Realistically, no one likes having to talk themselves up. It can feel cringe and come off as disingenuous, however, if you’re running a business or are freelance, it’s a necessary evil. Nowhere is this more crucial than in your LinkedIn About Me section.
In one professional bio, you have to share what you stand for, what you love to do, your experience, and what customers will get if they hire you. It’s a lot to fit into a small box. Basically, you need to sell yourself and do it well, but more often than not, people ignore this section and don’t use it as well as they should.
So, here are some amazing tips for spicing up your LinkedIn About Me section with examples. Let’s dive in and find out more.
How to Write a Great LinkedIn About Me (With Examples)
Seeing the blank bio box can be daunting, but I’ve got you covered. Writing a great LinkedIn About Me is all about thinking about what your customer wants to hear and working backward, without being dry or boring. This is the first someone will see of your business and brand, so let that shine through!
Be a Storyteller
Narratives are your best friend when writing an About Me section. Weave a story that works for your business. Let your clients know where you come from, why you do what you do, how you got good at it, and where you’re at now. Structure it like a tale that people can get invested in.
Not only is a narrative format engaging, but it’s also a great way to show off your brand’s tone, and personality, and make you feel more human. People buy into people, not brands!
Of course, this should be a novella, not a saga – keep it short and sweet so that people keep reading.
Example
“Ever since I first picked up a Jaqueline Wilson book I knew I wanted to be a writer, something about creating a world out of words on a page and bringing escapism to people filled me with joy. However, as a seven-year-old, the practicalities of the publishing industry were apparent just yet…
After studying at…”
Think About Your Audience
This isn’t your autobiography, it’s a sales and marketing tool. Think about your customers and what they’re looking for. If you’re an SEO expert, make sure you add key phrases that someone who needs SEO help will be looking for. Make it easy for them to see that you can do the job they need.
Example
“As an experienced SEO expert, I keep up to date with all the latest AdWords trends and can use Google Search Console with ease. I’m also adept at creating engaging meta descriptions and metadata that improve overall performance and click-through rates.”
Use Your Experiences
Your most powerful tools are your experiences on LinkedIn. While everyone might have the same qualifications, everyone has different experiences that can enhance your LinkedIn About Me bio. These don’t necessarily have to be work-related, you can add some volunteering or hobby-based experiences as long as they enhance your brand and what you’re selling.
Example
“From teaching English in China to scrambling for visas after completing my Masters in London, to working for an NGO on the border of an active conflict zone, I have plenty of experience moving abroad and embracing different cultures, all of which has increased my passion for educating other future expats about their options.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Name Drop
Bragging can feel awkward, but in a place like LinkedIn, it’s a part of daily life. Mentioning brands and companies that you’ve worked with as well as any industry experts is a huge bonus. It’s also an easy way for potential customers to see if you can handle their brand, industry or business style.
Pick a few key names and either pepper them throughout the narrative at relevant intervals, or list them as a “people I’ve worked with” kind of section. This often seems less braggy and feels more like a portfolio list than anything else.
Example
You can go with either a “People I’ve Worked With”, or “Recent Clients Include” list, or you can weave it into the piece like:
“During my career, I’ve managed international projects for Expedia, successfully built brand partnerships with Trusted Housesitters, and led industry-leading panels including events for PowerToFly.”
I‘ve lived abroad for many years and love helping others find work abroad and figure out their “Move Abroad Plan.” Check out my class below to get you started ASAP!
Remember a Call to Action
As with anything in sales and marketing, you need a call to action. Essentially, this is just the last line of your LinkedIn About section that drives the reader to act. This might be to DM for services, check out a website, send a connect request, or sign up for an email newsletter. There are hundreds of possible calls to action depending on your business and your operation methods.
Example
“If you need any help or support with your move abroad journey, drop me a DM, connect request, or email me at…”
“To see more of my work, please visit my website at …”
“Get in touch with a connection request to hear more about my services”.
Keep it Concise
No one wants to read reams and reams of personal diatribes about your journey. While you need to get a good idea of your brand and business identity, you don’t need to write a dissertation either.
Keep it concise, make it clear, and ensure that people are going to fall asleep halfway through. If people have to give up halfway through your bio, they’re not going to get to your call to action and they’re probably not going to get in touch.
What to Avoid With Your LinkedIn About Me
So now that you know what to include and think about when you’re writing your LinkedIn About Me section, here are some critical things to avoid.
Too Boring
Your LinkedIn About Me shouldn’t read like a resume. Think about your social media bios and how they bring some personality into your feed – your LinkedIn has to be the same, just a little bit more professional.
Remember, being professional doesn’t mean boring or dry! Bring your brand through and let clients know they’re dealing with a human, not a corporation.
Too Casual
On the other hand, you don’t want to be too casual and chatty in your bio. It’s a professional bio and it’s there to introduce clients to your business. You need to strike that balance between engaging and representing your brand while also having personality and ticking all your marketing boxes.
Third Person on a Personal Bio
While a lot of the time, writers and guest posters will have their bio in the third person. This is common if you’re contributing to a website or publication that’s not yours. However, your personal website or social media bios (including LinkedIn), should be in first person.
Think about it this way, your LinkedIn profile is your personal account where you post as yourself – why would your bio be any different? Third-person bios look like you’ve copied and pasted your guest posting bio which is often vague and lacks personality.
Being Too Vague
The tendency with LinkedIn bios is to be non-specific with your services, specialties, and references so that you can appeal to the most clients possible. However, this just reads as overly vague and like your business doesn’t have a set focus.
People want experts in their fields, not jack-of-all-trades. Even if you can offer multiple services and work in multiple industries, give specific examples to illustrate them. This can show potential clients that you can handle particular tasks and industries without going super specific on the bio.
Too Long
I’ve mentioned it once already but it bears repeating – do not make your LinkedIn bio too long. If you have more than a couple of paragraphs, you’re going too long. Bullet points are your friends here and make the content digestible and easy to skim. This is a great way to get more information without writing a ton of content.
Here are some tips to help you keep your LinkedIn bio digestible:
- Keep paragraphs to three sentences or less
- Bullet points at all times
- Four or fewer paragraphs in total
- Link out to your website for more information
- Make use of the featured section under your About Me section for more portfolio-style content.
Loading it with Jargon
While you might want to seem like a subject matter expert, you don’t want to sound like a robot. You can add keywords that are relevant to your industry without jam-packing your bio full of corporate nonsense.
Clients want a human that’s going to understand their needs while still being competent in their field. You can easily strike this balance by talking about your specialist industry and knowledge as if you’re speaking to a friend. This way you get your personality shining through and still feel like an expert. It’s a win-win.
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Vanessa Wachtmeister is a travel tech professional and the creator of the wealth & wanderlust platform, Wander Onwards. Vanessa is originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a proud Chicana, and she has been living abroad for the last 9 years. Today, she helps people pursue financial and location independence through her ‘Move Abroad’ Master Class, financial literacy digital products, and career workshops.