*This article was originally published in American Express Magazine
* What does your LinkedIn summary say about you?
Though often overlooked or underutilized, the LinkedIn summary is a free-form, 2,000-character-rich section located at the top of every LinkedIn profile—the profile owner’s moment to shine.
But because writing a compelling summary is time-consuming, LinkedIn users often bypass the summary section, missing their opportunity to tell their unique story and connect with profile readers.
I spoke with a number of LinkedIn experts and professional copywriters to get their takes on how to master the LinkedIn summary. Time and time again, I heard 10 key tips for getting it right. How many are you abiding by?
1. Use keywords intelligently.
Many LinkedIn users falsely believe that the summary section is a fitting section to unload a word cloud of relevant keywords, as the section helps with SEO. A blob of words, though, is not the best method. “Avoid sounding like you are keyword stuffing,” says LinkedIn marketing consultant Yoon Cannon. “Include the keywords in your summary copy, but [do so] using language that flows like a normal conversation.”
