[WEBINAR] Building your executive profile for B2B
LinkedIn branding is becoming increasingly harder to perfect as more executives strive to become influential thought leaders.
With only a few executives truly going viral, several key factors distinguish the very best from the worst, from the structure of their page to the content they produce.
In this article, we share what these factors are, with 9 LinkedIn branding tips we believe boosts executives’ trust and influence. So, let’s get into it.
Whenever someone visits your LinkedIn page, they should immediately know your mission.
Of course, your posts and online content should already give them a good idea, but there’s a much more efficient way to drive your message home in just a few lines, and too many leaders miss the trick.
We're talking about the headline message that sits just under your profile’s name.
When written well, this not only determines whether people engage with your page but also helps them discover you in the first place.
In terms of who these visitors are, they can be anyone from potential investors to partners or even journalists who might write about you.
But more significantly, they can be potential recruits deciding where to take the next step in their careers. LinkedIn is the platform they're most active on, after all.
So, what does a good headline message look like?
Essentially, it should underline what differentiates you and your business in 25 words or less.
For example, if Joe Blogs led a marketing business named Blogs Creative, his headline message might look like the following…
“We turn complex ideas into bold, memorable brand stories that drive growth | 20% market share increase in 3 years | Multi-award-winning leader”.
The first line explains his business's mission.
The second validates his business's progress.
The third leverages personal awards for credibility.
Hopefully, your headline will be less generic.
But the better you can grab a visitor’s attention with a compelling body of text, the better your profile and content will perform.
Once visitors hit your page, they’re interested, and they want to learn more about you, your About section really needs to captivate.
Many consider it the most important aspect of your page. It's the most read, and therefor, most likely to turn interest into action.
In our view, rather than selling your company, you need to focus on yourself. This means your story, what drives you, and the problems you’re solving.
If your About page isn’t convincing, your leadership may be undermined, and people won’t trust you.
With this in mind, consider the following tips.
First, keep your writing punchy. If it’s too lengthy, repetitive, or full of errors, readers won’t embrace your message.
Second, bear in mind the audiences you’re writing for. What talent and investors are interested in will vary widely, so ensure your content caters to all.
Third, avoid making statements you can’t back up. Journalists will often use your profile to brief themselves before an interview. It's easy to be caught out.
Lastly, keep your page regularly updated. It's natural for your mission or beliefs to evolve as you progress through your career.
Usually, three or four short paragraphs are sufficient. So, try not to go over this.
If you need some guidance, research other thought leaders within your field. Then, take inspiration from each to draft your own page.
To establish yourself as a thought leader you need to be posting consistently.
3 times a week is fine. But no more than that.
As soon as you start to over-post, you risk saturating your voice and exhausting audiences, no matter how insightful your content is.
Worse still, you might come across as unproductive or desperate for a following, which never looks good.
In our experience, the best days for engagement are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Avoid weekends.
From the moment you start posting on LinkedIn, it's a good idea to steadily vary your content, especially the formats you use.
With this we mean infographics, polls, carousels, multimedia content, and much more.
Infographics are a great way to share punchy quotes and statements in a bold way. They also look very slick and professional, too.
Polls are good for understanding your audience and encouraging engagement.
Carousels allow you to share a long-form perspective, piece of research, or lesson that audiences can engage with in a more digestible way.
Multimedia remains king. 70% of consumers are more likely to share a video on social media than any other form of content.
Other forms of content include newsletters that showcase your expertise, brand-new media coverage, and corporate documents such as white papers or financial reports.
Always tailor your content to the issues your audience cares about. This keeps your posts timely and shows that you value their views.
For instance, if new tariffs are set to disrupt your sector, ease concerns by explaining how your business is adapting.
You can even spin the narrative by highlighting new opportunities, such as fresh supply chains or plans to explore new markets.
The goal here is to hold investors’ interest, keep employees motivated, and most importantly, reaffirm your industry leadership.
So, whenever you’re in meetings with your team, surfing online publications, or engaged in conversation with other stakeholders, keep your ears open.
Staying on top of these concerns is better than constantly reacting to them. It helps you avoid a full-blown reputational crisis from erupting.
Posting on your page is only half of what it takes to become a successful thought leader on LinkedIn.
You also need to engage with others’ content.
It’s how you create more connections, grow your following, and strengthen the impact of your thought leadership.
That doesn’t necessarily mean engaging with everyone’s posts. You need to think carefully about your objectives.
If you want to strengthen your stance on certain issues, engage with other thought leaders’ perspectives, whether by agreeing with them or offering a counterpoint.
As long as you're respectful and support your arguments well, your views are likely to be well-received.
Meanwhile, if you want to build more relationships with relevant journalists, compile a list of contacts, connect with them, and engage with their content.
It shows that you’re genuinely interested in their work rather than seeing them as a means to coverage.
It sounds obvious but every aspect of your profile must be well-polished.
The moment you format text poorly, post an unprofessional image, or upload unbranded templates for visual materials, your credibility will nosedive.
Leaders sometimes make these mistakes out of excitement or haste to get statements online, but on platforms like LinkedIn, first impressions matter. People judge your authority, attention to detail, and professionalism within seconds.
You want to appear as confident and compelling as the ideas you share. Not just for yourself, but for the company you represent.
To build real trust and influence on LinkedIn, insight alone isn’t enough. You also need to demonstrate results.
If you’re a sustainability leader, show you’re improving the planet as much as you encourage others to.
If you’re a tech leader, show how you’re implementing AI, especially if you’ve campaigned for more regulation.
If you’re a finance leader, speak about your acquisition strategy if you’ve written about market volatility.
Ultimately, this validates your thought leadership, ensuring you’re seen as credible, trustworthy, and a genuine industry leader. Not a hypocrite.
So, every so often, celebrate your team’s achievements, highlight ongoing challenges, and share timely anecdotes where appropriate.
You should also consider sharing your failures and the lessons you've learned from them. Audiences appreciate honesty, and it helps build genuine likability.
If you truly want to connect with audiences, always lean into what makes you human.
Rather than posting corporate jargon in a suit with a repetitive, robotic tone, take the time to distinguish yourself from your business.
There’s no harm in sharing less polished, on-the-go videos filmed on your phone, images of yourself outside the office, or even posts about the charities you support.
This gives people a well-rounded view of your interests, helping you stand apart from others in your field.
Of course, you need to strike the right balance, as your LinkedIn should always lead with insight. But that doesn’t make some diversity invaluable.
On one hand, it helps you stay memorable, drawing them back to your content again and again.
On the other hand, it helps create stronger emotional connections with your audience, leading to multi-beneficial relationships.