Your LinkedIn profile is working for you 24/7 – or at least, it should be.
Before someone books a call, sends a DM, or decides whether you’re “their person”, they check your profile. And in a split second, they’re making a judgement: do I trust this person, do they get me, and do I want to know more?
A standout LinkedIn profile isn’t about being flashy or pretending to be something you’re not. It’s about being clear, credible, and recognisable.
If your profile feels a bit flat, dated, or isn’t bringing the right people to you, these 8 steps will help you fix that – without overthinking it or spending hours tweaking it for the sake of it.
8 Steps to a Standout LinkedIn Profile (That Actually Works)
1. Profile Photo – Look Like You (Sounds Obvious, Isn’t)
If I meet you in real life, I should recognise you instantly.
That’s the job of your profile photo.
Ask yourself: does this actually look like me right now?
If the answer is “well… kind of” or “that was five years ago”, it’s time for a new one.
Yes, a professional headshot is great. But honestly? Phone cameras are brilliant these days. Good light, a plain background, and a friendly face will beat an over-filtered, out-of-date photo every time.
2. Profile Banner – Stop Wasting Prime LinkedIn Real Estate
Why be bland and grey when you can reinforce your brand and show people exactly what you do?
Your banner can:
Use your brand colours
Show an offer, course, or event
Point people to your website
Having something there instantly lifts your profile and makes you more memorable. Leaving it blank just says “I didn’t bother”.
3. Headline – The First 40 Characters Really Matter
The first 40 characters of your headline follow you everywhere on LinkedIn – comments, messages, search results. So make them count.
This is not the place for just a job title. You’ve got the Experience section for that.
Your headline should grab attention, make people curious, and encourage them to click through and explore your profile.
If it doesn’t do that, it’s not doing its job.
4. About Section – Your Chance to Actually Tell People How You Help
This section is massively underused. You’ve got 2,600 characters – use them.
It’s your opportunity to:
Explain who you help
Share how you help
Highlight the results you get
Write in the first person. This is about you, not “Marianne is a LinkedIn expert…”.
And please use white space. A solid wall of text is the fastest way to make people click away.
5. Featured Section – Show Yourself Off (Yes, Really)
The sole purpose of the Featured section is to make you look good – and it’s 100% in your control.
You can showcase:
Articles you’ve written
Presentations you’ve delivered
Podcasts you’ve been a guest on
Any work you’re proud of
If you don’t highlight your best stuff, no one else will.
6. Contact Info – Don’t Make People Work Hard
When the right person lands on your profile and wants to contact you, it should be ridiculously easy.
Include all the relevant ways to reach you:
Website
Email
Mobile number
Always think about the laziest reader. Or the distracted one who gets interrupted by a delivery or a phone call. Remove friction wherever you can.
7. Experience – More Than Just a Job Title
So many profiles list only the company name and job title. That’s not enough.
Use this section to talk about:
Impact
Outcomes
Results
Add skills and media where relevant. This is where you show what you actually did, not just where you worked.
8. Recommendations – Social Proof That Works While You Sleep
The more recommendations you have, the more likely you are to appear in searches for what you do.
Make asking for recommendations part of your post-project or post-client checklist.
The magic? Clients use their own words. Those words often resonate far more than your marketing copy.
You can repurpose them into content, add them to your website, and build trust across your LinkedIn community. That’s reciprocity in action.
Bonus: Your URL If your profile URL still has some random numbers in it, you can remove them. It looks more professional and easier on the eye!
This is mine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianneavery/
A Few Final Things People Often Forget
Before you tick this off and move on, there are a few important pieces that don’t always get the attention they deserve – but absolutely affect how well your profile works for you.
🔷 SEO – Yes, LinkedIn Has It
Think SEO. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, and it’s a huge opportunity to be found. This applies to every section of your profile, not just your headline. If you want to show up, you need to be intentional with your words.
🔷 Keywords – Be Findable
When someone searches on LinkedIn using a keyword, that keyword needs to appear in your profile. Make sure your Services section is switched on and aligned with what people are actually searching for. Do this well and you instantly stand out in search results.
🔷 Profile Sections – Use What’s Available
There are more profile sections than most people realise. Take a look, explore what’s there, and check out how others are using them. If LinkedIn gives you space to add context or credibility, use it.
🔷 Mindset – It’s Not Just About You
LinkedIn works best when you give value through your content and interactions. When people consistently see the value you give for free, they naturally start thinking, “If this is what I get for free, what would I get if I paid?”
So yes – go out and give value.
🔷 Update – This Is Not a ‘Set and Forget’
Your experience grows. You work with new clients. You get new results. LinkedIn adds new features.
That means your profile needs regular check-ins. Update your experience, add new services, and keep asking for recommendations.
Final Thought
Not having a fully completed profile won’t stop you getting started on LinkedIn – but it will slow you down.
Your profile underpins everything you do on the platform. When it’s clear, current and working properly, it quietly does a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
So don’t aim for perfect.
Aim for complete, credible, and easy to understand.
And then get on with showing up.
Your LinkedIn profile doesn’t need to be perfect before you start using the platform – but an incomplete or outdated profile will quietly work against you.
Think of your profile as the foundation. When it’s clear, keyword-rich, and regularly updated, everything else you do on LinkedIn works better – your content, your connections, and your conversations.
So keep it fresh. Keep it intentional.
And most importantly, keep showing up and giving value.
That’s where the real results come from.
Your questions answered
Do I need a perfect LinkedIn profile before I start posting?
No. Perfection is not the goal. A clear, up-to-date profile is enough to get going. You can (and should) refine it as you grow in confidence and experience on LinkedIn.
Do keywords really matter on LinkedIn?
Yes. A lot. LinkedIn is a search engine, and if the right keywords aren’t in your profile, you’re making it harder for people to find you – even if you’re brilliant at what you do.
Will a strong profile alone bring me clients?
A great profile won’t do the work for you, but it will support everything else you do on LinkedIn. Think of it as your shop window – people still need to see you showing up.
How often should I update my LinkedIn profile?
Think of it as a living document. Review it every few months, and update it whenever something changes – new clients, new services, new results, or new recommendations.
Is a professional photo essential?
Helpful, but not essential. What is essential is that your photo looks like you now, is clear, well-lit, and feels approachable. An outdated or heavily filtered photo does more harm than good.
How long does it take to fix a LinkedIn profile properly?
If you know what you’re doing, a few focused hours. If you don’t, it can drag on for weeks and still not feel right – which is why many people ask for help.
Still Stuck?
If you’ve read this and thought, “I get what needs to change, I’m just not sure how to make it sound like me”, you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why I offer a LinkedIn Profile Audit.
I’ll review your profile with fresh, expert eyes and give you clear, honest feedback on what’s working, what’s holding you back, and what to change to attract the right people. No fluff. No jargon. Just practical advice you can actually use.
If you want your profile to feel confident, credible, and do its job properly, a profile audit is the fastest way to get there.
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