In this recent article, I shared the four most important LinkedIn profile elements for making a powerful first impression and influencing stakeholders. They are your Headline, Headshot, About, and Background (also called cover image). Together, those four elements give people a holistic view of who you are and the value you deliver at work. In today’s all-things-virtual workplace, they often form your very first impression.
But there’s another profile element that’s incredibly effective for reinforcing your brand and showcasing your wins. Yet despite its potential, many people aren’t using it, or aren’t using it effectively. The feature is aptly named, Featured, and it is one of the most valuable parts of your profile for wowing the people who are checking you out and want to learn more about you.
There are so many LinkedIn profile elements, why is Featured so important?
Why Your LinkedIn Featured Section Is So Valuable
Location. Location. Location.
If your Featured section were an advertisement in a magazine or on a website, it would command a high price tag for the location. Think of it as your own Times Square billboard. Your Featured section sits sandwiched in between your About and Activity sections, well before your Experience. That means more people will see it.
Size Matters
Your Featured section has approximately three times as much real estate as your About. That’s because regardless of how long your About is, when someone is checking out your profile, they only see the first few lines. They need to click “see more” to see your entire About. Featured, on the other hand, shows your most prominent items up front with an easy scroll to see more.
Wow Factor
Featured was designed to house visuals. A picture is worth a thousand words and one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words. Featured lets you communicate the power of War and Piece (a 1,200 page epic) through engaging media.
Flexibility
This section acts as a carousel allowing you to feature lots of brand building content and rearrange items to highlight what’s currently most relevant. On the desktop version, you can see about 3 items without scrolling. You can only see one at a time on the mobile version.
What To Include In Your LinkedIn Featured Section
Now that you are convinced that Featured is a powerful way to express your personal brand and demonstrate your value, you might be asking yourself: What kinds of things should I include in my Featured section?
Of course, this section was designed for multimedia content, so think about images, videos and infographics. Consider these options:
Your Brand introduction
LinkedIn used to allow you to have a brief video (cover story) that sat behind your headshot that people would see when they land on your page. Sadly, they eliminated that feature. Here’s a quick workaround to allow you the same opportunity to introduce yourself in a more visceral way to augment what you say in your About. Create a brief 30-90 second video bio letting people know what’s important to you. It sets a much warmer and emotionally connective tone than the text-based content in your profile.
Your Best Work
Feature content that went viral. This helps you showcase your thought leadership and provide social proof. It’s even better if the post’s comments are filled with peers and industry leaders weighing in.
Your Intellectual Property
A one-page graphic or diagram of your proprietary process, method, framework, or model. For example, a 5-step leadership framework visually depicted like a subway map.
An invitation to Join Your Community
If you have a networking group, mastermind community, or discussion group and want to get like-minded people to join, use Featured to draw them in and bring them onboard. Compensation expert and Partner at AGI, Matt Bartels uses Featured to showcase a video inviting people who are interested in comp to join his firm’s compensation community.
Before-and-After Transformations
Screenshots, metrics, or short videos showing measurable results from your work provide proof. This works especially well for marketers, designers, video editors, consultants, and salespeople.
Client Video Testimonials
Testimonials are a powerful way to promote yourself without seeming self-centered. And when they are video testimonials, they impact the reader more strongly – being more personal and credible. A short video montage of clients or colleagues praising your work is another way of delivering external validation.
Media Mentions or Press Coverage
If you’re mentioned in the press, published an article, or appeared on TV or on a podcast, let your audience know by including it here. This adds credibility to your profile. The most valuable type of credibility comes from others touting your brilliance.
Something You Are Promoting
If you’re delivering a course, participating in a panel, speaking on a podcast, or launching your new book, use Featured to direct people to the activity so they can sign up or learn more.
Day in the Life or Behind the Scenes Videos
Time-lapse videos or photo series of your workday to give a behind-the-scenes feel lets people into your world. It helps you show your personality and work style.
Downloadable Items of Value
Free resources that are valuable to your visitors, like quizzes, tip sheets, and checklists help you demonstrate your expertise and showcase your generosity. LinkedIn Expert Anne Pryor shares free LinkedIn Backgrounds that you can download and customize to give your profile more visual oomph. (Check out this article about creating a compelling background for your profile).
Interests That Show That You’re More Than a Resume
These don’t need to be related directly to your work, but they help you convey your passions and interesting quirks. A recipe book you created, a pic of you skydiving, or a photograph you took of your favorite sunset are all powerful ways to share who you are beyond the credentials and accomplishments.
Your Latest LinkedIn Newsletter
While people are checking out your profile, give them the opportunity to check out the most recent issue of your LinkedIn newsletter. When they sign up, you can to continue the conversation with them.
Your LinkedIn Featured Section Could Be Your Competitive Advantage
Everyone isn’t using or maximizing the Featured section of their LinkedIn profile. That gives you an opportunity to stand out. This media-rich, highly visible section lets you provide a much more authentic experience for profile viewers. What will you include in your Featured section? And don’t forget to spend some time on the other elements of your profile that help you exude your personal brand, your Headline, Headshot, About, and Background.
William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, and personal branding pioneer. Get practical tips for practical tips on using AI to uncover, express, and expand your personal brand in this Maven Lightning Lesson video.
