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:
- How long your LinkedIn About section be
- What type of profile picture should you use
- How many skills should you list in your profile, and many more?
Let’s dive into the result of the LinkedIn 2024 study of the top 100 profiles.
Key findings from studying 100 LinkedIn profiles
- 👤 95% of the top LinkedIn profiles analyzed use a headshot image.
- 📝 40% of the top LinkedIn profiles have an About section of more than 200 words.
- 📣 Almost 30% of LinkedIn profiles use a Call to Action (CTA) in their About section.
- 💬 The ideal LinkedIn profile headline length is 51-100 characters, according to the study.
- 🏢 The most common headline format in 50% of top profiles is “{job title} at {company name}.”
- 🎯 56% of top LinkedIn profiles list more than 30 skills.
- 🔗 98% of the top LinkedIn profiles use a custom URL.
- 🖼️ 49% of LinkedIn background images are branded images.
| 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:
- Clear next steps. CTAs help your followers know the next step to follow (it could be visiting your portfolio, joining your newsletter, etc.)
- Brings conversions. Having a call-to-action in your bio (especially at the end can lead to conversion opportunities. For example, a CTA to “Contact me for freelance work” can generate inquiries and potential business opportunities.
- Measurable results. By adding UTM parameters, you can actually track how many people visited your LinkedIn profile and how many of them actually followed your CTA- so you can optimize your LinkedIn bio further.
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 50 skills. However, it recommends you add 10-15 to keep your profile organized and tidy.
After analyzing the top profiles, we figured that most professionals are listing more than 30 skills, and it’s not causing any visible negative impact. 21% of professionals have listed skills between 11-30, while 23% listed up to 10 skills only.
You must only list skills you actually have expertise in. It could be any number. However, every skill comes with a specific subset of it. For instance, SEO is a skill, but it also comes with other micro-skills, such as on-page SEO, technical SEO, and link building.
You can add more and more sub-skills to your primary skill like this without causing any damage or dilution to your profile.
Finding 7: Should I have a custom LinkedIn URL?
98% of the top LinkedIn profiles we reviewed use a custom URL.
Here’s the link to the full list of LinkedIn profile URLs that we studied:
We have found that most LinkedIn influencers use a custom URL with their name. In some cases, the profile URL is optimized as:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffweiner08/ — which is still customized and not the default URL given by LinkedIn.
It is one of the most common yet important tips for LinkedIn profile optimization. This is a good first step you can take to make your profile stand out. Owning your name in a custom URL on the world’s biggest professional networking site can be good for your business.
Only 2% of top profiles do not use a custom URL on LinkedIn. A custom URL is good for branding purposes. As LinkedIn profiles are indexed by Google, a custom URL with your name can provide you more visibility on Google searches.
When we work on executive resume writing, we often delve into LinkedIn profiles to gain a better understanding of the person’s professional journey. During this process, we’ve observed that 99% of the profiles we receive have a customized and straightforward URL.
Finding 8: What is a Good Photo for the LinkedIn Background?
We found that 49% of LinkedIn background images are branded images with a focus on brand promotion. These images work the best as they align with your headline and the About section. Next, we have 16% of backgrounds using stock or generic images and 13% using an image with CTA.
Here’s an example of a LinkedIn banner from Neil Patel:
8% of the profiles use quotes, while 6% use no image at all. To build a strong brand identity on LinkedIn, a brand identity image is the perfect fit. It helps people recognize you and your brand.
As the background image is one of the first few things people see on your profile, it must give a clear and concise message.
TL;DR (How to make your LinkedIn profile standout)
Key Takeaways from the LinkedIn 2024 Study:
- Always use a professional headshot: Opt for a professional headshot, as 95% of top LinkedIn profiles use headshot images. Casual images or no images at all are less common.
- Try to add at least 200 words in your bio: Aim for an About section of more than 200 words to provide a comprehensive overview of your qualifications and expertise. Shorter sections may lack detail and professionalism.
- Add Call to Action (CTA) in your bio: Utilize CTAs in your About section to guide visitors to take specific actions. While 30% of profiles use CTAs, they remain underutilized, with 66.3% not incorporating them.
- Keep your LinkedIn headline between 51-100 characters: Aim for a concise headline of 51-100 characters to quickly convey your professional identity. Longer headlines can be effective in some cases but should be used judiciously.
- Add your skills or designation in your LinkedIn headline: The most common and effective headline format is “{job title} at {company name},” found in 50% of top profiles. Consider mentioning skills and adding social proof for added impact.
- Try to list as many skills (at least 10+) as possible: While LinkedIn recommends 10-15 skills, 56% of top profiles list more than 30 skills. Focus on skills you genuinely possess, and feel free to include sub-skills to showcase your expertise.
- Create your custom LinkedIn URL: Secure a custom URL with your name, as 98% of top profiles do. This helps with branding and visibility in Google searches.
- Use branded image for LinkedIn background: Choose a branded image for your background, as 49% of profiles do. It aligns with your headline and About section. Stock images, images with CTAs, or no image at all are less common choices.
Methodology
To perform this original research, we have taken the list of 100 top LinkedIn influencers from Izea. Then we manually checked each of the 100 LinkedIn profiles to study 8-12 parameters (mentioned in this study).
Also, to minimize the chance of human error, we have double-checked the study data and ensured that every data point is updated as per the LinkedIn profile. From the top profiles to being successful in LinkedIn and your career world, you need a service that you can count on and make the best LinkedIn profile.
As the best resume-writing service provider, We at Writrox are ready to optimize your LinkedIn profile, and even your career with the best resume in town to get you hired. Trust Writrox for LinkedIn optimization and resume services.
