Why should I be using LinkedIn?

I’m a big fan of LinkedIn. The business networking social media giant has brought me a great deal of business over the last few years, not least because I have a brilliant LinkedIn bio – that little ‘about me’ section that helps other users of the site understand who I am, what I do, and how they can benefit from my mad skillz.

If you’re a business owner, a freelancer, or simply someone looking to jump ship from a dull job, you need to get yourself registered as a LinkedIn user, pronto. As of late 2022, the platform has an eye-watering 830 million members, worldwide, including over 58 million registered companies. That’s a whole lotta peepers primed to discover what you can offer.

What’s a LinkedIn bio, when it’s at home?

A LinkedIn bio is, quite simply, a small ‘about me’ section, that helps potential connections discover what you do (predominantly in a professional capacity, not what you had for breakfast, or who your favourite Spice Girl is…) Your LinkedIn summary should tell anyone interested in learning more about you how working with you, buying your product, or using your service will make their lives better, brighter, and easier. It should give them enough to pique their interest at the very least. If it’s brilliant enough, it might lead straight to a sale.

If you’re using the site to look for a new position, your LinkedIn bio should summarise your experience, and let potential employers, or recruiters, understand what sort of roles you’re qualified for, or seeking.

Your LinkedIn bio is about you, but it’s also about your customers or clients, and how you serve them. That’s a tough gig to pull off, which is why so many people come to LinkedIn bio writers like me, for support.

You see, not only am I a luvved up LinkedIn user, engaging with potential clients on the site on a daily basis, and bringing in a significant portion of my income through these new connections, I’m also a seasoned LinkedIn bio writer. After seeing the poor quality of so many bios on the site, I knew I had to assist. It wasn’t good, people. Y’all needed my help.

I now support other business owners, and freelancers, create successful profiles for LinkedIn. Because a couple of vague, hastily penned lines about what you’re selling, and a request to ‘get in touch’ is not enough. You’re literally chucking away business if you think that level of effort cuts the mustard, LinkedIn is a highly competitive place.

Can I write my own LinkedIn about section?

Of course you can, and this blog post is (generously) designed to help you do just that. I review countless LinkedIn profiles each week, and most of them could be significantly improved with some pretty basic tweaks. If you’ve already put some effort into writing your bio, it shouldn’t be too hard to spruce it up a bit, and make it more relevant for your target audience.

Many people have only a few scant lines in place of a beautiful bio, however, or a rambling rant, written in the third person, that details every achievement since they won the ‘most improved pant wetter’ trophy at kindergarten. For LinkedIn bio-offenders like these, there’s often no better option than scrapping what’s there, and writing a new LinkedIn about me section from scratch. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear…’

If you have a basic command of the English language, and a couple of hours to spare, you can pen yourself a bio that would have Shakespeare spinning in his grave with envy. Well, not quite, but you can certainly put something half decent down on paper, to entice prospects to connect with you, and perhaps even make an inquiry about working with you. My own bio brings in lots of lovely leads each month, many of whom comment on how informative, engaging, and witty it is.

Of course, if you’re struggling with writing your LinkedIn biography, or simply don’t have any time to spare, a LinkedIn profile writer like me can help you out. I write at least 2 or 3 LinkedIn bios each week for my lovely clients, many of whom are capable writers, but find writing about themselves super difficult, or are so snowed under with work and family commitments that it’s a big relief to outsource their LinkedIn summary.

If you’re thinking of getting some help with your own bio, why not check out some of my sample bios, or drop me a line? A new bio costs less than you might think, when you consider the untapped potential of the platform (many of my clients make six figures, and beyond, through business brought in by LinkedIn. The price of a bio is a mere drop in the ocean when compared to the limitless opportunities the site has to offer, if you attract, and motivate, the right audience.

What should I include in my LinkedIn bio?

As an experienced LinkedIn ‘about me’ section writer, I’ve got some great tips about what to include, and how to craft a compelling bio that tells your story, sells your services, and speaks directly to your target audience (eliminating as many people as possible who WON’T be a good fit for what you offer).

So here, goes, my top five tips for a fantastic LinkedIn profile summary:

1.Write in the first person. For the love of all that is good, and holy, do not write you LinkedIn bio in the third person (that’s talking ‘about’ yourself, rather than ‘as’ yourself, referring to yourself by name, rather than using ‘I…’ This way of writing about yourself is old-fashioned, stiff, formal, and corporate. It makes you sound like a robot with a rolling pin up its bottom, and it creates a distance between you and your reader, when you should be getting up close, and personal. Write about yourself, as yourself, and get cosy with your prospects. Rowan doesn’t like LinkedIn bios written in the third person. And Rowan will be very cross if she finds one.

