How to Build a Strong Online Presence on LinkedIn

Let’s be honest, building a standout presence on LinkedIn can feel like speaking into the void sometimes. You’ve probably wondered how some people manage to get so much engagement and attention while your profile feels like a ghost town.

Don’t sweat it—you’re not alone. Stick around, and I’ll share some practical tips to get you noticed and help you stand out like the LinkedIn pro you’re meant to be.

Ready? Let’s talk profile boosting, connection building, content creating, visibility tracking, and keeping it all fresh and relevant.

Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is basically your online business card; having a strong profile will definitely help you stand out, especially considering LinkedIn now has over 1.1 billion members worldwide and about 310 million log in every month.

Start with a clear, friendly photo—no sunglasses, no pets, and definitely no questionable selfies—and pair it with a catchy headline rather than just your job title.

Think of the headline as your mini elevator pitch; something casual yet professional, like “Copywriter turning dull brands into scroll-stopping stories.”

Your ‘About’ section should share a quick snapshot of who you are and what you do, including what makes you unique.

Toss in a dash of your personality here—it helps people feel like they’re talking to a real person, not a robotic resume.

Don’t forget to list relevant work experience and keep descriptions short, meaningful, and packed with achievements.

For example, instead of just saying “Managed social media,” say something like “Boosted Instagram engagement from 300 to 3,000 followers in six months.”

Highlight your skills properly, especially since recruiters often filter by specific skills.

A friendly tip: get your past colleagues or clients to endorse those skills, as endorsements make your profile look credible and trustworthy.

Engage with Your Connections

Having a bunch of LinkedIn connections doesn’t mean anything unless you actually interact with them—you know, just like real life friendships.

Considering only about 1% of users actively share weekly content but they pull significant engagement, getting active pays off big time.

Comment genuinely on posts shared by others; instead of an empty “great post,” ask questions or offer insights that spark conversations.

Shoot a quick message when adding a new connection—just a quick line like, “Nice chatting yesterday, thought it’d be great to connect here too.”

Another friendly tip: congratulate people on achievements or anniversaries; LinkedIn prompts you on these in your notifications, don’t skip them, it’s easy goodwill-building.

Engaging with people’s content regularly makes your name stick in their minds (in a good way!), making it easier to reach out for collaborations or referrals when needed.

Create and Share Quality Content

Did you know that businesses on LinkedIn that regularly post see five times more page views and significantly higher levels of interaction?

Create content your connections actually care about—stuff that’s genuinely useful, thought-provoking, or entertaining.

Focus on formats that LinkedIn users love: posts with images get twice the engagement, and videos famously get shared 20 times more often.

Write posts in a simple, conversational tone that feels like you’re chatting directly with the reader.

If you’re not sure what to write about, share tips from your own experiences—perhaps lessons learned when you figured out how to create a course on Udemy, or when you improved student involvement by applying student engagement techniques.

Keep content length in mind; LinkedIn engagements peak with longer form content, around 1,800-2,100 words, ideal for deeper explorations of worthwhile topics.

Post consistently—once or twice a week is usually enough to be remembered without annoying your connections.

Finally, respond to comments quickly and thoughtfully; engaging in conversations signals genuine involvement and attracts more interactions overall.

Monitor Your LinkedIn Visibility

You can’t improve what you don’t track, right?

Keeping an eye on your LinkedIn visibility helps ensure your time and effort aren’t simply disappearing into the digital void.

Start by checking LinkedIn Analytics—available if you have a Creator profile or manage a LinkedIn Page—and look closely at your views, post impressions, and engagement rate.

These numbers quickly tell you what’s working and what’s not, so you can refocus your energy on content that actually resonates.

Pay attention to who visits your profile; this can help you fine-tune your messaging or even spark meaningful conversations.

For example, if recruiters or industry leaders regularly view your profile, that’s a clear sign your content and tags are hitting the mark.

Google yourself once in a while too; LinkedIn profiles rank highly in search results, giving you bonus visibility beyond the LinkedIn crowd.

If your profile isn’t popping up prominently, tweak your headline and About section to include relevant keywords you want to be found for.

Keep Your Profile Updated

This might seem obvious, but your LinkedIn profile isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal.

Regularly reviewing your profile keeps everything fresh, relevant, and accurate.

If you’ve learned a new skill or recently changed roles, update that immediately.

Highlighting your newest skills can attract better opportunities and make your profile appear proactive and growth-oriented.

Also, consistently adding recent achievements to your profile—like completing certifications or wrapping up cool projects—shows your continuous professional growth.

If you’re an instructor or content creator, updating your courses or teaching experience regularly shows your audience what’s new and exciting, whether you’re adding course ideas or sharing how to create a masterclass.

Remember to double-check your links too—it’s frustrating for visitors if your portfolio or contact links lead nowhere.

A quick check-in every month or two is usually enough; put it in your calendar so you don’t forget.

Use LinkedIn to Generate Leads and Opportunities

LinkedIn isn’t just for job hunting; it’s a powerhouse for growing your network and generating solid business leads.

Did you know LinkedIn is actually the top platform for B2B lead generation, with around 40% of marketers finding it the most effective?

To make LinkedIn work for lead generation, be smart about your outreach—no one enjoys obviously copy-pasted sales pitches (trust me on this one).

Instead, find decision-makers who could benefit from your expertise and build rapport by interacting naturally with their content first.

When reaching out directly, personalize each message sharply to their situation or challenges. A simple approach like, “Saw your recent update on remote team training; thought you might be interested in these effective teaching strategies,” resonates better because it’s relevant and genuinely helpful.

Publishing helpful, longer-form content (think an 1,800–2,100 word guide) also attracts those valuable B2B decision-makers seeking solid, trustworthy answers to professional problems.

Just remember—it’s about providing authentic value first, before ever mentioning what you’re offering commercially.

Join and Contribute to Relevant LinkedIn Groups

If you think LinkedIn Groups are a dated thing, think again—they’re alive and well, and great spaces to mingle with professionals in your niche.

Search for groups aligned with your industry or expertise and actively join conversations.

Here’s a tip: don’t just lurk or spam promotional posts (please don’t); aim to genuinely participate.

Answer questions clearly, provide insight based on your own experiences, or even ask questions to stir a meaningful discussion.

If your focus is education, for instance, you might suggest tips on how to create educational videos or discuss the best ways to engage students through interactive quizzes.

Also, take notice of active members—engaging with their content individually outside the group can foster stronger, deeper professional connections over time.

Groups are terrific because they put you in front of new audiences you wouldn’t easily reach otherwise; it’s networking with common ground already laid out.

Network Intentionally on LinkedIn

Let’s be real—not every connection has the same value.

Networking intentionally means carefully choosing who you connect with instead of clicking ‘Accept’ on everyone who sends a request.

Connect strategically with people who share your professional interests, complement your skillset, or otherwise align with your career trajectory.

You can approach connections with a quick, personalized line like, “Really liked your perspective on the best LMS for small businesses; it’d be great to connect.”

Intentional networking extends beyond making a connection—actively participate in their career journey by interacting with shared content or cheering them on when they’ve achieved something.

When done genuinely, intentional networking often leads to collaboration opportunities and valuable referrals—and ultimately raises your professional stature across your industry.

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