Imagine giving out a business card with an outdated number, email address, and business name. What’s the likelihood that the prospect you handed that card to is going to become a client? Next to impossible. The same principle applies online. If you haven’t taken the time to update your LinkedIn profile, you’re essentially handing out a digital business card that no longer represents who you are or what you offer.
When a new connection request pops up, most people take a quick scan of that request’s profile to determine if they’re worth adding to their network. That’s why you can’t just set up your LinkedIn account and throw together a quick profile.
There are many features available on LinkedIn profiles and for good reason. Your profile is a hub for your potential prospects to learn what they need about you to connect. Keeping your profile updated is an essential part of that.
Whether it’s your profile picture, about section or headline, there is one thing you need to consider with every feature…
What is your profile saying to potential connections?
To be confident that your LinkedIn profile is saying all the right things to visiting prospects. You need to understand the purpose of your profile. It’s not just an identifier for your account or a way to show off your accomplishments. When optimised correctly, LinkedIn profiles are a landing page that grows your network, builds trust and educates people on how you can help them. For additional strategies on enhancing your LinkedIn presence, consider reading this article from Forbes that explores how to create a high-converting profile effectively.
Now, you might be thinking. “But, if people only scan through profiles, is it really worth me spending all this time on mine?”. Yes, it absolutely is. First of all, it doesn’t take hours to optimise your LinkedIn profile. Second of all, people scanning profiles isn’t an excuse to skip out on yours – it’s just a sign that you need to focus on clarity and readability.
Every time you connect, send a message, comment or post, your profile is only a click away for your prospects. You need to make sure it’s working as hard as you are to connect with these prospects.
How often should you update your LinkedIn profile?
Your LinkedIn profile should be updated for the same reasons we update anything. To improve the use of something or remove outdated information. Once you have created a profile that resonates with your network, don’t go changing it every few weeks!
Constantly changing your profile (especially your profile picture or headline) will make it difficult to become a recognisable face for your network. However, you should regularly be updating areas of your profile such as your featured section to ensure to highlight your latest/best performing resources. The same logic should be applied to any links.
Never update your profile just for the sake of it. Conducting regular profile reviews (either yourself or through a professional service) will ensure that your LinkedIn profile is always up to date.