Five Tips How to Build a Successful CEO LinkedIn Profile

There is almost no person from the business world who is not familiar with LinkedIn, the largest business social network that currently has over 830 million users and more than 58 million registered companies from over 200 countries around the world. About 95 job applications are published there every second, while at least six people are hired every minute through LinkedIn. Just from Croatia there are 733 thousand users on this platform, mostly between the age of 25 and 35 (61.4%).

Unlike other social networks, users on LinkedIn “invest” time connecting with colleagues from the industry, people and companies that are interesting to them in order to keep up with news, educate themselves and possibly find opportunities for new collaborations, but also promote their values, knowledge and the work they do. Considering the high engagement of users, along with official company pages, there are more and more examples of CEOs and thought leaders who decide to communicate more actively on LinkedIn. How this is a good approach confirms very high 80% of participants in our Vox Populi survey, who believe that company CEOs through their LinkedIn profiles can contribute to the humanization and image of their company, as well as to attract new talents to the organization.

Below are five useful tips for building a successful and relevant CEO LinkedIn profile:

1. Communicating company values ​​with a personalized approach

 Most of the topics that brands communicate on LinkedIn and other social networks are derived from the brand strategy, which among other things includes the visual identity and key messages of the company and its products or services. The CEO is the “extended arm” of every brand strategy, and what the CEO believes in and communicates with others must resonate with the company’s values ​​and goals. At the same time, it is very important that it is not about identical content, but that it is clearly felt that behind certain topics is a real person with his own and personal view on certain topics.

2. Defining key topics and communication territories

The key topics of communication will depend on the business area in which the CEO operates, his interests and personality. The emphasis should be on content that is more useful, interesting and educational, and less promotional in nature. Potentially interesting topics that can be communicated on a CEO’s LinkedIn profile include: content related to the industry in which he operates, content that communicates internal business culture and relationships with colleagues, and company news such as new partnerships and sponsorships, business achievements and awards, new products and services, etc.

3. Presentation of own competencies and achievements

We are aware of how important the first impression is in every meeting, and for this very reason, it is important what impression will the CEO’s LinkedIn profile leave on the user who comes across his profile for the first time. When introducing the CEO, it is important to emphasize what drives him, what are his passions and interests, and to explain his current role and function as well as his previous business experience. The description should outline his character and show his leadership skills. It is recommended that the profile photo is high quality and clearly reflects his professionalism and approachability.

4. Creating a community by connecting with relevant profiles

LinkedIn, through connecting with other profiles, can greatly contribute to building the CEO’s reputation as an expert in the industry in which he operates. As a result, his opinion and actions will have a greater impact on the community that follows him and thereby achieve greater interaction and encourage two-way communication. When connecting with other users, it is crucial to identify those who are relevant, interested in the same topics and will participate in the discussion and comment on the published content.

5. Monitoring the results and determining posting dynamics

As with any social network that aims to achieve and maintain consistent communication with the community, it is necessary for the profile to be active and up-to-date. Quality over quantity is certainly the path that every CEO should choose, but at the same time be regular in publishing content. The fact is that algorithms reward profiles that publish content more often, so it is advisable to start publishing at least 2-3 posts per week, monitor the results, and adjust the publication dynamics depending on them.