The LinkedIn profile button allows you to showcase your professional brand and accomplishments by displaying your LinkedIn profile information on your website or blog. Adding more options to your profile button can help drive traffic to your LinkedIn page, expand your professional network, and increase engagement. In this article, we’ll explore how you can customize and add more functionality to your LinkedIn profile button.
What is the LinkedIn Profile Button?
The LinkedIn profile button, also known as the “Follow me on LinkedIn” button, is a simple customizable button you can add to your website to display your LinkedIn profile information. It allows visitors to preview your LinkedIn profile snapshot, including your profile photo, headline, and number of connections, without leaving your site.
When visitors click on the profile button, they’ll be taken to your full LinkedIn profile page where they can connect with you if they wish. The profile button makes it easy for website visitors to learn more about your professional background and network with you.
Benefits of Adding a LinkedIn Profile Button
Here are some of the benefits of adding a LinkedIn profile button to your site:
- Drives traffic to your LinkedIn profile – The button entices visitors to click to view your full profile, directing potential connections your way.
- Increases brand awareness – Displaying your photo, headline and link gives visitors a preview of your professional brand.
- Expands your network – Visitors who click through can connect with you on LinkedIn, helping grow your connections.
- Shows you’re credible and established – The button exhibits you have an established LinkedIn presence.
- Easy to add – The button can be easily customized and added to your site with a few lines of code.
Overall, adding a LinkedIn profile button makes it simple for you to showcase your LinkedIn presence and gives visitors instant access to your profile.
How to Add a LinkedIn Profile Button
Adding a LinkedIn profile button to your website is a quick and easy process that can be done in just a few steps:
Step 1: Customize Your Button
Go to the LinkedIn Profile Button Generator page. Here you can choose from different button styles and customize the button text and labels.
Some customization options include:
- Button style – Standard, flat or transparent background
- Background color
- Text font and color
- Language
- Button text – Examples: “Follow Me”, “Connect with Me”
- Label text – Examples: “Connections”, “Followers”
Preview how the button looks as you customize it. Choose options that align with your brand colors and style.
Step 2: Copy the Button Code
Once you have your button looking how you want, copy the generated embed code. This is the HTML code that you’ll paste into your website source code to display the button.
The code will look something like this:
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.linkedin.com/in.js"></script>
<script type="IN/FollowCompany" data-id="123145" data-counter="right"></script>
Step 3. Paste the Code on Your Site
Paste the button code into your website’s HTML at the location where you want the button to display. Many websites insert social media buttons in the header or footer.
If you’re using a website builder like WordPress or Squarespace, there is usually a custom HTML widget or code block where you can input third-party code.
Make sure to test that the button displays and functions correctly. The preview on LinkedIn’s generator will look slightly different than how it appears on your actual site.
Customizing Your Button Further
While the above steps cover the basics of adding a profile button, LinkedIn offers additional customization options for a more tailored and functional button. Let’s explore some of these options:
Size and Orientation
You can display the button in different sizes – standard, large or small. Adjust the height and width parameters in the code to resize your button.
Orientation controls the direction the button expands when clicked. Set the data-orientation option to “horizontal” or “vertical” in the code.
Additional Fields
By default, the button shows your profile photo, name and headline. You can customize it to showcase other profile fields like your location, industry, number of connections, etc.
Add data tags like data-industry, data-location, data-num-connections to the code to show additional info.
Open Links in New Window
To make the button open your LinkedIn profile in a new browser tab when clicked, add the target=”_blank” parameter to the anchor tag code.
For example:
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourusername" target="_blank">Button Text</a>
Add Follower Counter
You can include a follower or connection counter by adding the data-counter tag. This shows how many LinkedIn followers or connections you have.
For example:
<script type="IN/FollowCompany" data-id="123145" data-counter="right"></script>
Use Profile ID Rather than Custom URL
Instead of adding your custom LinkedIn URL, you can use your unique LinkedIn Profile ID.
To find your profile ID, go to your LinkedIn profile and look at the URL. The series of numbers following “in/” is your profile ID.
So instead of:
href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourusername"
You would put:
data-id="123145"
This makes sure the button always links to your profile even if you change your LinkedIn username in the future.
Where to Place Your LinkedIn Profile Button
Now that you know how to customize and add a LinkedIn button, where should you place it on your website or blog? Consider putting it in these prime locations:
- Header – Include it in your top navigation bar or header banner for consistent visibility.
- Homepage – Place it prominently on your homepage, e.g. above the footer.
- Blog posts – Add it at the bottom of blog posts so readers can easily connect.
- About page – Display it on your About or Contact page where visitors look for more on you.
- Sidebar – Useful for blogs, the sidebar puts it front and center on all pages.
Link the button next to your other social media buttons, such as Twitter and Facebook, for convenient access. Putting it above the fold increases the chance of visitors noticing and clicking it.
Promoting Your LinkedIn Profile Button
Once your profile button is added, you’ll want to promote it to maximize visibility and engagement:
- Link to it in your email signature with text like “Connect with me on LinkedIn.”
- Include it on business cards and resumes.
- Mention it when networking and let people know they can connect via the button.
- Broadcast it on your other social networks, e.g. tweet “Check out my LinkedIn profile here: [button link]”
Actively driving people to your button leads to more profile views, connections and engagement with your professional brand.
LinkedIn Profile Button Best Practices
To get the most out of your LinkedIn profile button, keep these best practices in mind:
- Maintain an updated LinkedIn profile – Make sure your profile is complete with a professional photo, headline, summary, experience, etc. This is what visitors will see when they click your button.
- Check that it links correctly – Double check that the button links to your correct LinkedIn URL and opens in a new window or tab if desired.
- Use contrasting colors – Choose background and text colors with enough contrast so the button is clearly visible.
- Place it above the fold – Put the button high up on pages where it can be seen without excessive scrolling.
- Include it in multiple locations – Insert the button code in header, sidebar, footer to display it on all pages.
- Promote your button – Mention and link to your button across your online platforms to boost traffic.
- Refresh the code if needed – If the button seems dated or you update your profile, generate fresh embed code.
Following these tips will lead to more LinkedIn profile views and engagement from your website visitors.
Conclusion
Adding a LinkedIn profile button to your website is an impactful yet simple way to showcase your professional brand. With just a few lines of embed code, you can display your LinkedIn profile snapshot and entice visitors to connect with you.
Customize the button with your photo, industry, headline and other fields to tailor it to your brand. Place it prominently on your site and promote it to maximize visibility. Follow best practices like keeping your profile updated and refreshing the code periodically.
With a LinkedIn profile button, visitors are just one click away from viewing your LinkedIn profile and network. Use it to establish your professional credibility, drive more traffic to your profile and expand your connections.