Your LinkedIn headline is one of the most important parts of your LinkedIn profile. It appears right below your name and photo and is often the first thing people notice when visiting your profile. A good headline gives viewers a quick understanding of who you are professionally and what value you can provide. But coming up with the perfect LinkedIn headline can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you write an effective headline that makes a strong first impression.
Keep it concise
LinkedIn headlines are limited to 120 characters, so you need to make every word count. Get straight to the point about your professional identity and keep unnecessary fluff words to a minimum. Some good headline formulas to follow include:
[Job Title] @ [Company Name]
[Skills/Expertise] | [Industry/Field] Professional
Award-winning [Job Title] | [Areas of Excellence]
Passionate about [Expertise] | [Job Title] at [Company]
Resist the urge to cram in too much information. A concise, focused headline will show people at a glance what you do and grab their attention more effectively than a long, unfocused headline.
Emphasize areas of expertise
Rather than just listing your job title, incorporate keywords and phrases that describe your strongest skills, capabilities, and specializations. For example:
Digital Marketing Specialist | PPC & SEO Expert
Software Engineer | Cloud Computing & Cybersecurity
HR Leader | Talent Development & Succession Planning
This helps viewers immediately understand what you bring to the table and what types of roles you are best suited for.
Target the right audience
Tailor your headline to connect with your ideal audience on LinkedIn, whether that’s potential employers, clients/customers, business partners, or something else. For example:
Passionate Educator | Specializing in Literacy & Elementary Math
Home Remodeling Professional | Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations
Including keywords or phrases related to your target market makes your expertise and focus come through clearly.
Showcase credentials and achievements
If you have an advanced degree, industry certifications, prestigious awards, or other noteworthy achievements, consider highlighting those in your headline. For example:
MIT Sloan MBA | Business Operations & Strategy
PMP & Lean Six Sigma Certified | Efficient Project Execution
Highlighting relevant credentials establishes credibility and trust with your audience.
Communicate the value you provide
Rather than solely focus on what you do, incorporate language that conveys the tangible value and impact you deliver. For example:
Boosting Student Achievement through Data-Driven Teaching
Driving Organizational Effectiveness and Growth
This gives people a compelling reason to connect with you.
Incorporate keywords strategically
Use targeted keywords and phrases throughout your headline to help increase your visibility and come up in relevant LinkedIn searches. But be careful not to over-optimize or cram too many keywords, as that can make your headline seem spammy or robotic.
Show personality and creativity
While your headline needs to succinctly convey your professional identity, you can also sprinkle in some personality. Alliteration, plays on words, interesting verbs/adjectives, and other creative tactics can help your headline stand out while still communicating your key strengths and focus areas.
Customize for different audiences
Consider creating customized LinkedIn headlines for different audiences you want to target. For example, one version aimed at prospective employers, another for potential clients, one for your alumni network, etc. Tailoring your headline for specific audiences can help strengthen engagement.
Don’t be generic
Avoid overly broad or vague headlines like “Experienced professional” or “Passionate about leadership.” These tell viewers very little about your actual skills and make you fade into the background. Be as specific as possible within the 120 character limit.
Showcase transferable skills
If you are changing roles or industries, focus on transferable skills vs. job-specific tasks to show how your expertise can provide value in a new context.
Update it regularly
Revisit your headline periodically to update it based on your evolving career path, new skills/credentials, change in industries/roles, etc. An outdated headline can give the wrong impression.
Check grammar and punctuation
Typos or other errors in your headline give a sloppy impression and undermine your professionalism. Double check for mistakes before finalizing your headline.
Get feedback from others
Ask colleagues, mentors, or professional connections to review your headline and provide honest input on how to make it stronger.
