I get it. You hate LinkedIn. Here's why you should reconsider.

When I ask clients or colleagues about LinkedIn, I get mixed reactions, including “I hate LinkedIn.” “I only use it when I’m job hunting.” “I don’t see any need to be on LinkedIn.” But I tell them they’re missing out.

Why should you power up your LinkedIn?

LinkedIn now has over a billion members and it’s growing by 9 percent each year. It drives the lion's share of business-to-business social leads, more than every other platform combined.

When someone searches your name on the Internet, LinkedIn is usually the first hit they get. (Try it and see what happens!) It’s your digital footprint. It’s not just for job hunting any more. Why miss your chance to shape what people see, whether you’re a college student, entrepreneur, corporate employee, or CEO?

The good news is that building a strong presence doesn't take long. It just takes intention. Here's where to start.

How to enhance your digital imprint in 10 steps

1. Use a professional headshot. Not with your animal, spouse, or children. If you don’t have a pro headshot, have someone take a nice photo of you with an outdoor or professional background.

2. Create a cover image that represents what you do. It could be another photo or a designed cover image…use the real estate wisely.

3. Write a pithy headline and “about message.” Say what you do in your headline and how you do it. In the “about,” elaborate on your experience in a few paragraphs. Don’t make it boring. Then customize your URL so it reads www.linkedin.com/your name. List your skills, and if you’re job hunting, change your profile to “open to work.” LinkedIn functions as a search engine, so weave keywords into your headline, about section, and experience.

For example: Instead of “writer/communications manager/entrepreneur” for my headline, I have the following:

4. List your experience with detailed descriptions. So many people just list their titles and employers. Your LinkedIn should read like your resume and in fact, contain more details than your resume. Think about what you’ve accomplished in each position and tell those stories (just like a resume, focus on impact rather than activity). If you’ve held more than one role at an employer, list them separately with details of each position. If you’re an entrepreneur and are working regularly for clients (for example, I was the director of communications for a startup one year), you can list those separately. If you’ve just left a position, don’t change your last position until you find a new one. Employers tend to be more interested in candidates who are currently employed.

5. List your volunteer activities. It’s okay if you coach your kid’s baseball team; that counts. It makes you a more interesting person than if you don’t do anything in the community.

6. Now, connect with anyone you’ve worked with or met in the past. My caveat to this is if you like them! When I left my last corporate position, I disconnected from some of the company’s toxic leaders. But seriously, you should be connected to anyone you know professionally…and as you interact on LinkedIn, connect with people who interest you as well. LinkedIn’s groups are not as robust or valuable as Facebook groups, but it couldn’t hurt to join some that are in your field.

7. Ask for recommendations. I often ask my clients if they have testimonials for their websites, and LinkedIn gives us a powerful way to collect those. They’ll show up on your LinkedIn and you can also use them elsewhere. About 25% of the people you ask will actually write you a recommendation, so ask more than you want to get. Don’t just wait until you’re job hunting. I know it’s hard for some people to do this, but LinkedIn makes this task SO EASY.

8. Post and interact! Write about what you’re doing professionally. Are you starting a new exciting project? Finishing one that you feel proud of? Working with an exceptional client or colleague? Write or make a video about it and tag that person! Toot your horn and invite others to the orchestra! You’ll get more engagement if you interact with others after you post, because LinkedIn’s algorithms like activity. Try not to worry about your like/comment metrics; many people just lurk on LinkedIn, and more people are probably seeing your posts than you are aware.

One more thing: be professional at all times! My article, “Elevate Your Feed: Crafting a Professional, Inspirational Online Presence,” explains how important it is to use social media for good.

9. Consider writing a LinkedIn newsletter. I believe in sharing my knowledge freely…it’s part of my philosophy to put out into the world what I want to get back. When you launch a newsletter, LinkedIn auto-invites your connections and followers, and new articles are pushed directly to subscribers. I have a Mailchimp newsletter with around 130 subscribers. I’ve had a LinkedIn newsletter for 4 years, and I have 935 subscribers without even trying! People are much more likely to interact with my articles there than on other social media channels or via Mailchimp. The only downside is you don’t collect email addresses like you do in other platforms. LinkedIn newsletters are one of the best ways to build connections and invite discourse.

10. Check your visibility and privacy settings. You can control who sees your connections, whether recruiters can find you, who can connect with you, and if your profile shows up in Google results. Mine are set so my email is not visible to anyone, and when I update my profile, no one sees it. My profile is visible outside of LinkedIn because I’m a business owner and I want people to be able to find me.

People who think LinkedIn is just for job hunting are the same ones who'll be scrambling to update their profiles the next time they need one. You don't have to be that person. With a few hours of intentional work and a good photo, a strong headline, and a handful of posts, LinkedIn will start working for you around the clock, whether you're looking for clients, visibility, or just a stronger professional reputation. Start today, not the next time you need something from it.

Need help with your LinkedIn? Drop me a line! I love to help people toot their horns. And one of my mentors once called me a “LinkedIn ninja.” :)

Let’s make your message the one they remember. Fertile Ground Communications transforms complex ideas into clear, compelling messages that capture attention and inspire action. Whether you’re a small business, public agency, or nonprofit, we help your voice break through the clutter and connect authentically with your audience.