Unlocking Success: Strategies for Enhanced LinkedIn SEO

Did you know that B2B companies generate 80% of leads from LinkedIn and generate 3 times more conversions than Facebook and  Twitter? 

So, when we say LinkedIn is the number one platform for businesses to build brand awareness and increase sales, it makes complete sense. Also, it is considered three times more trustable than any other social media platforms. 

But given the fact that LinkedIn has 930 million active users based around more than 200 countries and more than 70 million companies using it, it becomes tough to come up on top of LinkedIn search. 

That’s why, freelancers, job seekers, and companies alike, need to optimize their pages. And that’s where LinkedIn SEO comes into play. But, what exactly is it? 

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through everything you must know about LinkedIn SEO. We’ll break down each and every aspect of it and offer you tips to increase engagement to your page.

Let's get started. 

What is LinkedIn SEO? 

LinkedIn SEO (search engine optimization) is the method of optimizing your LinkedIn profile or company page and posts to rank higher on LinkedIn search and easily findable. 

The process and techniques used in LinkedIn SEO are quite similar to SEO practices involved in ranking a website higher on SERP (search engine results page). It involves performing keyword research, backlining, and creating useful content for your target audience. 

Ranking Factors for LinkedIn SEO

Unlike Google or any other search engines, LinkedIn has never published a SEO guideline for its ranking factors. But you can safely assume that the LinkedIn algorithm also employs similar factors for ranking. 

Here are some ranking factors for LinkedIn: 

• Keywords: If you want your company profile to rank on LinkedIn for specific keywords, you need to include those in your profile. Also, the content you create should have the relevant keywords. However, do not try to trick the algorithm by stuffing keywords unnecessarily. 
• Regular Posting: One of the main ranking factors for search engines and social media platforms is regular posting. So, if you are running a LinkedIn page, make sure you frequently update it with company news, industry updates, guides, polls, etc. 
• Page Completion: Would you follow a LinkedIn page with no proper ‘About’ section or pictures? The answer is no. So, it is very important to upload a proper profile image (use logo in case of a brand page and a clear headshot for personal profile), cover image, and update the ‘About’ section. This builds trustability among target audience and increases follower base. 
• Spamming: LinkedIn (and other search engines and social media platforms alike) is strictly against spamming. It means publishing the same content repeatedly, keyword stuffing, or adding too many links (or a shady one). If your LinkedIn page looks like spam, your page won’t get any desired engagement. 

LinkedIn SEO Tips to Boost Engagement in 2023

Now that you have a fair idea on how LinkedIn ranking factors work, let’s take a look at the LinkedIn SEO optimization tips to boost engagement in your LinkedIn company page or personal profile. 

Remember that your personal LinkedIn profile is not just a resume. A strategically optimized and SEO compliant LinkedIn page can be a great lead generation and marketing platform as well.  

1. Profile Photo and Banner Image 

The profile picture should be crisp, not pixelated. According to experts, your face should take up 60% of the frame and it’s better if you choose a simple background. For your company page, add the brand logo (high res) as the profile picture. 

However, the banner image must not be empty. You can leverage it to talk more about what you offer, such as you can brand yourself as a professional, add your socials, mention what you do, or promote your latest work, etc. 

2. Use the Headline for a Quick Introduction

The headline is one of the first things your profile visitors will read on your profile. And it might be tempting to make it a catchy one. However, while writing a catchy headline, you should add the relevant keywords based on your industry/company. 

However, do not stuff the headline with many keywords. Instead find 2-3 most relevant keywords and use them naturally in your headline. Keep the headline short and precise. This same practice is applicable for the summary, recommendations, and the experience section as well. 

3. Create Backlinks

Just like website SEO, backlinking your existing blog posts is a great way to boost your company page engagement. This is especially beneficial when you have a blog with high domain authority (DA). 

Backlinking your blog posts on your LinkedIn profile not only helps your LinkedIn profile rank higher on Google, but it also boosts LinkedIn reach. 

4. Publish Relevant High-Value Content 

Just like search engines like Google, publishing content in LinkedIn has its immediate benefits. First of all, it drives instant traffic to your profile and boosts engagement. Besides, engagement in your LinkedIn posts, videos, and carousels help your company page rank higher on LinkedIn search. 

You might have already posted and reposted some content, but most marketers don’t use LinkedIn's article feature. Writing long-form content for LinkedIn is a great way to drive traffic to your company page. However, it is very important to generate high-value content that helps your followers/target audiences. Post informative videos, product demo, how-to guides, listicles, articles to solve specific problems, etc. 

5. Ask for Recommendations and Skill Endorsements

Just like customer testimonials or customer reviews increase credibility of a brand, recommendations and skill endorsements help you build your credibility on LinkedIn. 

