How to create a LinkedIn profile that attracts clients.

• Photo. Use a photo that makes you look professional and clearly shows your face. Don’t use a photo of you at the beach or with another person.
• Headline. Write a headline that clearly explains what you do and how you help people. You can even include your phone number. For example, a mortgage broker might have this headline: Experienced mortgage broker | I compare home loans from 30+ lenders | Call me on 0444 444 444 if you want to buy a property or refinance to a better loan. Headlines can be a maximum of 220 characters.
• About. Use this section to provide detail about what you do, who you help and why you’re so good. You can also copy/paste testimonials. The About section can be a maximum of 2,600 characters.
• Experience. The first job listed should be your current role (or your main role if you have several). Again, you should use the description to explain what you do, who you help and why you’re so good. For subsequent jobs, leave out details that aren’t relevant to your current role. For example, if our hypothetical mortgage broker was previously a flight attendant, it wouldn’t make sense to go into detail about their previous responsibilities, because clients wouldn’t care. However, it would make sense to say something brief like “I dramatically improved my customer service skills and mastered the art of creating a positive experience for customers”, because that would be relevant to their role as a broker. Job descriptions can be a maximum of 2,000 characters.
• Education. List all the educational experiences that are relevant to your role, but no more. Our hypothetical mortgage broker should mention that they completed a Diploma in Finance & Mortgage Broking Management, but not that they took an online aromatherapy course.

The key to writing a good LinkedIn profile is to think of it as a piece of content marketing, not an online CV.

And the key to doing effective content marketing is to write with the client in mind, not yourself.