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Personal branding is more than a self-promotion exercise. It’s the art of building a holistic professional identity that aligns with your skills, values and career goals. A great personal brand can help you attract customers and business partners while establishing your authority as a leader in your industry.
If you’ve been in the business world, you’ll surely know that a great image and loyal following can make all the difference to your market share and sales. This is where the unparalleled platform for personal branding for professionals across industries and careers comes in. Yes, I’m talking about LinkedIn!
LinkedIn reigns supreme as the go-to professional networking platform for building a brand. With a whopping 875 million members and 310 million monthly active users as of 2023, most being business professionals, LinkedIn is a goldmine of branding opportunities for a professional. Your target customers and prospective business partners are waiting for you, but navigating through such a crowded field to get yourself heard can be daunting.
Thankfully, LinkedIn offers the tools you need to succeed on the platform. You need to make the most of LinkedIn’s inbuilt features to stand out from the crowd and establish your brand — if you want to learn how you’re at the right place! In this article, we’ll explore 20 innovative features that can help you master personal branding on LinkedIn in 2024 and beyond.
Related: Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn: How Entrepreneurs Can Leverage the Platform for Growth and Success
1. LinkedIn stories and stories ads
Gone are the days when LinkedIn was just a digital resume. Now, you can share Stories, just like on Instagram or Snapchat. Use them to give people a peek into your workday or share quick career tips. And if you want to go big, you can even use Stories Ads to reach a wider audience. It’s a fun and interactive way to boost your personal branding on LinkedIn.
Related: 7 Ideas For Personal Branding Using LinkedIn Stories
2. Live videos
Live videos are a game-changer for personal branding on LinkedIn. Imagine the possibilities — hosting a webinar, conducting a live Q&A session, or even giving a virtual tour of your workspace. It’s like having a virtual stage where you can showcase your expertise and engage with your audience in real-time.
3. LinkedIn polls
Curious about what your network thinks about a hot industry topic? Or maybe you’re looking for feedback on a project? LinkedIn Polls are your best friend. They’re a simple yet powerful tool for gathering insights and sparking meaningful conversations, enhancing your personal branding on LinkedIn.
4. Product pages
If you’re selling B2B products, listen up! LinkedIn Product Pages are akin to having a dedicated website within LinkedIn. It’s a multifaceted feature that not only adds credibility but also serves as a direct channel for potential business opportunities, boosting your personal brand’s reach and reputation.
Related: How to Find Investors on LinkedIn
5. Analytics for content creators
Here’s something for all the data enthusiasts — LinkedIn’s analytics, a treasure trove of insights. You can track engagement metrics and even understand the demographics of your audience. This feature is like having a personal branding dashboard that helps you fine-tune your content strategy based on real-time feedback.
6. Creator mode
Activating Creator Mode is akin to spotlighting your content creation efforts. It changes the layout of your profile to highlight your posts and encourages more people to follow you rather than connect. It’s a subtle yet effective way to enhance your personal brand.
7. Cover story
You know how they say first impressions last? Well, the Cover Story feature lets you add a short video intro to your profile. Think of it as your elevator pitch but in video form. Well-designed cover stories are a fantastic way to make a memorable first impression.
Related: 6 Ways to Ace Social Media Branding for Your Startup
8. Pronouns and name pronunciation
In today’s world, inclusivity is not just a nice-to-have, it’s a must. Adding your pronouns and a name pronunciation guide may seem like small gestures, but they go a long way in making everyone feel seen and respected. It’s a step towards building a more inclusive personal brand that resonates with a diverse audience.
9. Skills assessments
LinkedIn Skills Assessments serve as a third-party validation of your skills, whether Python programming or SEO expertise. Passing these assessments not only adds credibility but also signals to your network and potential employers that you have the skills you claim to have, further solidifying your personal branding efforts on LinkedIn.
10. LinkedIn newsletter
Starting a LinkedIn Newsletter is not just about sharing long-form content. It’s about building a community. It offers a platform to delve deeper into topics you’re passionate about and engage with your audience on a more intimate level. Over time, this can position you as a thought leader in your field, significantly boosting your personal branding on LinkedIn.
Related: 3 Strategies for Maximizing Your Potential on LinkedIn
11. LinkedIn events
Hosting a LinkedIn Event is a fantastic branding exercise. Whether it’s a virtual panel discussion or an in-person networking session, these events offer a unique opportunity to bring like-minded professionals together. It’s a great way to provide value, share expertise and build a community, all of which are vital in strong personal branding.
12. LinkedIn conversation ads
Imagine sending a personalized ad right into someone’s LinkedIn inbox. That’s what Conversation Ads lets you do. Conversation Ads offer a more personalized and intimate way to engage potential clients or collaborators. It takes a direct approach that can yield high engagement rates, making it a valuable tool in your personal branding arsenal.
13. LinkedIn lead gen forms
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms help simplify the often tedious process of data collection. One click and voila! You’ve got yourself a high-quality lead. With pre-filled information, these forms make it easier for people to engage with your content. It’s a user-friendly feature that makes your personal branding efforts more effective and efficient.
14. LinkedIn dynamic ads
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill ads! Dynamic Ads are a step above traditional advertising. They use the viewer’s LinkedIn profile data to personalize the ad in real-time. This level of personalization can significantly increase engagement rates, making your advertising efforts more effective and aligned with your personal branding goals.
Related: 4 Keys to Building B2B Brand Awareness Online
15. LinkedIn video ads
Why tell when you can show? Video Ads let you bring your brand story to life. They offer a dynamic storytelling medium. These ads are all about conveying your brand message in a more engaging and memorable way, enhancing your personal branding efforts on LinkedIn.
16. LinkedIn carousel ads
Think of Carousel Ads as a mini-slideshow that allows you to showcase multiple products or narrate a story slide by slide. This feature offers a unique and creative avenue to engage your audience, making it easier to convey complex messages or highlight various aspects of your brand. It’s an inventive approach to enrich your personal branding on LinkedIn.
17. Featured section and articles
Your LinkedIn profile is your personal branding billboard. Use the Featured Section to showcase your best work, whether it’s a project, article, or even a testimonial. It serves as a portfolio that visitors can explore, offering a more rounded view of your expertise and skills. Leveraging the featured section, you can focus on putting your best foot forward.
18. Recommendations and endorsements
Nothing boosts your credibility like a glowing recommendation or skill endorsement. It’s social proof that you’re as awesome as you say you are. Endorsements from people who have worked with you and can vouch for your abilities add a layer of credibility to your personal brand that’s invaluable.
19. InMail
Want to reach out to someone outside your network? InMail helps you break down the barriers by allowing you to reach out to anyone on LinkedIn, regardless of whether they’re in your network. It’s like having a VIP pass to connect with industry leaders, potential clients, or collaborators, expanding your reach and influence.
20. LinkedIn learning coach, accelerate for marketing, and more
LinkedIn is constantly rolling out new features like a Learning Coach and Accelerate for Marketing. Whether it’s recommending courses to enhance your skills or optimizing your marketing campaigns, these features offer actionable insights that can be instrumental in boosting your personal brand.
Ready to boost your personal brand?
Personal branding on LinkedIn is a dynamic, ongoing process that requires strategic use of the platform’s multifaceted features, as we discussed. And the most important factor here is undeniably the content you present. If you don’t know where to start, consider the expertise that an experienced design agency can bring in crafting impactful content to create a cohesive and compelling professional narrative.
