You’ve probably realized that your online reputation—what people find when they search your name—directly influences your real-world reputation. People are now conditioned to go online and check you out in order to inform their opinion of you—even before they meet you!
So what can you do to put your best digital foot forward? Start with your LinkedIn Profile.
For many professionals, LinkedIn is the hub to check out other professionals, look for jobs, read about companies, join professional groups, and build a powerful digital network.
Consider a LinkedIn profile your own professional web page. This is your place to share with the world what you need them to know about you.
An optimized LinkedIn profile is perfectly positioned to build your online network and influence, as it’s almost always on the first page of search engine results when someone looks up your name
Here are three easy ways to maximize your LinkedIn profile’s impact and improve your online reputation in less than one minute:
- Add an engaging photo. Many professionals create profiles but don’t include a picture. This is a growing problem because now people think profiles without pictures are fake accounts. What type of picture should you use? The key is to use a picture that is approachable. For some people, that means wearing a sports coat or nice blouse. For others, it’s a stylish shirt and a hip background. The key is to be yourself. Remember, most people see the picture before they read any of your information. It sets the tone for what they’re about to read.
- Humanize your profile. Though LinkedIn is for professional networking, it doesn’t mean your profile needs to be a play-by-play of your resume. Put something personal in your summary that shows you’re a human being and not a series of jobs. The human elements make you relatable. Whether you like to run marathons, volunteer at a children’s hospital, go fishing on the weekends, or play a musical instrument, share something personal! On my profile, you’ll see that I met my wife at a Willie Nelson concert! It’s 100% true. And it’s frequently something people comment on when we meet. Give readers a glimpse into who you are outside of work. People are more comfortable connecting with you when they see you have more to offer than just a job title.
- Connect! Your influence on LinkedIn is directly related to the size of the network you build. I know it can be intimidating to connect with people at first, but trust me: there are people around the world who want to connect with you right now. These are people you’ve likely worked with along the way, met through professional groups, or become friends with for a variety of non-work reasons, like volunteering. Connecting with them builds your network, which creates opportunities you might never have imagined before, from jobs to leadership roles. To give you a head start, send me an invitation to connect. I have 20,000 connections LinkedIn connections, so when you connect with me you literally grow your network around the world instantly. Send me an invite now and let’s build your influence!
Building your online influence and reputation is personal to me. So personal that I am willing to stake my network on it! I want to help people who are committed to making an impact on the world.
And if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, create one now for free. Just click here.
Congrats on managing your online reputation and building your digital influence.
Together we are stronger.
