Gone are the days when LinkedIn was ‘just’ a networking platform for professionals. These days LinkedIn is a place to authentically connect with others, share your mission, and attract clients who resonate with your values. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile allows you to showcase your unique brand in a way that aligns with your purpose and passion.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you transform your LinkedIn profile into a reflection of your heart-centered brand.

Start by crafting a compelling, purpose driven headline

Just like the hero section on a homepage, your headline is one of the first things people notice about your LinkedIn profile. It should clearly state who you help and how. So don’t use it as a place to list your job title or skills or things you do. Instead, use this space strategically to highlight your expertise and unique value. For example, instead of “Life Coach,” you might write, “Empowering Individuals to Live with Purpose and Passion | Heart-Centered Life Coach.”

Pro tip: incorporate keywords that align with your values and industry without resorting to keyword stuffing.

Here’s how our founder, Lori, has her headline optimized.

Lori leads with a conversational but compelling phrase (your strategic biz bestie) followed by clearly stating who she helps (ambitious changemakers) and how (the rest of the sentence), followed by her current targeted keyword (certified OBM) and qualification (host of her podcast).

Select an authentic LinkedIn profile picture and banner.

Your profile picture should authentically represent who you are. Choose a high-quality image where you’re relaxed, approachable, and true to your brand.

Don’t overlook the banner image—this is prime real estate for reinforcing your brand. Use this space creatively by including your company logo, contact information, a tagline, or an image that represents your field of work.

Pro Tips:

Make sure your face is clearly visible.
Use a consistent color scheme that aligns with your personal or company brand.
Align your banner with your brand’s message or mission.

Write a powerful summary (That’s the About section on your LinkedIn profile)

Your LinkedIn summary is your chance to share your story and the deeper purpose behind your work. Focus on your journey, your passion for helping others, and the impact you strive to make. Let your personality shine through, and connect with your audience on an emotional level.

Start with a hook that grabs attention.
Write in the first person to create a personal connection.
Highlight how your work positively impacts others.
Include metrics (if any) or results to demonstrate your impact.

Don’t be afraid to tweak it to stay true to your audience. For example, Lori started hers by addressing her exact audience instead of a hook.

Check it out here (scroll to the About section)

Note how she ends it with a call to action (a way to contact her) so people don’t have to go looking for that information.

Highlight experience that reflects your values

When detailing your work experience, focus on roles and achievements that align with your heart-centered brand. Rather than just listing tasks, emphasize the difference you made in people's lives and how your values guide your actions.

Pro tip: Include examples of how you’ve helped others achieve their goals.

While On a Mission Brands is going on its 8th year, this is not what Lori always did. Here’s one of her past experiences that add to the value Lori brings as the founder of On A Mission Brands.

Showcase your core skills and values

LinkedIn allows you to list skills, but for heart-centered entrepreneurs and changemakers, it’s crucial to highlight the skills that resonate with your brand’s mission. Choose skills that represent both your expertise and the qualities that make you who you are. Encourage clients, and connections to endorse your skills, as these endorsements add credibility to your profile.

Don’t forget to:

Regularly update your skills to reflect your evolving expertise.
Endorse others genuinely.

Request Recommendations

Recommendations are powerful testimonials that validate your brand’s impact. Request recommendations from those who can speak to the emotional and practical impact of your work. That can be past and current clients, previous employers or colleagues, or even your collaborators. These testimonials should emphasize the transformative experiences you’ve provided. You can always offer to write a recommendation in return.

Here are two of Lori’s, one from a current client and one from a past employer. Note how they both speak to her strengths and value she provides.

Don’t forget to include keywords at strategic places in your LinkedIn profile

Consider what potential clients or collaborators might search for when looking for someone like you on LinkedIn. Those words are your keywords. You can use your keywords in your headline, the summary (about) section, and experiences.

You can integrate keywords naturally within your summary by weaving them into your story. In your experience section, highlight the roles and achievements using keywords. Instead of just listing tasks, describe how you used your skills in a way that aligns with your values and target audience.

Pro tip: Ensure that your use of keywords doesn’t feel forced or artificial. They should seamlessly fit into your narrative.

You can test how your profile shows up in searches by asking a friend or colleague to search for relevant terms and see where your profile ranks.

Leverage LinkedIn’s featured section

The Featured section is an excellent way to showcase the work that best represents your work and impact. Use it to display testimonials, media coverage, articles, or any other content that highlights the transformative effect of your offers. Currently, I use it to showcase the wealth of free resources I have to offer.

Another way to go about it is to align it with your business goals. My copywriter uses it to get more leads (by including her freebie in the featured section) and highlight how to get in touch with her.

Consistency and content is key

Consistency is key to maintaining a strong and authentic brand presence on LinkedIn. Make a plan to engage with your audience regularly. Update your profile every month to reflect your evolving journey and continue to consistently share content that aligns with your values. Stay true to yourself and your mission and the right opportunities will come to you.

BONUS LinkedIn profile optimization tip

Don’t forget to make use of the 5 Amazing New LinkedIn Features for 2024😉

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Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile to Showcase Your Impact-Driven Brand