How to make your LinkedIn profile work harder

With 4.2 million monthly active Australian users, LinkedIn is quickly becoming a vital brand building and lead generation tool for real estate agents.

Many professionals assume LinkedIn is a ‘set and forget’ type of social media or a platform only useful when recruiting new staff.

But this is far from the case. LinkedIn provides agents with a unique, not to mention free, marketing opportunity to amplify their personal brand, enhance their skills, further their careers and even generate leads.

Hubspot research shows LinkedIn is the best social network for lead generation with a conversion rate almost three times higher than that of Facebook and Twitter.

The research concluded the reason behind this was due to LinkedIn’s lack of clutter, clickbait and random social ‘chatter’, where business’ marketing posts are more likely to get noticed than on other more marketing saturated platforms.

Before revisiting or setting up your LinkedIn account remind yourself that your LinkedIn profile is typically one of the first pages that comes up in a Google search of your name. So, you need to put your best foot forward and treat the content like a public digital resume.

Here are the top ways to make your LinkedIn profile work harder.

The right image

If you haven’t got one already, this is the perfect opportunity to have a professional headshot taken. Formal headshots build trust and credibility with future clients and potential employers. According to LinkedIn users that have a professional headshot get 14 times more views than users that don’t.

Key to an effective LinkedIn headshot is to take it from the torso upwards, to smile and wear what you typically would to host an inspection or conduct an appraisal. Also, ensure it is a current picture (nb. It’s a good idea to refresh your headshot every six years or so).

Optimise your headline & URL

Your headline appears every time you’re active on LinkedIn, in search results and on invitations to connect so it’s critical to get it right. When drafting your 120-character headline, it’s important to include specifically what you offer, who you help and how you can help them. E.g. ‘Sales Agent | ABC Agency | Mornington Peninsula property market specialist’.

For SEO purposes carefully consider the key terms a person is likely to use when searching for someone with your skills in your service area. Customise your LinkedIn profile’s URL to feature your name and role (i.e. www.linkedin.com/in/robert-robertson-real-estate-agent) to help with your visibility on LinkedIn and Google search results. This also makes it easier to share your profile. Consider adding the link to your email signature and business cards to get more connections.

A stellar summary

Aim to include three to four paragraphs in your summary outlining your value proposition, market knowledge, bullet points of your special skills, professional achievements and industry experience. By no means do you have to reach the massive 2,000 characters allowed, a concise ‘elevator pitch’ style summary works best.

Include a call to action to conclude your summary so that potential clients can easily get in touch if they like what they see, e.g. ‘Get in touch for a free property appraisal’. If there’s room add a link to your website, your email address, contact number and social media profiles to your summary, as your LinkedIn contact details are only available to your connections. Alternatively, add your contact details to your LinkedIn cover image to help them stand out.

If in doubt take a look at what other leading agents are doing with their LinkedIn profiles for inspiration. As below, we recommend writing your summary in the first person to help encourage people to connect with you by adding a welcoming, personal and genuine feel to your profile. Share some of your proudest achievements, hobbies, interests or volunteering efforts here to inject your personality into the summary.

Be a joiner

To make the most of your LinkedIn profile and get noticed it is crucial to get active and engage frequently with members you add to your network. This is easy to achieve by joining relevant industry groups, following key influencers, sharing your own original content and commenting on updates in your home feed.

Find different groups by searching for them by name in the search bar or discover recommended groups for you under the ‘work’ icon in the top right corner and selecting ‘groups’. Check out the Real Estate Professionals Australia and Australasian Real Estate Professionals groups to get started.

Request endorsements

One of the most compelling ways to boost your credibility in the eyes of potential vendors and employers is to build up your bank of endorsers on your LinkedIn profile. Get in touch with your best clients and colleagues to request a short written endorsement to showcase their experience working with you and the skills you bring to the table.

Before seeking endorsements make sure your skills list is complete with your major strengths and areas of expertise. Let your endorser know if there’s a particular skill you’d like endorsed and always offer to reciprocate if they’re in your LinkedIn network to sweeten the deal. Alternatively, endorse them and hopefully, they’ll return the favour. 

Are there any special techniques you use to ensure your LinkedIn profile stands out from the crowd? Please share them in the comments below.