Recommendations come from colleagues, clients, or customers about your work that offers social proof to your profile visitors. 

You can start by writing recommendations for your connections and get recommendations and endorsements in return. 

6. Set Up Custom URLs

You don’t have to keep your original URL for your profile. LinkedIn offers you a default URL with a bunch of random numbers on it. If you want to optimize your profile for SEO, you can customize those links to keywords related to your industry or company name to rank higher on LinkedIn search. 

For example: www.linkedin/x-company-digital-marketing 

7. Optimize the ‘About’ Section 

LinkedIn allows up to 2,600 characters for the ‘About’ section of a page. All you need to do is add a brief description about your company and service you offer in and around 500 words. Make sure you are adding relevant keywords related to your industry. If you are not sure which keywords to add, just a quick Google Trends search will give you a bunch of trending keywords in your industry. 

Be very careful to add the keywords naturally. The About section is how your company showcases itself and stands apart from its competitors. So, make sure you write a compelling About section keeping your target audience in mind, instead of stuffing it with keywords. 

8. Keep Your Page Complete and Updated

LinkedIn, unlike other social media platforms, offer a range of fields for adding details about a profile. Many companies just fill up the about section and keep the other fields. 

On the contrary, LinkedIn algorithm prefers complete pages and each field gives you opportunity for branding and adding keywords. So, if you want to optimize your profile for better reach and lead generation, you should fill all the fields with necessary information. 

• In the ‘Tagline’ section, write a short pitch (kinda like an elevator pitch) for your business. Make sure to add a few relevant keywords. 
• Add your company’s website address. This will help you generate organic traffic to your website as well.  
• The ‘About’ section should contain a concise introduction to your company. Don't forget to add relevant keywords. 
• Don’t forget to add the location for your business. This helps your target audience locate your business better. 
• Fill up the product section with the product/service you are offering. 

9. Focus on Building meaningful Connections

Expanding your network (especially at an early stage) is essential for your business, but it is even more important to engage with and build meaningful connections with industry experts. For example, if you are offering a CRM tool, you should send InMails to industry leaders, company heads, purchasing managers, etc. 

Also, research about the prospect beforehand using LinkedIn private mode to create relevant connections.

10. Use hashtags Mindfully

Hashtags work as keywords for LinkedIn. It helps you reach out to your target audience and makes it easier for them to search for your content/page. If someone is following a certain hashtag and you create a content using the same, it may show up on their feed, increasing the chances of engagement. 

11. Engage with Other Accounts

Engage with others' content to get more engagement on your content – this is a great way to build a network within the industry, build meaningful connections, and drive more engagement to your company page. 

Make sure you comment in posts of industry leaders/influencers of your niche. However, avoid generic comments like ‘great’, ‘congratulations’, or ‘thank you’ and make sure you write elaborate comments to generate engagement.

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Conclusion 

Understanding how LinkedIn SEO works is crucial for any business that wants to expand their horizons and reach more audience, and increase sales. It helps you build brand awareness & visibility, establishes meaningful connections, attracts leads, and establishes you as a thought leader in the industry. 

Make sure you: 

• Optimize your profile with compelling headlines, keyword-rich About, endorsements, and recommendations. 
• Share valuable insights, case studies, how-to guides, industry news, and original content regularly to drive engagement.
• Research relevant keywords and use them naturally throughout your profile, posts, and articles. 
• Connect with industry professionals, potential clients, and influencers to expand your reach and increase brand visibility.
• Interact with your connections through comments and participate in LinkedIn groups. 

Implement these tips to position yourself as a trusted authority in your industry, connect with your target audience, and drive more sales. So, optimize your LinkedIn presence today and unlock its full potential for your business. 

FAQs

1. Does SEO matter on LinkedIn?

SEO matters for all online content, and it definitely works for LinkedIn. By optimizing your LinkedIn company page with useful content, relevant keywords, and backlinks, you can ensure ranking higher on LinkedIn search and drive more engagement. Making your profile SEO optimized helps the target audience reach you easily. 

2. How to optimize a LinkedIn Page for SEO? 

There are few things you can do to optimize your LinkedIn page, such as: 

• Add a profile picture and banner image. 
• Fill up the About section.
• Customize URLs.
• Create content and generate backlinks
• Add keywords in all the sections. 
• Keep your profile up-to-date. 

3. How to do keyword research for LinkedIn? 

First, check your competitors' pages and find out what they are talking about and the keywords they are using. Once you gather a few keywords, you can use Google Search Console to check how much search traffic these keywords are generating. Based on your findings, implement the keywords naturally and strategically throughout your LinkedIn page and posts. 

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