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Is Your LinkedIn Profile Working for You?


August 5, 2021
 | 
8:00 am

As a real estate professional, you need to leverage every social media platform available to you to stay on top of the game. This blog will talk about a platform that often gets lost in the shuffle where social media marketing is concerned: LinkedIn.


LinkedIn is more than just a networking site; it’s also a way to build your brand authority, keep in touch with mentors and keep an eye on the market, and position yourself as the “go-to person” when it comes to real estate. For those reasons, it’s essential to keep your LinkedIn profile polished, streamlined, and updated so that it works for you rather than against you.

So how can you give your LinkedIn profile a much-needed makeover? Here are the most critical profile elements to address and how to make them shine.


1. Your Headline

Think of yourself and your professional contributions as a feature film and your LinkedIn headline as your film’s tagline. Would you go see a movie called “Ed Sanders: REALTOR®”? Sounds like a snoozefest.

LinkedIn is more than just a networking site; it’s also a way to build your brand authority, keep in touch with mentors and keep an eye on the market, and position yourself as the “go-to person” when it comes to real estate.

Since your headline shows up prominently every time you post on LinkedIn, it should announce you with fanfare and make you seem interesting and relevant to your audience. For example, “Ed Sanders: Here to help you find the best nest for your nest egg” not only addresses what the film’s star does (helps people find their dream homes) but also whom he serves (older couples who’ve been saving for years). Plus, it’s got a little quirkiness to it that sets the tone for the film, or in this case, the experience clients can expect to have when they work with this agent.

Bonus Tip: Being quirky and creative is great, but for a solid SEO boost, try to include a few real estate keywords like “REALTOR®” and “home.” It’s okay to be straightforward; if you can’t be creative here, you’ll get another chance with your summary.

2. Your Profile Picture 

Here is where a solid understanding of your brand comes in handy. For the consummate professional, a formal business headshot is preferable. It’s better if you smile, and it’s also helpful if the photo is recent (within the last five years). Suppose you want to come across as friendly and laid-back. In that case, an unstaged, informal image is perfectly acceptable, so long as it’s up-to-date and your facial features are easily recognizable. Avoid old pictures, pictures taken at a distance, and photographs that include other people, as they may confuse your clients.

Like Facebook, LinkedIn allows you to create a custom URL for your profile page, making it easier to type into an address bar or display on a business card.

3. Your Profile’s URL

Like Facebook, LinkedIn allows you to create a custom URL for your profile page, making it easier to type into an address bar or display on a business card. Your name works best, but if you’ve tried every combination you can think of, and everything is taken, try adding “Real-Estate” or “REALTOR®” or the name of your city or town.

4. Your Contact Information

Review and update the contact information in your profile. Your contact info and employment history should be up-to-date and reveal only the information you want to be displayed. You’ll have to go into your profile editor to access and change this information, as it tends to be hidden when you’re viewing your own profile.

New LinkedIn users tend to publish their entire resume here as if they were applying for a new job. You already have a job: You’re the best real estate professional in town, and this is where you prove it.

5. Your Connections

LinkedIn is, primarily, a platform that facilitates networking. The more connections you have, the more potential clients and spokespeople you gain. Connect with everyone you already know personally, as well as any new clients or associates you happen to meet. Also, reach out and touch base with connections who’ve proven profitable in the past to maintain strong relationships and keep yourself fresh in their minds.