2. A few lines just won’t cut it. I’m often shown LinkedIn bios that consist of a few scant lines, with a brief description of what someone can offer. That’s a good start, but it’s simply not enough to show your prospects that you’re invested in helping them. On the flip side, a long, rambling bio that doesn’t get to the point, is also a bad idea. Use the space that you have to take the reader on a journey, detailing not only what you do, but why you do it, and clearly spelling out the benefits of working with you. If you can’t be bothered to write more than a few lines, click away from this marvellous blog post RIGHT NOW (yes, I am shouting). It’s worth the time it takes to craft a decent LinkedIn bio that’s at least a few paragraphs in length, and gives you room to detail your offer, without boring the reader to death.

3. Being too corporate. Nobody wants you to get over-familiar with your LinkedIn summary, effing and blinding as    if you were three-pints down, at the local pub. There’s no reason, however, why the language that you use in your        LinkedIn bio can’t be friendly, and informal. Write as if you’re explaining what you offer to a friend, or family                  member. Write like you speak, using simple, accessible word choices, rather than spewing out complex vocab, as if you’ve swallowed a dictionary. Trust me, when it comes to writing a good LinkedIn bio, it’s much better to be clear,  than clever. Be chatty, be friendly, use short sentences, and short paragraphs. And make sure that each point is made only once, eliminating waffle, and repetition as you edit your first draft. Long, meandering sentences, lots of industry    jargon, or paragraphs that make multiple points, in a haphazard manner are all bad news. Keep it simple.

4. It’s not all business. Yes, you’re using LinkedIn to network for your business, or look for a new job opportunity,        but people buy from people, and there’s no reason why you can’t add some snippets of personal information to           your LinkedIn bio, to warm up your prospects. In various iterations of my LinkedIn in ‘about me’ section, I’ve              made reference to my children, being a single parent, my disobedient Beagador (look them up), and my love of            custard creams. None of these things are work-related, and all of them have directly brought me business, by              helping me come across as a real, living, breathing human being. They’ve also helped my audience relate to me, and form connections with a complete stranger.  No, your LinkedIn profile shouldn’t be all about your personal life – remember, where not on Tinder – but including some relevant and interesting bits and bobs about what makes you tick will help you appear more real, honest, and trustworthy.

5. Have some fun. Your LinkedIn bio should cover RELEVANT information about what you do, or what you offer,          who it helps, and how it helps them. You should clearly spell out what makes you, and your service unique, and            why prospects should pick you over another similar brand (here’s a tip, lifting copy from client testimonials is great      for this). But once you have the basics covered in your LinkedIn bio, there’s no reason at all why you can’t add some      bells and baubles – just check out my own profile, for an idea of how to have fun with it, while remaining                        professional. My bio is very clear about what I do (web, brand, and tone of voice copywriting, for clients based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the UK, and often beyond), but it also gives you a flavour of what I’d be like to work with (freakin’ hilarious, and a whole lotta fun). It also makes people snort tea out of their noses as it’s so funny (direct quote, and no, not from my Mum). Don’t make it a laugh a   minute, or forget the important business details, but don’t make your LinkedIn bio read like an obituary, either. Copy can be playful and professional at the same time, I promise.

Why is it so hard to write a LinkedIn bio?

People often struggle to write their LinkedIn profile summary because they’re either too close to the topic, and nit pick their drafts to death looking for perfection, or because they don’t understand how to write about their businesses in a way that summarises their offer, so that the things that make them unique shine through.

This is where working with a seasoned LinkedIn bio writer like moi is invaluable. My process is effective but simple,  including a set of 12 questions that tease out the right, and most relevant information from my clients. It’s so hard to crystallise who you are, and what you do, your history and your journey, your story so far, and your reason for what you do, the benefits, and who can benefit, into such a short space – phew. As a storyteller, and brand copywriter, I can spin your yarn, while helping you achieve a tone of voice that resonates with you target audience.

Not only do I write LinkedIn biographies and LinkedIn headlines, I help you understand what makes you and your brand unique, and to begin to speak succinctly, and confidently about what you do, in a way that the right people will identify, and engage with.

My own bio brings me daily leads, and I feel confident that it’s out there speaking positively on my behalf. If you suspect your own bio might be talking trash about you behind your back, you might benefit from my help. Why not get in touch and let me take a look – I’m always happy to offer some further LinkedIn bio writing advice.