November 4, 2023

At Writrox, we have helped 750+ clients optimize their LinkedIn profile and content strategy. And, the most common question they ask is “How to make a good LinkedIn profile” or “How to optimize a LinkedIn profile.” We could have shared the same repetitive thing that others were saying. Instead, we have gone a step further and analyzed the 100 top LinkedIn influencers to understand what makes a LinkedIn profile trustworthy, professional, and standout in 2024. Specifically, we studied factors like: Let’s dive into the result of the LinkedIn 2024 study of the top 100 profiles. Key findings from studying 100 LinkedIn profiles NOTE: Before we dive into the analysis of the study, check out our LinkedIn profile writing services. Our experts will help you optimize your current LinkedIn profile and customize it as per your goals. Finding 1: Should My LinkedIn Picture Be a Headshot? Yes, 95% of the analyzed top profiles use a headshot image. Your LinkedIn profile picture is the first impression your profile visitors get. Having a professional headshot with a clean background looks more credible as people would want to see the real ‘You.’ An example: We found that only 3% of these top profiles use a casual image. At the same time, 2% of them used no image at all. In 2012, the Cognition And Emotion Journal published a study on the impact of facial emotion on decision-making. This study highlights that trust judgments based on facial features occur within a mere 100 milliseconds of initial exposure— that means a first impression is important for people who want to be seen as credible and professional. These stats prove that for a good LinkedIn profile, you must have a professional-looking headshot. Finding 2: How Long should the About Section on LinkedIn be? The ideal length may vary depending on your work experience, achievements, and other important elements. However, 40% of the top LinkedIn profiles we reviewed have an About section of more than 200 words. For example, check out the About section of Pam Moore: It is a good length to explain about yourself, your qualifications, your work experience, and your field of expertise. 200+ words allow you to include CTAs and your other social media links as well. About 34% of profiles have an About section between 100-200 words. This is also a good length to overview your personal and professional achievements. However, you might not cover everything in good detail. 10% of the profiles only have between 50-100 words, and 9% have even less than 50 words. Such a short length can only give a quick snippet about your work, and it might not look personalized or even professional in certain cases.  Finding 3: CTA in LinkedIn Bio Almost 30% of LinkedIn profiles use a CTA in their About section. CTAs are useful when you want your profile visitors to take a certain action, like visiting your website or booking a call with you.  However, it was noticed that it is quite underutilized, as 66.3% of profiles are not using any kind of CTAs. It also depends on whether you want to lead the visitors to a different site or medium. In many cases, you might want them to DM you on LinkedIn. However, a good CTA always helps in the following ways: Also Read: How To Write An Effective LinkedIn Profile For Better Engagement Finding 4: What is the best headline length for LinkedIn?  The ideal length of your LinkedIn profile headline is 51-100 characters, as we found. 38% of top profiles have a headline length between 51-100 characters. 31% of profiles have a headline length of less than 50 characters, which may or may not be a good length, depending on the message you want to convey. Less is more in the world of LinkedIn. If you can deliver a message or make an impact using as few words as possible, that’s great. A LinkedIn headline must give a quick idea about what you do and why one must connect with you. As people have short attention spans, the fewer words you use, the better. 31% of profiles used headlines more than 100 characters in length. In some scenarios, you may have to use more than 100 characters, and that’s okay. However, as stated earlier, it will be much better if you can convey the message in fewer words. Finding 5: How to write a better LinkedIn header section? Here’s an example of the most popular headline format used in LinkedIn profiles: The most common headline format found in 50% of the top profiles we reviewed is – {job title} at {company name}. For instance, Neil Patel’s headline is – Co-Founder at Neil Patel Digital. It’s simple and effective. 32% of profiles use headlines where they mention their skills just like the skills mentioned in the resume and add something more to it. For instance, Susan Cain’s LinkedIn profile headline is:  She talked about her skills and achievements and also added a CTA with social proof. It’s a long headline but quite persuasive due to the social proof and accolades mentioned in it. 15% of these top profiles use a short copy in their headline. This may work really well, depending on your niche and industry. Only 3% of profiles use a generic headline. Hence, a headline mentioning your skills or current work profile may work best. Here’s a side-by-side comparison between generic and descriptive headlines: While optimizing your LinkedIn profile, consider your headline as the way to build trust, and credibility, and showcase your current role. For example, including points like the author of {book_name}, Built a SaaS to $10k MRR, etc., will build trust. Also, it differentiates your LinkedIn profile from others who are using a generic headline that doesn’t showcase any skills, work designation, or credibility. Finding 6: How many skills should I add on LinkedIn? We found that 56% of top LinkedIn profiles list more than 30 skills in their profiles. LinkedIn allows you to add up to