The about section in your LinkedIn profile is your first opportunity to elaborate on your title with as much as 2,000 characters (letters) . This section is important because it is your first opportunity to speak directly to potential viewers of your profile.
In this article, we will look at how you can write your about section, provide examples of profiles you can learn from and give you a few starting steps for how you can get started. In the end, you should have everything you need to create an about section that gets people interested in speaking with you.
Let’s get into it:
How to write your about section
The simplest way to find out how to write your about section is to look at the about sections of other people in your industry. You might quickly find out that doing the opposite of everyone else may be best!
That is because most people choose to write about themselves in their about section. That might be how LinkedIn intended the section to be used; however, our goal is to make the section work for you.
So instead of writing about yourself, imagine that your ideal client is sitting in front of you asking questions about what you can do for them. What would they ask? What questions would you like them to ask? In what order? Then take the questions you have written down and use them as subheadings in your profile.
If your target reader is a potential buyer of your products or services, then a variation of these questions might be helpful:
- What can I do for you?
- What is my process/methodology?
- Who do I usually work with?
- What makes me different?
- Why should you work with me?
- How can we get started?
You might want to capitalise the headers or do something else to make them stand out. Then simply write a paragraph or two for each question.
Under your process, break the information down into bullet points if you can. You might find it difficult to get into who you have worked with if you are limited by NDAs, but if this is the case, you can simply mention the type of work you have done as well as what industry the work falls into. If you are struggling with writing what makes you different, then simply mention why your customers say they like working with you.
In the end of the about section, let your readers know they can connect with you on LinkedIn and message you since it is probably the quickest way they can get in touch. Do NOT ask them to email you since that would require more effort from those wanting to contact you. Usually, the less effort required, the better the results.
Example to learn from
In this profile for Heather Hummel Gallagher, you see that she starts with asking why someone should hire someone like her. It is a good question to ask because very few people know what a ghostwriter does. Then she explains the process and timeline before getting into testimonials. In the end, she gives a calendly link for people to set up a time with her directly.
Notice that Heather does not ask and answer “What does it cost?” That is because, for most consultants, the answer varies from project to project. Also, that question is normally asked early by people who are rarely serious buyers.
Action items
Now that you know how to write your about section and have seen an example, let’s break down your next steps for getting it done:
- Brainstorm key questions your ideal reader may have. Imagine that your ideal reader is talking to you in a one-on-one setting. What would they ask? How would they ask it? Visualise it as literally as possible and write down your questions. Also ask questions you want them to ask.
- Take out 3-5 key questions and use them as subheadings. Pick the questions from your brainstorming session that are the most relevant and use them. Capitalise or use symbols to make the subheadings you need.
- Write 1-2 paragraphs for each question. Keep in mind that you do not want to tell your life saga, just provide enough information for potential readers to be interested in reaching out to you.
- Get it edited. Even if you feel you are a great writer, let someone else read through it and ideally make it better.
Final thoughts
Your about section will evolve over time. In particular, when you get started in a new profession, you might not feel you have a lot to write about. A lot of really talented people get discouraged by this, particularly when they see other profiles that are more striking.
However, this is probably the greatest hidden opportunity you can be given. If your about section is a mirror to how great your reader can be with your help, they have more reason for reaching out to you.
