LinkedIn for Executives: 7 Must-do Practices for an Exemplary Profile

LinkedIn for executives: less about networking, more about leading.

When it comes to business marketing and networking, LinkedIn is the top choice of most industry leaders.

CEOs, VPs, managers, and executive directors use LinkedIn to look for new opportunities, hire talented professionals, and collaborate with other top executives and corporate leaders.

With more than 65 million decision-makers on LinkedIn, how can you make your profile stand out?

Read on as we share 7 tips on creating a stand-out executive profile and 10 of the leading executives on LinkedIn.

Benefits of LinkedIn for Executives

Having a voice on LinkedIn is one way for executives to showcase their innovative ideas, admirable leadership, and business expertise. It’s also one way to boost your company’s reputation and authority.

Here are the reasons why executives like you must craft a strong LinkedIn profile:

• Networking opportunities. Create new business opportunities by connecting with peers, industry leaders, and potential business partners.
• Recruiting top talent. With over 1 billion members, LinkedIn is a great place to find highly qualified candidates to join your organization.
• Online reputation management. Build and maintain a positive image for your brand by quickly addressing existing issues. Openly responding to criticism demonstrates transparency and commitment towards improvement.
• Career advancement. Discover executive-level job opportunities that fit your skills and experience. Find new career possibilities by setting up job alerts for roles matching your aspirations. Gain recognition for achievements and milestones by regularly updating your profile with your latest accomplishments, certifications, and endorsements from colleagues and industry peers.
• Company promotion. Promote your company’s culture, products, and service by acting as a brand ambassador. Share important business updates, events, and news with your LinkedIn audience.
• Building your brand. Besides your company reputation, create a reputation for yourself. Establish yourself as one of the industry leaders by engaging with like-minded professionals and providing valuable resources.

How To Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile as an Executive

To thrive on LinkedIn, your profile must leave viewers with the impression that you’re a reputable leader in the market. It must reflect your character, interests, and work values. Beyond that, you must also showcase your innovative and informative insights through content posting, and grow your network through personalized DMs and lead magnets.

1. Keep an Updated Profile

Executives are known for their impressive leadership, achievements, and credentials. So, your profile must highlight these elements to stand out from the crowd and grab people’s interest.

Every detail written in your profile matters, so be meticulous when setting it up. To ensure you’ll not miss anything, follow our tips below:

• Use a professionally-looking display photo. This must be in high resolution with 400 by 400 pixel dimensions. Don’t forget to wear a smile to promote yourself as an approachable business leader.
• Your banner must convey your personality and profession. You can use an image of the company you work with, business ideas you’ve conceptualized, or your hobbies and interests.
• Write an impactful headline. Erite the job title(s) first, followed by the area of expertise or the company’s name. You can also add any of your achievements or accomplishments that people may find interesting. Taplio’s headline generator can help you write an impressive headline that encapsulates your professional identity.

Examples: “Chief Finance Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation”.

      “CEO and Co-Founder at Silverlining, LLC. | 3-Time NYT Bestselling Author

• Utilize keywords in your “About” Section. Keywords boost your profile’s visibility in people’s searches in your area of expertise. For example, if you’re the CEO of a financial startup, you can use words related to your financial products and services, such as “Return on Investment,” “Strategic Financial Planning”, “Asset management,” and more. You can also indicate your industry-related specialties so people will see that you’re not just a leader but also an expert in your field. For instance, a tech sector executive may indicate that he specializes in AI, cloud storage, programming, or cybersecurity.
• Complete your profile’s “Experience” section. Highlight your previous job roles and the companies you’ve worked with. Ensure that you clearly emphasize how your skills and expertise benefited your previous colleagues or employers.
• Add at least 2 recommendations from your former colleagues. These people can attest to your leadership skills and industry-specific expertise, which helps solidify your reputation on the platform.

2. Post Niche-Focused Content

Executives like you are not typical LinkedIn members. Your title comes with a compelling voice that can help your company’s brand shine in the public eye. You can also influence people in your area of expertise, given your impressive job title.

Your published content aims to portray yourself as a knowledgeable leader in your area of expertise. So, your posts must revolve around topics that will bring valuable insights and motivation to members in your field.

Here are some topics you can write about as an executive:

• Your insights on the latest industry breakthroughs.
• Performance forecasts and projections for your company.
• Personal anecdotes to motivate inspiring leaders/executives.
• Narrative of your company’s recent achievements.
• Educational content related to your company’s products/services.

3. Build a Regular Posting Schedule

It’s a must to stay relevant to your followers in order to grow your profile. You can do this by regularly posting content at least twice a week to stay on people’s minds.

