Being visible in LinkedIn search results can have a big impact for both individuals and businesses. LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 850 million members. With so many professionals using LinkedIn to connect, search for jobs, and do research, appearing prominently in LinkedIn searches can lead to new opportunities and growth.
In this article, we’ll explore what it means to rank highly in LinkedIn search and how you can optimize your LinkedIn profile and company pages to increase findability. We’ll also look at the factors that impact LinkedIn search ranking and best practices to improve visibility.
Benefits of Ranking in LinkedIn Search
Here are some of the key benefits of ranking highly in LinkedIn search results:
- Increased profile views – A prominent profile ranking means more LinkedIn members will find and view your profile when searching for relevant keywords.
- New connections – Ranking highly makes it easier for relevant professionals to find and connect with you, expanding your network.
- Recruitment opportunities – Hiring managers and recruiters often search LinkedIn for suitable candidates. High visibility can lead to more job opportunities.
- Lead generation – For businesses, being visible in searches helps drive more qualified traffic to company pages and generates new leads.
- Thought leadership – Ranking highly for relevant thought leadership topics positions you as an industry expert.
- Brand awareness – Good search visibility reinforces brand awareness as more professionals see your brand in the search results.
In summary, strong LinkedIn search rankings translate into more profile views, connections, and opportunities. Investing time in optimizing visibility in LinkedIn search can have a big payoff.
LinkedIn’s Search Algorithm
To rank highly in LinkedIn search, it helps to understand some basics about how their search algorithm works. While LinkedIn does not publicly share details of their ranking factors, experts agree on some core elements:
- Relevance – LinkedIn’s algorithm aims to surface the most relevant profiles and pages for each search query. Factors like keywords and relevance influence rankings.
- Engagement – Profiles and pages with more LinkedIn engagement and activity tend to rank better. Interactions like views, shares, and likes signal relevance.
- Connections – Having more direct LinkedIn connections correlates with better search standings. A larger first-degree network indicates popularity.
- Account status – Complete profiles with photos and active accounts tend to outrank empty or incomplete profiles in search.
- Content freshness – LinkedIn favors regularly updated profiles and pages with new content in search rankings.
Optimizing these core elements is key to improving LinkedIn search visibility as the algorithm aims to surface popular, engaging profiles aligned to each search.
Optimizing Individual Profiles for LinkedIn Search
Here are some best practices to optimize individual LinkedIn profiles for better search visibility:
Complete your profile 100%
Profiles with a 100% completion rate outperform incomplete profiles in LinkedIn search results. Be sure to add a profile photo, fill out all sections, and include details like past positions, education, skills, volunteering, certifications, and more.
Include relevant keywords
Incorporate relevant keywords throughout your profile, especially in sections like your headline, summary, experience descriptions, and skills. Use keywords that you want to rank for.
Highlight skills and expertise
The skills section offers a valuable opportunity to be found for related searches. List out your main skills – these get indexed by LinkedIn’s algorithm.
Customize your public profile URL
Create a customized public profile URL with your name to improve link visibility. Your customized URL will be www.linkedin.com/in/yourname.
Grow your connections
Profiles with more first-degree connections rank better. Aim to gradually grow your network by regularly connecting with new contacts.
Engage with content and interact
Be active by commenting on posts, sharing updates, liking content, and joining groups. This signals your profile is engaged.
Update your profile regularly
Update your profile at least once a quarter. Fresh content and activity signals your profile is current and relevant.
Optimizing Company Pages for LinkedIn Search
Company pages represent brands on LinkedIn. Here are some tips to optimize company pages for better visibility:
Complete 100% of your Company Page
Fill out all sections of your Company Page like overview, careers, products and services, culture, etc. Completeness improves rankings.
Leverage LinkedIn Elevate
Elevate allows employees to share company posts increasing reach. Make Elevate available to all employees to amplify engagement.
Post company updates regularly
Company pages with regular status updates and posts rank better. Share news, content, and other updates consistently.
