Three Things To Consider, When Considering Your Attorney LinkedIn Profile
From gaining new connections to joining groups related to your primary practice area to creating content for a blog post, there are plenty of activities to keep lawyers busy in LinkedIn.
However, time and time again attorneys glaze over the most significant task for the longevity of their LinkedIn presence. Creating an active, professional and brand consistent LinkedIn profile is too often interchanged with a laundry list of prior work experiences and accolades.
Your LinkedIn profile is the cornerstone of your professional social brand. A well thought out profile allows you to make a good first impression with referring attorneys and those in search of legal services.
LinkedIn is soaring terms of its user base and now is home to more than 500 million members. In addition, 40 percent of monthly active users use LinkedIn daily. This consistent jump in popularity is an even bigger reason why you need to allot time to optimize your profile. Our tips below can help get you there, but getting your hands dirty with some of the platform’s functionality is the key to prolonged growth and visibility.
1 .Get Professional With Your Photo
This photo is going to follow you all around LinkedIn, whether it’s when you join a group or comment on one of your connection’s post. It is the first thing a potential client will see and it’s vital to have a professional headshot that conveys competence, authority and likeability. As an attorney you must have all three characteristics shown. You don’t want to seem over-the-top likeable and come off as someone who can’t get the job done in the courtroom. Conversely, you can’t seem unapproachable and give the sense that working with you would lead to a standoffish relationship.
2. Paint A Picture With Your Headline
Your LinkedIn headline is the one to three lines directly under your name and serves as prime real estate for telling other users what it’s like working with you. When crafting your headline it’s wise to give something of benefit to the viewer and make sure the phrase is no longer than 120 characters. An example of this would be, “Dedicated DUI trial lawyer seeking client referrals in Broward County. Always willing to pass on cases.” As you can see in this example, the headline explains in plain language the end goal for the lawyer while attempting to gain rapport with referring attorneys.
3. Make Your Work Experience Short And Sweet
You don’t want to highlight all your work related details, duties and achievements on your LinkedIn profile because that is what your resume is for. Instead, your LinkedIn profile should show your job titles, the law firms you have worked for, the exact timeframe you worked in each role and a one bullet summary of the overall responsibilities. You want to do just enough to pique the interest of referring attorneys and potential clients without telling them everything. Also, for consistency purposes, make sure your work history matches what’s on your attorney biography on your firm’s website.
Spending a little extra time up front on your LinkedIn profile can go a long way.
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