However, don’t publish content just for the sake of it. Remember, your content must provide something valuable to your audience. If you feel you run out of ideas to share, don’t hesitate to pause and reflect to come up with fresh ideas.

But if you’re determined to keep the gears moving, Taplio’s personal chat assistant can ideate and write compelling posts for you. You can also use its post scheduler to set your LinkedIn posts and carousels on auto-pilot to help you reach a larger audience on the platform.

You can’t expand your professional network on LinkedIn without interacting with others’ posts. Since every like, report, or comment you make is visible, people will notice how often you engage with other professionals.

Sharing your insights through comments is a great way to showcase your expertise. For instance, if you see educational content related to your field, you can comment about additional insights or information that can benefit the audience. Some people might be impressed by your informative comments and become interested in connecting with you.

5. Use Direct Messages

Even as a corporate executive, there are times when it’s necessary to send personalized messages to other industry leaders like you. For instance, sending a DM is the best way to go if you want to send a pitch for collaboration to a company’s CEO or president.

Avoid using pre-made templates for your DMs, as everyone hates non-personalized messages. As much as possible, your messages must:

• Indicate how you met your recipient.
• Express your intent. Are you inviting them for a partnership? (Or to serve as your event’s speaker?)
• Explain why you want to work with them. (Does his expertise fit your company’s goals?)
• Tell them how they can reach out to you in case they’re interested in your offer (e.g., Send a confirmatory email, reach out to your secretary, etc.)

6. Transform Texts Into Visuals

We all know that high-quality content is key to maximum engagement. However, it’s the content with visuals that dominates the platform. According to LinkedIn itself, visual aids can stimulate your audience’s emotions and senses, compelling them to look at your content. So, if you aspire to attract people to your content, adding visuals is a must.

Moreover, visual elements can help simplify complex information you want to communicate. If there are too many technical concepts or processes in your areas of expertise, you can present them in a clear manner with the help of pictures or videos.

Here are some examples of how executives can utilize visuals to empower their content:

• Use illustrative dashboards to present the company’s KPIs.
• Use captivating images to compliment narrative posts.
• Videos, GIFs, or animations to present company operations, events, or programs.
• Infographics to summarize information that is digestible to the general audience.

7. Utilize Lead Magnets and LinkedIn Ads

Lastly, you must attract prospects that may contribute to your brand’s or company’s growth. Large companies are usually capable of generating leads without too much gimmick. But for startups, it’s crucial to attract business to help them thrive in the market.

Common lead magnets like free consultations, training, eBooks, templates, or checklists can help you collate the contact details of prospects. You can also join groups to connect with other executives of startup businesses to find potential partnerships or collaborations.

Additionally, you can reach out to potential investors or clients using the search feature and the right keywords.

10 Executives You Should Be Following on LinkedIn

These top executives on LinkedIn can inspire you to create a remarkable and impactful voice on the platform.

1. Sallie Krawcheck

Sallie Krawcheck is the CEO and founder of Ellevest, a financial company helping women achieve financial stability and freedom. This firm was also recognized as one of LinkedIn’s “most sought-after startups.”

2. Jamie Dimon

Jamie Dimon is currently the CEO and chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of New York’s Federal Reserve Bank and the Board of Trustees of the New York University School of Medicine.

3. Betty Liu

Betty Liu served as Executive Vice Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. She’s also an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience in the field.

4. Corie Barry

Corie Barry is the CEO of Best Buy, an American multinational consumer electronics company based in Minnesota.

5. Grant Cardone

Grant Cardone is a private equity fund manager and real estate investor. He’s been the CEO of Cardone Capital for over 27 years.

6. Kevin Scott

Kevin Scott is the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft Corporation. He’s also a member of the senior leadership team, which reports to Microsoft’s CEO.

7. Bill Gates

Bill Gates was a co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation and Breakthrough Energy. He’s currently co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

8. Jane Fraser

Jane Fraser is the CEO of Citi, a multinational bank operating in over 150 countries. She has over 18 years of experience in this company.

9. Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella is the current chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation. He was also a member of the University of Chicago’s Board of Trustees, Starbucks, and Fred Hutch.

10. Roy Gori

Roy Gori is currently the president and CEO of Manulife, an international financial services group that provides investment and insurance products to various countries worldwide.

Wrapping It Up!

Executives can easily network with industry peers, serve as company ambassadors, recruit top talent, and build their brands by maintaining an active LinkedIn presence.

Need a tool to speed up these tasks?

Taplio can save you time and boost your LinkedIn presence with its LinkedIn scheduling tool, automated DMs, reputation management, and engagement tracking. It also simplifies lead generation through its 3M+ lead database.

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