Recently, I attended a LinkedIn webinar hosted by the lively and animated Jamé Jackson, LinkedIn’s Community Manager.
Representing Inc413, I was eager to learn actionable tips to help professionals and small businesses unlock the potential of their LinkedIn profiles.
The event drew over 28,000 sign-ups, with between 3,500 and 4,500 participants online at any given time; a testament to how much people value the opportunity to level up their online presence.
With over 1 billion members worldwide, LinkedIn is an important platform for networking, professional growth, and business development. Yet, many small businesses and entrepreneurs still underestimate its power.
If you’re looking to connect with potential clients, establish thought leadership, or build your personal brand, LinkedIn offers the tools to do it effectively; if you know how to use them.
Jamé’s engaging presentation was packed with practical advice, real-world examples, and her signature humor. Honestly, she could make a presentation about the shape of a rock sound fascinating!
Her tips made LinkedIn optimization feel approachable and achievable. Here are my takeaways from the webinar, along with some of the best audience questions and Jamé’s answers.
Let the real you shine using the superpower of authenticity
“You are your own superpower,” Jamé said, encouraging participants to lean into their unique qualities. She emphasized that LinkedIn is about connecting with people, and authenticity builds trust and engagement.
- What this means for your profile: Don’t hide behind jargon or generic statements. Instead, let your personality and perspective shine through.
- Example: Jamé shared that her writing style and voice are so distinct that her audience can instantly recognize her posts. Your goal should be the same; when someone visits your profile, they should immediately get a sense of who you are.
- Why this matters: Authenticity fosters deeper connections. People want to work with individuals they can relate to and trust.
Craft a headline that gets you noticed
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things people see. It’s not just a tagline. It’s a powerful SEO tool that helps recruiters and potential clients find you based on keywords.
- Pro tip from Jamé: Your headline should include industry-relevant keywords and reflect your expertise. For example, a strong headline might read: “Project Manager | Data Analyst | Process Optimization Specialist.”
- What to avoid: During the webinar, Jamé reviewed a profile with a headline that included “Spreadsheet Superfan.” While playful, she noted it wasn’t an effective use of the headline’s SEO potential. Instead, save quirky or casual phrases for your About section or posts.
- Why it matters: A clear, keyword-rich headline increases your visibility and helps others understand your expertise at a glance.
Make your about section a story worth reading
Your About section is where you tell your story and showcase your unique value proposition. Jamé explained that it’s like an extended elevator pitch, but it shouldn’t read like a novel.
- How to structure it:
- Start with a few key bullet points summarizing your skills and achievements.
- Follow with a brief narrative highlighting your strengths, experiences, and aspirations.
- Include transferable skills from volunteer work, freelance projects, or hobbies that make you stand out.
- Why this matters: Recruiters are busy and often skim profiles. A well-organized About section ensures they quickly grasp your strengths.
Tell your career story in the experience section
Jamé reminded us that the experience section isn’t just for listing job titles. It’s where you showcase your career journey and the impact you’ve made.
- What she shared:
- A profile review revealed the power of adding links to marketing campaigns and case studies. These transformed a static list of roles into a dynamic showcase of accomplishments.
- Describe the challenges you faced in each role, the solutions you implemented, and the results you achieved.
- Pro tip: Include quantifiable metrics whenever possible. For instance, “Increased sales by 20% year over year.”
Maximize your skills section
Your skills section can boost your profile’s visibility. Jamé highlighted the importance of being intentional here again.
- Key insights:
- Include at least five skills. Profiles with five or more skills get 17 times more profile views.
- List both technical skills (e.g., “Data Analysis”) and soft skills (e.g., “Leadership”).
- Regularly update this section to reflect new certifications or career shifts.
- Pro tip: Think about what skills potential employers or clients would search for and make sure they’re listed.
Make your featured and activity sections dynamic
These sections are where you can make your profile come alive.
- Featured section: Highlight your best work; popular posts, articles, presentations, or case studies. During a profile review, Jamé noted one participant’s featured section had only a single link. She suggested diversifying with impactful content to make the section more engaging.
- Activity section: Engage regularly by liking, commenting, and sharing posts. This shows you’re active and invested in your field.
- Pro tip: When reposting, add your insights or commentary to make it stand out and invite engagement.
Address career breaks and ageism with confidence
Career breaks and age-related biases can feel challenging, but Jamé offered great advice for handling them.
- Career breaks: Frame breaks as growth periods. Highlight skills you gained during a volunteer project or while learning a new tool. For example, a participant shared how they used a six-month break for volunteer work, developing leadership and project management skills.
- Ageism: Reframe experience as wisdom. Share lessons learned and insights from your career to position yourself as a thought leader.
Great questions and insightful answers
The Q&A session brought up fantastic questions, and Jamé’s answers were packed with actionable advice. Here are some highlights:
- How far back should you go with your work experience?
- Go back as far as necessary to tell your professional story authentically. Focus on roles that showcase growth and relevance.
- Should I add the Open to Work banner?
- Yes, if you’re comfortable with it. Jamé explained that LinkedIn allows you to adjust privacy settings so only recruiters, not colleagues at your current company, see your Open to Work status.
- How often should you post?
- Post when you have something valuable to say. Engage with others daily, even if it’s just a like or a thoughtful comment. People forget that engaging with other people’s content also helps you drive engagement on your profile.
- How do you make your headline stand out?
- Focus on keywords recruiters search for. Avoid fluff and clearly define your value.
- How do you list overlapping skills in different roles?
- Be consistent with terminology and highlight the context in which you used the skills to avoid redundancy.
Go forth and slam-dunk your LinkedIn
This webinar was a masterclass in LinkedIn optimization. Jamé Jackson’s vibrant personality and practical tips made it clear that LinkedIn is not just a platform for job hunting. It’s a place to build authentic connections, share your expertise, and grow your personal or business brand.
From my own experience, LinkedIn gives me a better return on time invested than any other platform. Now, obviously, this differs from industry to industry, so try out different platforms before you settle on one main one.
Take these insights, update your profile, and let your unique voice and skills stand out in 2025. And if you’re ready to share your updates, don’t forget to use the hashtag #Inc413ToldMe. We’ll be cheering you on!
CONTRIBUTOR
Fungai Tichawangana
Fungai 'Your Web Guy' Tichawangana is an entrepreneur, web developer, and writer. He is the founder of Artist Dynamix, a digital marketing agency based in Amherst MA, which helps businesses and creative entrepreneurs take off & fly. Artist Dynamix specializes in website development & management and search engine optimization. The agency's projects include Inc413, Valley of Writers, and Literary Massachusetts. When you see him put his hand up, he is reaching for the sky.
