- Why Is Your LinkedIn Headline Important?<\/a><\/li>
- What Makes a Good Headline?<\/a><\/li>
- Structuring Your Headline<\/a><\/li>
- Bullet Point Method<\/a>
- Write a list of things that you want on your headline<\/a><\/li>
- Pick three to five that you\u2019re most passionate about<\/a><\/li>
- Pick a separator<\/a><\/li>
- Rewrite each item in less than five words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- The One-Liner<\/a>
- The Job Title Tagline<\/a><\/li>
- The Major Achievement Tagline<\/a><\/li>
- The Tangible Benefits Tagline<\/a><\/li>
- The Question Helper Tagline<\/a><\/li>
- The Contact Me Tagline<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What Next?<\/a><\/li>
- Examples of Great Headlines<\/a><\/li>
- Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
Why Is Your LinkedIn Headline Important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your LinkedIn headline is critical because it\u2019s the second personalized body of text that a potential lead sees after your name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, it appears EVERYWHERE along with your name and profile pic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- all of your LinkedIn searches<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/LinkedIn-Influencer-Program-Search.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- Posts<\/li>
- Messages<\/li>
- Recommendations<\/li>
- Invitations<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
And, it also helps you rank because you can get keywords on there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s the hardest working element of your profile, responsible for explaining who you are in just 120 characters or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crafting a catchy LinkedIn headline can be difficult because there\u2019s a lot riding on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For potential leads that are breezing through your profile, it gives them a quick glimpse of who you are, what you do, and if your profile is worth viewing. For people already on your profile, it\u2019s a trigger for them to move to your summary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be frank, I always advise that people optimize their entire profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, if you could work on marketing copy for just one area of your profile, it\u2019s better if you concentrate on creating a catchy headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Makes a Good Headline?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As a general rule, your headline should tell people about what you do and where you do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, LinkedIn\u2019s default headline generator will do just that; it will display your job title and tell people who you work for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
E.g. Growth Hacker at BAMF Media<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, that doesn\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can you hack growth if you don\u2019t stand up from the crowd?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A good headline shouldn\u2019t just be about what you do, it has to include your personality and reasons why a prospect would trust you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"linkedin](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Houston-Golden.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThere are different ways to create an attention-grabbing tagline. Check them out here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Structuring Your Headline<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There is a bunch of ways to structure your headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve got your default headline \u2013 that you should scrap today, the one-liner \u2013 a short sentence that tries to capture everything you do in one go, and the bullet point approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bullet-point approach aims to divide everything up into individual two or three-word points. It can be divided up with emojis, vertical pipes |, a semicolon, a real bullet point, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Say, you\u2019re in charge of growth at a startup in San Francisco, but you also write for the company blog, and you\u2019re into running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bullet point method would look something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Head Honcho of Growth @ XYZ Company | Occasional Wordsmith | Barefoot Runner<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
While a one-liner would be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Head of Growth and writer at XYZ, I run barefoot in my spare time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The bullet-point approach makes it easier for viewers to digest what your message is, avoids unnecessary filler words, and looks more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A one-liner can do the trick, but it has to be a quick sentence that either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- gets to the meat of things, or<\/li>
- is great copy to make the viewer curious to see more.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bullet Point Method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The best way to generate a headline is manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because using a tool or any of that sort throws your headline into a sorting hat with the same adjectives as everyone else that\u2019s used it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You want to stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This bullet method works because it leaves your viewers\/prospects ample room to exercise their imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a sense, all you\u2019ve done is give them keywords, and it\u2019s up to them to build a story about you in their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, we all love storytelling because it activates a part of your imagination that builds intrigue and pushes you to want to learn more about an event or, in this case, a person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A little public information written with a little mystery is the stuff that gets the crowd going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, that\u2019s what you\u2019re aiming for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Write a list of things that you want on your headline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here are a couple of examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Your current job title in a way that captures your enthusiasm e.g., __<\/li>
- Worthwhile achievements e.g. position at Fortune 500 company, grew startup to million-dollar company in x amount of years, raised x million dollars in seed capital for company, etc.<\/li>
- Published works e.g. number of eBooks released, papers in scientific journals<\/li>
- Personal but public details e.g. number of kids, civil status, the number of pets you have, etc.<\/li>
- Something that you\u2019re talented in e.g., AdWords king, Excel wizard, PPC specialist, professional cake eater, etc.<\/li>
- Extracurricular activities that add flair and personality e.g., Ironman finisher, nature photographer, coffee aficionado<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You can even jot down your favorite joke if you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having a list makes it easier for you to organize and choose the details that you want in your headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pick three to five that you\u2019re most passionate about<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have bragging rights, then feel free to use them. You want to get your audience hooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Put your job down first<\/li>
- The ones in the middle are either things that add more content to your job or gives you more credibility<\/li>
