Your LinkedIn profile could feature the most impressive resume in the world\u2014wow, you led the marketing team at Clowns Monthly<\/em> magazine and <\/em>started a juggling training academy?\u2014but if no one ever sees it, what\u2019s the point?<\/p>\n That\u2019s why LinkedIn SEO is a pivotal skill to hone. With more than a billion members<\/a> on the career-focused social networking site, you\u2019ve got to put in a little extra hustle to stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re hoping to be discovered by a prospective employer (is that Ringling Bros in your DMs?!), future clients or potential employees, boosting your reach with these LinkedIn SEO secrets is a CEO-level move.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Bonus: Download a free social SEO checklist<\/span><\/strong> and follow pro tips for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get your posts seen by more people.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n LinkedIn SEO is the process of optimizing your LinkedIn page, posts and profile to increase your visibility<\/strong> in both LinkedIn and external search engine results.<\/p>\n SEO, or search engine optimization, is a standard practice in digital marketing \u2014\u00a0and it\u2019s becoming increasingly common in social media. (Psstt: we talk about social SEO<\/a> a lot, but that\u2019s because it\u2019s really important!)<\/p>\n Search engines like Google and Bing use their super-smart algorithms to match people searching for information with the content that matches their needs. And while social platforms aren\u2019t technically <\/em>search engines, they\u2019re trying to do the exact same thing.<\/p>\n How do you make sure your next cool job opportunity, qualified applicant, or high-intent prospect finds you? It definitely doesn\u2019t happen by accident \u2014 it\u2019s all about strong LinkedIn SEO.<\/p>\n To optimize your LinkedIn discoverability, you\u2019ll want to fine-tune the elements of your profile and use strong keywords wherever you can. More on that below.<\/p>\n LinkedIn SEO isn\u2019t just about helping your content show up in the search results \u2014 it\u2019s making sure the right people <\/em>find you.<\/p>\n By choosing the right keywords and optimizing your content to reflect them (e.g. by including them in titles) you can make it more likely that people searching for those keywords land on your page. For LinkedIn SEO, it\u2019s about using keywords that clearly communicate what a profile, a company page, or your posts are about.<\/p>\n If your organization specializes in social media marketing, for example, you\u2019ll want to use keywords that match your industry, like \u201csocial media consultant,\u201d \u201csocial media marketing services,\u201d and \u201csocial media management.\u201d (Good news! Our free LinkedIn post generator<\/a> makes it easy.)<\/p>\n Because there are so many companies on LinkedIn competing for attention from the same customer base, LinkedIn SEO can make a huge difference. Either your competitors will show up first in search results or you will.<\/p>\n Getting to the top of LinkedIn\u2019s search results is easier when you understand LinkedIn\u2019s algorithm. Knowledge! Is! Power!<\/p>\n According to the behind-the-scenes wizards at LinkedIn<\/a>, every set of search results is personalized for whoever is searching. In that context, LinkedIn ranks profiles in search results based on a variety of factors:<\/p>\n Now that you have a bit of an idea as to why<\/em> some LinkedIn profiles and pages rank above others, let\u2019s go into how<\/em> you can make it happen for yourself.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFree 30-Day Trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The real trick to optimizing your LinkedIn profile for SEO starts with understanding not just what your job title or expertise is but also how other <\/em>people are searching for LinkedIn users who do what you do.<\/p>\n What do prospects or recruiters type into the search bar when they\u2019re looking for industry content? You can start by doing a little research using Google Keyword Planner<\/a>, but poking around on LinkedIn itself is a good idea, too.<\/p>\n How do your peers classify themselves? What phrases are used consistently in your industry? What words does LinkedIn auto-suggest when you start typing in industry jargon into the search bar?<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve got your magic words assembled, it\u2019s time to get to SEO-ing.<\/p>\n Those magic words you just pulled together? Professional SEOs call them keywords \u2014 and it\u2019s time to put \u2018em to work.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got 2,600 characters in this section, which means plenty of space to describe how your company sets itself apart from the competition, what makes your product a great option for potential customers, and how you got to where you are. <\/p>\n Write a few narrative paragraphs describing your work life (or, if you\u2019re optimizing your LinkedIn Page for your company, your organization\u2019s goals and missions) and make sure to incorporate as many keywords as is appropriate.<\/p>\n Try using variations on these words \u2014 not just \u201ccustomer success\u201d but \u201ccustomer experience\u201d and \u201ccustomer service,\u201d too \u2014 to capture any alternative search terms that might help the right people find you.<\/p>\n Uploading high-quality images for your LinkedIn profile picture and your banner image helps the robots working behind the scenes know that your profile is serious and official.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve put the time into completing all the different aspects of the profile; you\u2019ve got to be the Real Deal, right? If you\u2019re looking for a cheat sheet for LinkedIn image specs, we\u2019ve got you covered<\/a>.