, and hiring talents.
You’ve been taught how best to maximize the platform.
You’ve finally discovered the formula to make your LinkedIn account more visible and attractive.
And these are good things that you ought to maintain.
But just like many good things, making a mistake is easy.
In this guide, we take a look at how to fix common LinkedIn mistakes.
Why do we make mistakes on LinkedIn?
Here’s the thing.
LinkedIn is expansive.
There are just so many features for you to learn, and they are constantly being updated.
It’s so easy even for experienced marketers to miss out on small things.
But, that’s fine as long as you correct them.
So what are the implications of making these mistakes?
A lot.
You won’t be able to maximize the growth and reach of your LinkedIn profile, you could be labeled as sloppy, and you won’t be able to turn your LinkedIn profile into a proper landing page for your prospects.
Let’s jump in and take a look at common LinkedIn mistakes you could be making.
1. You’re not using strategic keywords for your branded summary.
TIP: You need to revise your summary to contain keywords that you want to be associated with you. Doing this will establish your personal branding and will get you noticed easily when potential connections search for specific keywords.
We highly recommend that you write something creative and compelling, the kind that will turn heads and impress readers. You would want to make them curious and want to learn more about you.
This also helps support your LinkedIn SEO strategy making you more visible to clients!
Read more: LinkedIn SEO: Search Optimization But For Your Company Profile! (Best Practices & Examples)
2. Your featured section is empty.
TIP: This recent addition allows members to add multimedia and increase the likelihood of attracting people. If you haven’t done this yet, now is the time to add one in order to stand out from the rest.
Adding one will make people want to stay longer and learn more.
They will tend to explore your profile further and see if you are a perfect fit for their needs. Whether it’s just short audio or video, choose something that aligns with what you do professionally.
This gives your prospects a glimpse of what you do and extends your personal “real estate” on LinkedIn.
Make sure you add a link to your website and maybe even PDFs or links to publications you’re featured in.
3. You don’t follow companies.
TIP: The whole point of being on LinkedIn is to be discovered and to discover. If you’re not following any business at all then you better start today soon.
This makes it easier for you to come across job openings, find connections you can collaborate with, and extend your network.
What else can it help with?
You can keep track of what your competitors are doing.
Pretty neat right?
4. Your profile lacks important information.
TIP: To be searchable, you need to complete your profile, from your job experiences to your educational background, skills, and affiliations.
The more detailed your profile is, the highly likely you can get a prospect to be interested in what you have to offer.. Visit the “Improve Your Profile” section and learn what is missing in your profile.
Don’t hesitate to highlight what you are truly good at.
5. Your job description does not give your expertise any justice.
TIP: Be generous with your description of what you do well and how far you have come as a professional.
Give your readers a comprehensive idea of how good you are at what you do. Under each job title, give a summary of the specific tasks you did.
But beyond that, it needs to convert.
Add your email, a CTA, and text that allows people to contact you.
6. You didn’t list down schools you went to and companies you’ve worked with.
TIP: You’re missing a lot if you failed to list down schools you’ve attended and companies you’ve worked for.
Why should you do this?
Some people connect with you because of the organizations you’re affiliated with.
Think about it, how many people would be easily impressed with the other companies you’ve worked with?
Better yet, how many potential clients have your school produced in the past?
It’s an easy way to grow your network.
7. Your “Skills” section is not updated.
TIP: List down your skills to highlight your capabilities and how you can possibly contribute to a company.
At the same time, you should also be working on getting yourself more endorsements.
8. Your account lacks status updates.
TIP: One sure way to promote yourself on LinkedIn is to regularly post updates, from your travels to a recent project, your opinion about a current event, and the latest about the industry, among others.
Doing this allows our content to get exposed to a bigger audience.
When this happens, you are likely to attract people who would want to connect with you.
Take advantage of this feature on the platform and post updates.
On the plus side, you also look like you’re active on the platform. People like that because it makes you more engaging.
9. You don’t respond to messages in your inbox.
TIP: You may find some messages a waste of time, but be sure to check for messages that may open doors of opportunity for you.
You can always politely decline offers and invitations to collaborate if you feel that it does not suit want you to want to do.
Check your inbox every now and then.
10. You didn’t add any volunteer experience.
TIP: Volunteer work is a great way to show people what you’re passionate about.
It also tells people about your heart – and prospects like having a peek at who you are as a person.
If you’ve done volunteer work before, go ahead and add them to your profile. If you haven’t done any at all, we highly recommend that you try it the soonest time you can!
(It’s a great way to bring in good vibes and
11. You didn’t know about the “Open To” section of the platform.
TIP: This is a powerful feature of LinkedIn. You can give a list of services you provide, mention that you are hiring, or reveal that you are open to any job offer.
For the most part, this feature is very helpful for those who are in marketing but exploring it might do your profile a lot of good.
12. You’re making very few connections
TIP: It’s okay to be the one to make the first move on LinkedIn. Don’t be afraid to make connections.
Connecting with other users is the beginning of an exciting journey.
Takeaways from LinkedIn Mistakes
Want to find out how you can avoid all of these mistakes?
Make sure you update your profile …to the max.
Not only will you avoid these common LinkedIn mistakes, but you’ll also have a chance to fully optimize your profile and bring in more prospects as a result.