- Your personal touch or details comes in last<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Pick a separator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our pro tip is to use emojis, but you don\u2019t have to use the same one to separate all your details, you can even use a different one that encompasses the following trait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(I love the rocket-emoji because at BAMF it\u2019s all about liftoff and growth!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rewrite each item in less than five words<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Remember even if it\u2019s less than three words, it still has to be grammatically correct. A lot of people are thrown off with bad grammar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Presto!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You now have a fully optimized LinkedIn headline that\u2019s been generated manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It did take a little bit of time, but you know it\u2019s unique, it\u2019s personalized, and it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The One-Liner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you want to use a one-liner instead, you can still follow the first batch of steps in the bullet point method to take note of what you really want to tell your viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This way you have an overview of the traits that tell people about your professional career and you can choose which ones you want to talk about in your one-liner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it doesn’t have to be that structured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can put in a joke, drive interest with marketing copy, or even just put in a CTA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are plenty of examples of famous personalities that do that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Job Title Tagline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you’ve already made it and you’ve got a powerful position, you could get away with just a short job title tagline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Major Achievement Tagline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The major achievement tagline focuses on one achievement that sets you apart from the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This could be anything from winning medals or awards in an industry-recognized body or being able to accomplish a feat that no one else can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It works wonders for people who are trying to build social proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Tangible Benefits Tagline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you want to get straight to the point, you can hit people up with tangible benefits. Although, it may seem too common, it helps drive traction with your profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Question Helper Tagline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This particular tagline is a CTA in itself, but it can get tricky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to be able to structure your question in a way that doesn’t sound too generic. The question has to be unique in itself catering to a very specific niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They work if you can phrase the “solutions” that you give in the form of a question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Contact Me Tagline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It’s not necessarily the best tagline, but it works because it is no-nonsense and straight to the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I won’t personally recommend it unless you add a little more social proof to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are better ways to go around your tagline creation and you want to stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One-liners are great if you’re looking at driving mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember these tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- keep it short<\/li>
- keep it relevant<\/li>
- and, make sure it produces some air of mystery<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember you can always use a combination of all these techniques for your LinkedIn headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you haven\u2019t fully optimized your LinkedIn account yet, I suggest you get it at it immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t want a catchy headline that has no \u201cmeat\u201d to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure your summary has enough substance to support everything on your headline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you\u2019ve published something, you can put a link to it on your summary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples of Great Headlines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Goldie-Chan.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNotice how Goldie Chan explains what she does and manages to include the companies she’s associated with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s enough to paint a professional picture of what she does by simply “browsing” through. That’s what you’re aiming for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tim-Ferris.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTim Ferriss has it all: his first point gives him credibility, the second provides humor in three words, and the third builds on the second while providing a link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a great example that humor still works!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jennifer-Lopez.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJennifer Lopez needs no introduction, but what we love the most about her headline is that she just uses singular adjectives to describe what she does. Less is more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Laura-Belgray.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis is arguably one of the best headlines we’ve seen in a while because Laura Belgray tells us about herself without directly doing so. She could have easily called herself a successful marketing copywriter, but instead, she simply told us about what she does on a daily basis quite literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the one-liner that other one-liners want to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jim-Kwik.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt’s clean and it’s precise. It might not have any emojis or fancy separators, but it works because it’s short and direct. Notice that the points for credibility and social proof are arranged in order of importance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This “inverse pyramid” is common among great headlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bamf.lovelacecreative.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Grant-Cardone.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGrant Cardone has a good example of the bullet point method. It’s direct and it’s easy to digest. It starts off with his job title combined with a crazy achievement, then followed by some examples of social proof, and it even showcases his leadership abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The last part is a great touch because it shows people that he’s a keen leader without having to spell it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your headline is critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you don\u2019t spend enough time with it, most of the time people aren\u2019t going to spend enough time on your profile for the rest of your optimizations to matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It might seem difficult at first, but it isn\u2019t impossible. In fact, if you follow this guide, anyone can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone likes taking the easy route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is there anything wrong with it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, if you\u2019re looking for something personalized, the manual method is always the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a look at your headline today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your headline matters. Don\u2019t believe us? What\u2019s the first thing your eyes drift to after someone\u2019s name? Exactly. This LinkedIn headline generator guide will help you come up with the most bada** headline ever. In turn, it will help jumpstart turning your LinkedIn profile into a passive lead generation funnel for your sales pipeline. Let\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":34151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3510,136,3392,3393],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/LinkedIn-Headline-Generator.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Houston","author_link":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/author\/houston\/"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33912"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33912\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- The Major Achievement Tagline<\/a><\/li>
- Pick three to five that you\u2019re most passionate about<\/a><\/li>
- What Makes a Good Headline?<\/a><\/li>