Your LinkedIn profile says a lot about you.
It shows potential employers and clients what you bring to the table and why they should connect with you.
But if it’s incomplete, outdated, or just not doing you justice, you could be missing out on great job opportunities or your next big client.
The good news? It’s easier to fix than you think. Here’s how to create a killer LinkedIn profile that gets you noticed.
(In the B2B space and looking to generate more leads on LinkedIn? Book a free 15-minute strategy session with SalesBread. We love helping our clients optimize their LinkedIn profiles to make the right first impression and get better results from their outreach.)
1. Use a professional profile photo for LinkedIn
Your LinkedIn profile photo shows people who you are. So you want to choose the right photo. Using random selfies or old photos that no longer look like you isn’t a good idea
You want to choose a photo that takes up 60% of the frame. It should look professional, friendly, and approachable.
Another thing that you should do is use a high-resolution image; in fact, the ideal size is between 400 (w) x 400 (h) pixels and 7680 (w) x 4320 (h) pixels. If the image looks blurry, rather choose a different picture.
2. Add a professional banner
Your LinkedIn banner is the large image just behind your profile photo. You could really use this banner as a sales opportunity, so don’t leave it blank.
This is like “prime real estate” to show off a bit of your personality, what you do well and help your audience learn more about you.
A well-designed banner can reinforce your personal brand and help visitors understand what you bring to the table before they’ve even read your profile.
What should you include in your LinkedIn banner?
You don’t need a complicated design. You could easily use Canva to help you design something simple.
Keep your banner clean, relevant to your work, and easy to understand at a quick glance.
Depending on your goals, you could include:
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Your tagline: A short phrase that sums up what you do or the value you offer.
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Your expertise: Highlight your industry, specialty, or key skills.
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Your brand identity: Use your company colors, logo, or other visual elements that reflect your professional brand.
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A call to action: If you’re using LinkedIn to generate leads, you could include a prompt such as “Let’s talk about growing your business.”
Keep the text short and don’t cram too much into the space.
Remember that your profile photo overlaps the banner, and parts of the image may display differently on mobile, so position important text and visuals where they won’t be hidden.
LinkedIn banner ideas for different goals
Your banner should reflect what you want to achieve on LinkedIn.
Here are a few ideas:
For job seekers:
Keep it professional and show your areas of expertise. For example, a marketing professional could use a banner that says “Digital Marketing | SEO | Content Strategy” with a clean, simple design.
You can also use the “Open to Work” sign.
For freelancers:
Use the space to explain what you offer and who you help. A freelance designer might use “Helping Brands Turn Ideas Into Visual Stories” alongside a portfolio link.
Or you could add a short snippet on the results that you get for your clients.
For B2B business owners:
You need to use your banner to make your value proposition clear. If you help businesses generate leads, for example, your banner could say “Helping B2B Companies Generate Qualified Leads Through LinkedIn” with your company branding.
3. Write a LinkedIn Headline That Gets Noticed
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things people see when they visit your profile or come across you in search results.
So, instead of just adding your job title, you want to use your LinkedIn headline to show people what you do, how you can help them, who you help, and what makes you a valuable asset.
For example, “Marketing Manager at ABC Company” tells people where you work, but it doesn’t say much about your expertise.
Something like “B2B Marketing Manager | Helping SaaS Companies Generate Leads and Grow Revenue” gives people a much better idea of what you bring to the table.
Here are a few tips for writing a stronger LinkedIn headline:
Include relevant keywords:
Think about the terms recruiters, potential clients, or industry peers might search for when looking for someone with your skills.
If you’re a sales professional, for example, you might include keywords like B2B sales, lead generation, or business development.
Use these terms naturally so people can quickly understand what you do.
Show off your expertise:
What do you specialize in? Your headline should give people a clear idea of your role and what you’re good at. Instead of listing every skill you have, focus on the one or two areas that best represent your experience. This helps you stand out from competitors.
Show the value you offer:
Your job title tells people what you do, but your value proposition tells them why it matters. Think about how you help clients, businesses, or employers.
For example, instead of writing “Marketing Consultant,” you could use “Marketing Consultant | Helping B2B Companies Generate More Qualified Leads.”
This gives people a better idea of what you offer.
Keep it readable:
It’s tempting to squeeze in as many keywords as possible, but a headline packed with buzzwords or business jargon can be difficult to read.
Keep your wording clear and natural. You should write in the same way that you speak.
Someone should be able to glance at your headline and quickly understand what you do.
Your headline should share what you want to achieve on LinkedIn. If you’re job hunting, highlight your skills and the role you’re targeting.
If you’re a freelancer, focus on the services you offer and the clients you help. And if you’re in B2B sales, make your expertise and the value you bring to potential clients clear.
4. Optimize Your LinkedIn About Section
Your LinkedIn About section is where you get to tell people a bit more about yourself.
It’s your chance to explain what you do, who you help, and why someone should work with you or connect with you.
Don’t just copy and paste your CV. Many people do this. Your About page should be a mini sales page instead.
Write as if you’re talking to someone who wants to learn more about you. Keep it simple, use short paragraphs, and get straight to the point.
Here’s how to write an About section that works.
Start With a Captivating Intro
The first few lines matter. Give people a reason to keep reading instead of starting with something generic like “I’m a hardworking professional with years of experience.”