Here are examples of strong LinkedIn headlines:
Headline | Analysis |
---|---|
Digital Marketing Expert | Driving ROI Through Paid Ads & Conversion Rate Optimization | Concise and results-oriented. Focuses on areas of expertise and quantifiable business impact. |
Software Engineering Leader | Building High-Performance Teams | Demonstrates leadership skills beyond hands-on coding. Appeals to engineering and people management roles. |
Product Marketing Manager | Customer Insights | Go-To-Market Strategy | Highlights both hard and soft skills related to the product marketing role. |
Finance Analyst | Data Visualization | Financial Modeling | Emphasizes domain expertise as well as data analysis skills. |
And here are examples of headlines to potentially avoid:
Headline | Analysis |
---|---|
Passionate Marketing Expert Looking for New Opportunities | Too vague and generic. Doesn’t effectively convey skills or professional brand. |
MBA Graduate Seeking Entry Level Business Analyst Role | Focused on degree over skills and capabilities. Better to highlight transferable skills. |
Experienced IT Professional | Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Network Infrastructure, Project Management, Software Development | Crams in too many keywords. Lacks focus. |
Teacher, Instructor, Educator, Professor, Academic, Scholar | Tries too hard to stuff in keywords. Reads as spammy. |
Tips for writing a compelling LinkedIn headline:
Here are 10 tips to help you write an effective and compelling LinkedIn headline:
- Highlight your current job title and company
- Focus on your core areas of expertise
- Emphasize skills that set you apart
- Quantify your impact and achievements when possible
- Align with your target audience and industry
- Incorporate relevant keywords strategically
- Convey the value you can provide
- Showcase credentials and certifications
- Be authentic and reflect your personal brand
- Update it regularly to stay current
Common LinkedIn headline formulas:
Here are some commonly used headline formulas you can model:
- [Job Title] @ [Company Name]
- [Number of Years Experience] as a [Job Title]
- [Skills/Expertise] | [Industry] Professional
- [Job Title] | [Specializations]
- Passionate [Job Title] | [Areas of Excellence]
- [Industry/Field] Expert Focused on [Skills]
- Award-Winning [Job Title] | [Credentials]
Words to avoid in your LinkedIn headline:
Steer clear of these overly vague or generic words:
- Experienced
- Skilled
- Professional
- Specialist
- Expert
- Leader
- Passionate
- Enthusiastic
- Energetic
- Motivated
- Results-driven
- Proven
- Successful
- Accomplished
Headlines by industry:
Here are some example LinkedIn headlines tailored for various industries and fields:
Technology:
- Senior Software Engineer | Cloud Architecture & Scalable Systems
- Product Manager | User Experience Optimization
- Cybersecurity Professional | Vulnerability Assessment & Risk Management
Marketing:
- Digital Marketing Expert | Social Media & Email Campaigns
- SEO & Content Marketing Specialist
- Brand Strategist | Brand Messaging & Awareness
Finance:
- CPA | Financial Auditing & Reporting
- Corporate Finance Manager | Budgeting & Forecasting
- Investment Banking Analyst | M&A and Valuations
Healthcare:
- Registered Nurse | Emergency Room & Intensive Care
- Physical Therapist | Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
- Clinical Research Coordinator | Study Start-Up & Execution
Education:
- High School Teacher | Math Instruction & Tutoring
- College Admissions Counselor | Application Strategy
- Curriculum Developer | Science & Language Arts
Tips for keywords in your LinkedIn headline:
Here are some tips for effectively incorporating keywords in your LinkedIn headline:
- Research keywords people search for related to your industry and role
- Identify keywords that communicate your skills and experience
- Avoid overusing keywords – quality over quantity
- Use keywords naturally rather than just jamming them in
- Put keywords near the start of your headline when possible
- Include targeted skills, certifications, credentials
- Update keywords as your focus evolves over time
- Consider having versions of your headline for different audiences
- Ask others for feedback to improve keyword optimization
- Check LinkedIn profiles of leaders in your field for keyword ideas
Storytelling in your LinkedIn headline:
LinkedIn limits headlines to 120 characters, but you can still tell a compelling story. Here’s how:
- Hook the viewer with a descriptive adjective (e.g. award-winning, innovative, leading)
- Clarify your profession and skills right away
- Emphasize how you help companies or customers
- Quantify your results and impact when possible
- Convey your unique personal brand and passion
- Align your headline with your broader LinkedIn profile story
- Use persuasive language that grabs attention
- Avoid clichés and overused phrases
- Craft a headline people will remember
- Update over time as your story evolves
Examples of creative LinkedIn headlines:
Here are some examples of LinkedIn headlines that grab attention with creative flair:
- Digital Marketing Rockstar | Guitarist Turned Growth Hacker
- Leading Product Teams from MVP to Scale
- Software Architect Constructing Robust Cloud Systems
- Retail Brand Strategist | Shopper Insights That Drive Results
- Helping Startups Launch and Accelerate Growth
- From Chaos to Calm – HR Leader Cultivating Amazing Work Cultures
- Making Materials Talk – R&D Chemist Unlocking Innovation
A/B testing your LinkedIn headline:
You can A/B test different versions of your LinkedIn headline to see which drives the most profile views and engagement. Here’s how:
- Come up with 2-3 different headline options
- Set up a Google Analytics account if you don’t have one
- Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag browser extension
- Connect Google Analytics to your LinkedIn account
- Add the different headlines as LinkedIn Analytics custom variables
- Rotate the headline variants periodically
- Check Google Analytics to see which variant has the highest CTR
- Set your headline to the top performing version
- Continue testing new variants over time
Tools to help write your LinkedIn headline:
Here are some tools that can help boost your LinkedIn headline:
- Headline Analyzer: Predicts how likely people are to click your headline and suggests improvements.
- UpMetrics: Analyzes how your headline compares to top performers in your industry.
- SEMrush: Generates headline suggestions based on targeted keyword research.
- CoSchedule Headline Analyzer: Tests if your headline is too long or short, overused, or unemotional.
- Portent’s Content Idea Generator: Provides headline templates and ideas based on your input.
- BuzzSumo: Explore popular and trending headlines on LinkedIn for inspiration.
Conclusion:
Your LinkedIn headline is valuable real estate that can grab attention, convey your personal brand, and drive the right connections when crafted effectively. While limited to 120 characters, you can tell a compelling story that resonates with your target audience. Focus on conciseness, keyword optimization, quantifying value, and creative flair to make a strong first impression. And remember to update it regularly as your career evolves. With a results-driven headline, you can showcase the very best version of your professional self on LinkedIn.