<\/p>\n Before you upload those photos, make sure you\u2019ve given them a descriptive file name. Image names are a great way to incorporate some of those relevant keywords.<\/p>\n Your LinkedIn headline (also known as a tagline) should, of course, be clear to the humans who visit your LinkedIn profile. Still, ensure that the ol\u2019 LinkedIn search robots are clear about what you do, too.<\/p>\n Use every one of the 120 characters available to share the relevant details. Include your role title, your industry and your specialty to ensure you appear in search results for any of those keywords.<\/p>\n Your experience section isn\u2019t just an opportunity to show off the prestigious circus academy you attended. It\u2019s also an avenue for increasing visibility on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n Share more than your job titles here: include what you did, which skills you showcased or developed, what major clients you worked with, and any impressive accomplishments.<\/p>\n The more you write about each job, the more keywords you\u2019ll be able to seamlessly slide in.<\/p>\n Completion is the key to discoverability. The more keywords, the better.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re worried you\u2019ve missed one, don\u2019t fret. The platform will prompt you to complete anything you might have accidentally left blank.<\/p>\n Not only does the LinkedIn search engine like complete pages, but every section is a chance to add keywords that\u2019ll help your page rank higher. Here are the fields you should absolutely complete in your page \u2014 and what you should put in them:<\/p>\n With these techniques, your LinkedIn page will show up at the top of search results, and you\u2019ll get so many messages from potential connections it\u2019ll start being its own problem.<\/p>\n Did you know that you don\u2019t have to keep your page\u2019s original URL? LinkedIn will set a default URL for your page that\u2019ll just be a bunch of numbers, sort of like this:<\/p>\n www.linkedin.com\/in\/company-x\/69845325<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If you want to improve your LinkedIn page\u2019s SEO, you can edit your URL to reflect a keyword that ties into your industry. If you specialized in social media marketing, for example, you can customize your link like this:<\/p>\n www.linkedin.com\/company-x-social-media-marketing<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If your company is already well known in your niche, only including your name in the URL is also a good idea:<\/p>\n Your posts are another chance to include keywords and relevant search terms on your LinkedIn page. They\u2019re also an opportunity to show off just how much you know about SaAS sales or unicycle leadership or whatever.<\/p>\n Our studies suggest that one or two times a day<\/a> is the ideal frequency to post on LinkedIn, but your mileage may vary. <\/p>\n Hootsuite\u2019s Best Time to Publish feature<\/a> (found under Analytics) tells you the best times to post on LinkedIn (as well as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok). The recommendations are based on your past performance and tailored to your unique audience and their activity patterns on social.<\/p>\n But, there\u2019s no \u201cbest\u201d time to publish for everything. The Best Time to Publish tool goes one step further than the rest and breaks down different suggested times for three key goals:<\/p>\n This allows you to match each piece of content to a specific business goals and optimize your posting schedule for maximum effectiveness.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget to post that top-tier thought leadership content when your followers are online and ready to read.<\/p>\n Hootsuite\u2019s best time to post<\/a> LinkedIn scheduling tool will make sure your brilliant ideas land in the newsfeed when it matters most.<\/p>\nWhat is LinkedIn SEO?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Why is LinkedIn SEO so important?<\/span><\/h2>\n
LinkedIn SEO ranking factors<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Inpost-CTA-Planner.png?ssl=1\"\/)
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Social Media Tool\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nHow to optimize your LinkedIn page or profile for SEO<\/span><\/h2>\n
Use relevant keywords in your About or Description section<\/h3>\n
![\"Edit](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-seo-01-620x476.png?resize=620%2C476&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\nUpload high-quality images<\/h3>\n
Craft a bold headline<\/h3>\n
![\"Edit](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-seo-04-620x408.png?resize=620%2C408&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nTweak your experience section<\/h3>\n
Complete every section possible<\/h3>\n
![\"Add](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-seo-03-620x569.png?resize=620%2C569&ssl=1\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-SEO-products-tab-620x530.png?resize=620%2C530&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\nCustomize your LinkedIn URL<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-SEO-custom-URL.png?resize=473%2C533&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\nPlan content that fits with your keyword (and post at right time)<\/h3>\n
![\"LinkedIn](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/linkedin-seo-02-620x483.png?resize=620%2C483&ssl=1\")
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![\"Best](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Best-Time-to-Publish-LinkedIn-Heatmap-1.png?resize=1401%2C835&ssl=1\")
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