Lay out your profile like an authority.
The 9 parts of a LinkedIn profile that turn visitors into followers, readers, and leads.
The template
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PHOTO
500+ connections
Your billboard
The banner is the biggest piece of real estate on your profile — and most people leave it the default blue. Use it to say what you do and for whom, show your book, or reinforce your brand. Keep important text up top and out of the lower-left, where your photo sits.
A face, not a logo
People connect with people. Use a current, high-contrast headshot — face filling most of the frame, simple background, approachable expression. Use the same photo on LinkedIn, your site, and other socials so you're instantly recognizable.
Real name + credential
Use your real, searchable name so people who hear about you can actually find you. You can add a credential (PhD, MBA), but keep emojis and keywords out — that's your headline's job. The blue check is identity verification, not status; verify if you can.
The line that gets you found
Your headline follows you everywhere — search, comments, DMs — and it's the most heavily weighted field in LinkedIn search. Don't just list a job title. Say what you do, who you help, and the proof, separated by · or |. Front-load the keywords.
Be findable
Set your real location — it affects search and reach — and grab a custom URL so your link is clean on book jackets, business cards, and email signatures. Add your website under Contact info so visitors have somewhere to go.
Make the next step obvious
Turn on Creator mode so visitors see Follow first (not just Connect) and add up to five topic hashtags under your name. Then add a custom link/button so a visitor's first click lands exactly where you want — your book or your list.
Creator mode surfaces Follow + your topicsYour story, in their words
Lead with the problem your reader feels, then reframe it as fixable — that hook is the only part most people read before "see more." After that, use plain section headers so it scans, and close by inviting a DM and your newsletter.
2 · Who I work with — your exact audience
3 · What I do — how you help / your offer
4 · Results — wins, clients, press
5 · How we work together — the first step
6 · The background — your story + credibility
7 · Let's talk — DM + newsletter ↓
Pin your best proof
Featured sits high on your profile and is clickable — unlike most of it. Order matters: the first card gets the most clicks, so lead with the one action you want, then proof, then where they go deeper, then your book.
Back up the claim
Your headline makes a promise; Experience and Skills prove it. Write accomplishments, not duties. Add your real top skills — they're searchable — and gather a few recommendations, the social proof LinkedIn shows right on your profile.
Build your headline in three parts.
Fill the blanks and paste the result straight into your LinkedIn headline. Keep it under 220 characters.
Who you help + how
“I help [audience] [get a result].” This is the line that makes someone stop and read.
Proof
A credential, a number, your book, or your company. One short, strong claim.
What you do
Your role or identity — “Habit Author,” “B2B Copywriter.” The searchable keyword, placed last.
Use separators
Break the parts with · or |. Front-load keywords — LinkedIn truncates the headline on small screens.
What to pin in Featured.
Featured is the only clickable, evergreen real estate on your profile. Pin four things in this order — the most-wanted action first.
Lead magnet or call
Your freebie or a “Book a call” link — the one action you want most. Pin it first.
Testimonials
Reader reviews, client wins, or press — proof you deliver.
Newsletter / podcast
Your show or list — where people go deeper and subscribe.
Your book
Cover, a one-line pitch, and a buy or pre-order link.