Engage followers in posts
Encourage followers to like, comment, and share company posts. Higher engagement signals popularity to LinkedIn’s algorithm.
Optimize SEO on the Company Page
Include relevant target keywords in the company description, employee bios, and job postings for discovery.
Get followers, likes, and recommendations
Building more followers and likes shows a popular brand. Recommendations also validate your brand’s reputation.
Tips to Improve Personal Brand Visibility
Here are some additional tips for standing out in LinkedIn search and improving personal brand visibility:
Publish long-form posts
Author posts over 1,000 words sharing professional expertise. Quality content attracts engagement.
Use multimedia like videos and images
Posts with media elements get more visibility and engagement on LinkedIn.
Build social proof with recommendations
Profiles with lots of recommendations rank better. Ask past colleagues, employers, or professors for recommendations.
Follow LinkedIn’s publishing best practices
Review LinkedIn’s guidance for creating share-worthy content that sparks engagement and visibility.
Watch your analytics for the most viewed content
Check your LinkedIn analytics to see top performing posts. Create more content on those topics.
Leverage LinkedIn groups
Active participation in relevant LinkedIn groups helps increase visibility. Share expertise and engage with peers.
Sponsor LinkedIn content
For important posts, use LinkedIn’s sponsored content and paid partnership options to extend reach.
Ask for endorsements
Endorsements on skillsboost discoverability in searches. Proactively ask your network for endorsements.
Putting It All Together
Achieving strong LinkedIn search visibility requires optimizing both profile and company pages, engaging consistently, and focusing on relevance. Here are the key takeaways:
- Complete 100% of profile and Company Pages
- Leverage keywords, skills, and expertise
- Customize your unique profile URL
- Build connections and followers
- Share regular, engaging updates and multimedia
- Publish in-depth long-form content
- Participate actively in groups and discussions
- Encourage recommendations, likes, shares, and endorsements
- Monitor analytics to refine content
With over 850 million users, LinkedIn is a pivotal platform for professional branding and opportunities. By appearing prominently in LinkedIn search results, both individuals and brands can enhance visibility, establish credibility, and position themselves as thought leaders. Invest time optimizing your presence to maximize LinkedIn as part of your online marketing strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I update my LinkedIn profile?
It’s recommended to update your LinkedIn profile at minimum every quarter. This ensures your profile stays fresh and surfaces more prominently in searches. Update any new positions, accomplishments, skills, education, projects, etc.
What sections of a LinkedIn profile matter most for search visibility?
The headline, summary, experience descriptions, and skills sections offer prime real estate for optimizing with relevant keywords. Focus on crafting compelling, keyword-rich content in these sections.
How do I find the right keywords to include in my profile?
Conduct research on LinkedIn itself to uncover keywords. Look at profiles of leaders in your industry and niche down on terms they commonly use. You can also use tools like UberSuggest, Google’s Keyword Planner, or SEMrush to find related keywords.
How many recommendations should I have on my profile?
Aim for at least 5 recommendations, but the more the better. Profiles with 10+ recommendations give a stronger endorsement of your capabilities and expertise. Ask past managers, colleagues, professors, or other contacts to provide recommendations.
How important are profile views for LinkedIn search ranking?
Profile views are a strong signal. More profile views indicate an engaged, popular account. Interact regularly with your network and share valuable content to boost profile views.
Should I pay to sponsor LinkedIn content?
Paid sponsorship can be worthwhile for high-priority posts and content. Sponsored content extends reach beyond your existing network. Use it selectively for content that persuades and positions your brand or expertise.
Conclusion
Optimizing your LinkedIn presence is an impactful activity for individual professionals and brands. By understanding the algorithm, leveraging best practices, and publishing quality, engaging content, you can improve search visibility. This expanded reach provides opportunities to build connections, demonstrate thought leadership, support recruitment, generate leads, and boost brand awareness. With LinkedIn as a go-to platform for business professionals, make sure your profile and Company Page are discoverable. Doing so can pay dividends in reaching the right audiences.