Think about a problem your audience faces, something you help them achieve, or what makes your work different.
Keep it short and easy to understand.
Explain Who You Are, What You Do, and Who You Help
Once you’ve grabbed someone’s attention, explain what you do. Who do you work with? What services do you offer? How do you help people or businesses?
Be specific.
Someone reading your profile should quickly understand what you do and who you help.
Share Relevant Achievements and Experience
This is where you show people you know what you’re talking about. Mention relevant experience, successful projects that you have had, your qualifications, or any great results you got for your clients.
With my own LinkedIn page, you will notice I mention how our company works, share client reply rates, and even brands that we have worked with at SalesBread.
These details help support our claims rather than simply asking people to take my word for it.
You don’t need impressive statistics or big-name clients to make your profile work.
If you’re starting out, mention relevant projects, skills you’ve developed, or problems you’ve helped solve. Just make sure your claims are accurate.
5. Ask clients for recommendations
At SalesBread, we ask our clients if they’d be willing to leave us a recommendation on LinkedIn.
These recommendations give potential clients and employers an idea of what it’s like to work with you.
Think of them as testimonials that build trust and provide social proof.
When people can see how you’ve helped others and what they have to say about working with you, they’ll have more confidence in your skills and be more likely to reach out.
6. End With a Clear Call to Action
If you want people to reach out to you, make it super easy for them to do so. You could tell them how to contact you, or what they can do to take the next step.
Depending on your goals, you could ask people to:
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Connect with you on LinkedIn.
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Visit your website or portfolio.
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Send you a message to discuss a project.
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Book a consultation or discovery call.
It’s a simple way to turn profile visitors into potential leads.
Choose a call to action that makes sense for your goals.
You don’t always need to be a pushy salesman; sometimes just asking someone to book a call with you and start a conversation is enough.
7. Make Your Experience Section Stand Out
Your LinkedIn Experience section shouldn’t just be a copy of your CV. It’s a great way to show people what you’ve done, what you’ve learned, and the results you’ve achieved.
Here are a few ways to make it stronger:
Focus on achievements, not just responsibilities
Instead of listing what you do or where you worked, explain what you accomplished in each role.
For example, rather than saying “Responsible for managing social media,” you could say “Managed social media campaigns that increased engagement and leads by 80 %.”
Include results where you can
When you share results, it makes your experience more concrete. If you’ve increased sales, grown a following, improved conversion rates, or helped a business save time, include those results.
Specific examples make your experience more convincing to your readers.
Mention your previous roles
You don’t need to include every detail of every job you’ve ever had. But you can share the experience that’s most relevant to where you want to go next.
If you’re looking for a new role, focus on skills that employers value. If you’re trying to attract clients, share the work you’ve done and the problems you’ve helped solve.
The goal is to make it easy for someone viewing your profile to understand your experience and see your value.
8. Use the Featured Section to Show Your Best Work
Your LinkedIn profile tells people what you do, but the Featured section lets you show them. Think of it as a small portfolio right on your profile.
You can use it to share work you’re proud of, showcase some of your achievements, or give people a better idea of how you do things. We suggest sharing 3 of your best thought leadership and pain-point-solved stories. This will help build trust and social proof.
For example, you could add:
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Your best work: Share portfolio pieces, articles, LinkedIn posts, projects, or presentations that show off your skills.
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Client success stories: Add case studies that explain how you’ve helped a client solve a problem or get results.
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Resources for potential clients: If you work in B2B, share content that shows you understand your industry and know how to help your audience.
You don’t need to fill the section with everything you’ve ever worked on. Just 3 of your best examples are enough to give people a better feel for your skills and experience.
9. Keep Your LinkedIn Profile Up to Date
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile isn’t a once-off job. You want people who visit your page to see that you’re active, involved in your industry, and keeping up with what’s happening.
Here are a few simple ways to do that:
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Share useful content:
Post your thoughts on industry news, share tips, or talk about what you’re working on. You don’t have to post every day. Just share things that are relevant to your audience.
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Comment on other people’s posts:
Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s posts. It’s an easy way to get noticed, share your knowledge, and start building relationships with people.
You could also comment on your prospects’ posts and reach out to them through a connection request. It will be easier for them to accept you because they already have some context about who you are.
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Update your details:
Have you changed jobs, learned a new skill, or completed an important project? Make sure your profile shows this. Check that your contact details are also up to date.
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Connect with the right people:
Don’t just send connection requests to anyone. Look for people in your industry, potential clients, colleagues, or others you’d like to build a relationship with, and reach out to them.
You want to connect with people who are your ideal customers. So try to build a profitable list of connections.
The more you engage with your network, the more opportunities you have to build business relationships and get noticed.
You don’t need to spend hours on LinkedIn every day. Start small, be consistent, and focus on making genuine connections.
Final Thoughts
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple changes can make a big difference in how people see you and what opportunities come your way.
Take some time to update your profile, show off your experience, and make it clear what value you bring.
Whether you’re looking for a new job, building your personal brand, or trying to generate more B2B leads, your profile should help you reach those goals.
And if you’re in the B2B space and want to get more leads from LinkedIn, SalesBread can help. Book a free 15-minute strategy session to get advice on optimizing your profile and making your LinkedIn outreach more effective.
