The importance of a LinkedIn headline can’t be denied as it is the most important and prominent section of your profile.
Along with your user name and profile image, the headline on LinkedIn grabs the visitors’ attention and creates a first impression.
Surely, you can make flawless expression through a well-defined headline, but you don’t have much time to attract visitors checking your profile.
So do you want to gain the maximum from your LinkedIn headline?
Some of you might find it surprising but believe me, a well-optimized headline can drastically improve the number of visitors and views on your profile.
And…
More views on your attractive profile mean more opportunities and connections. And more connections bring more business leads and sales. Simple as that.
These simple and quick improvements are not difficult to implement, but many LinkedIn users and their profiles still have a useless headline that serves no purpose.
A poor LinkedIn headline means you can miss a lot of chances to grab other’s attention. And, this can cost you qualified sales.
And this is a costly mistake. To help you out, we will talk about the best LinkedIn headlines for sales and show you the characteristics of poorly written LinkedIn headlines.
What is a Headline on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn headlines are visible at the top of your profiles and briefly describe you. The character limit for a headline is up to 120 characters or less. Moreover, the headline is visible on various sections of the platform.
Your LinkedIn headline is the part that demands some of your time and efforts; you just cannot ignore it. Similarly, regardless of the account type (whether you have a premium business account or standard account), it’s often the first visible thing on your profile.
The headline appears underneath your profile picture, and in search results, it is visible next to your name.
By default, LinkedIn generates it as per your current occupation, title, and company name. As a result, not many users update or change it.
It’s vital to update the headline, and the process is not time-consuming. Simply click on the ‘Edit’ button on your LinkedIn profile page and update it.
Furthermore, you can write your headline in different ways and use it for various purposes. It is also seen that many users assume that headline only represents job title, but its scope is much broader than that.
However, 120 characters are not that sufficient, and you don’t have much room to play and experiment. So, spend a bit of your time and think to include it in the LinkedIn headline.
What Should an Optimized Headline Include?
When it comes to optimized LinkedIn headlines, you need to consider some elements.
First and primary is your target market or audience. Think about the people who will view or interact with your profile first? Here we will look at sales and lead generation, but there can be other reasons.
Regardless of your target market, the aim is to express as much information about yourself in an appropriate way and without just stuffing keywords.
Use common job titles and roles
It is a wise approach to use industry-specific phrases and terms, so readers can instantly know about you.
Use relevant keywords
Don’t stuff useless keywords; instead, use relevant phrases that help you to appear in the LinkedIn searches.
Enter valid information without bragging
Don’t use words like ‘best,’ ‘great,’ ‘skilled,’ and other similar adjectives. Instead, keep your focus on your comparable achievements.
A brief description of how you can help others
Try to use phrases like, ‘helping authorities in X industry to accomplish their business goals Y.’
Lastly, ensure that your headline and profile is as per SEO guidelines. In other words, when other users search for keywords related to your work industry, your profile should appear higher in the results.
The Importance and Benefits of an Optimized LinkedIn Headline
There are many reasons why you should pay importance to the headline, and only then you can avail the benefits associated with the headline.
Additionally, it is vital for both individuals and sales teams to craft a concise and good headline. When creating a LinkedIn profile, users often skip this step, but you can make the most of your headline if you spend some time on it.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of a good headline is that it differs you and your profile from the others. It’s likely that many users in your industry have the same old ‘Job Title at Company’ type headline.
By crafting a unique headline, others can recognize you immediately, and eventually, it will help you generate more leads.
Furthermore, this unique approach will also help you to keep your leads engaged with you. Your prospects will not take you as another face in the industry. Instead, they will feel that you are an authentic individual.
The second benefit of having an optimized and good LinkedIn headline is that it makes your profile more visible in LinkedIn searches. By placing niche-relevant keywords that are related to your job role, your profile will have more visibility to more users. In short, we can say that your headline helps others to find you.
Common Mistakes in LinkedIn Headlines
Let’s check out some common mistakes made by a lot of people when crafting LinkedIn headlines. In fact, according to sources, only 2% of headlines are up to the standards.
Default or Traditional Headlines are Dull:
The mistake that many users often make is they don’t update their headline and use the default one. The default headline includes only your current job role and organization.
Your job title and organization’s name are also included in the ‘Experience section,’ and repeating this information is wasting the opportunity. Instead, update the headline and give your profile a chance to stand out.
Using a Vague or Irrelevant Headline:
This headline type is ideal for the unemployed but not for professionals.
Such headlines are generic, and others will not notice them. So, if you have such a headline, just update!
Make Your Professional LinkedIn Headline Better Today
So, now you know all the key elements that you need to draft a good headline for LinkedIn. It’s short space but the most effective thing in your LinkedIn profile, and for all the sales personnel, it’s the best chance to leave a powerful impression on others.
Now take out some of your precious time and optimize your LinkedIn headline for sales and try to come up with something unique that attracts others.
