How to Fix Your LinkedIn Profile And Why It Actually Matters
I don’t know how you’ve found this piece, probably because you were searching for help about improving your LinkedIn profile or possibly because you like to read my words and just stayed but let me ask you something. If somebody went to visit your LinkedIn profile today, would they remember you and would you actually be happy with what they found? For a lot of people (and probably you too), the honest answer to both of those questions is no and I completely understand. The moment LinkedIn gets brought up, something in people shifts; eyes roll, there's an almost involuntary cringe and there’s always the exasperated admission that they have no clue what to do with it. LinkedIn has a reputation problem not because it isn't useful but because so many people are using it for entirely the wrong reasons or barely using it at all.
Look, if you know that LinkedIn is relevant to your career, your business, or your professional trajectory and for most people it is then a half-done profile is worse than no profile at all. It communicates something about you, whether you intended it to or not. Your LinkedIn profile isn't just an online CV. It is part of your professional reputation and one of the most underused personal branding tools available to you. When someone searches for you, and trust me they will, your profile is often the first thing they find. If they land there and can't immediately understand who you are, what you do and what you're known for, you are leaving opportunities on the table. This is what I call Visibility Capital — the credibility, authority, influence and recognition you build over time through how you show up professionally. Your LinkedIn profile is one of the places you either invest in that capital or quietly erode it. So how can you fix it?
Before you change anything, look at what's actually there. Go through your experience section line by line, remove anything that is no longer relevant to where you are or where you want to go. That part-time job from fifteen years ago, that internship that has no bearing on your current expertise clear it out and delete it! What you leave on your profile signals what you want to be known for so ,ake sure those signals are intentional.
Tighten your career lines so they're easy to understand and digest. Think about the person landing on your profile for the first time; a headhunter, a potential client, a commissioner, a journalist, an investor. Can they understand the thread of your experience and expertise at a glance? If not, simplify.
Your profile photo matters more than people want to admit. It doesn't need to be expensive. Take it in good lighting with a clean background, use a phone if that's what you have, or ask someone with a decent camera to help. What it does need to do is look like a professional specifically, a professional you'd be happy for a major client to see.
The header banner above your photo is also virtual real estate that most people completely ignore. Use it. A tool like Canva means you can put something together in minutes that clearly communicates your area of expertise, your services, or your positioning. If you're not ready to go that deep, at minimum make sure that your photo is doing the work.
Your ABOUT SeCTION INtroduces your personal brand
This is where so many profiles fall apart. The About section should not simply read like a third-person biography lifted from a company website, nor should it be a list of buzzwords. It should tell someone, clearly and in your own voice, what you do, why it matters and why they should care. It should be a strong introduction to your personal brand identity. Write at least one strong paragraph, two if you need them. What is the impact of your work? Who do you serve and how? What do you want to be known for? You can use AI tools to help with ideation and to tidy up your draft if you need to, but the voice should be yours. People can tell when something has been written by a chatbot that's never actually met you. Your bio line — that short headline beneath your name — is equally important. Use clear, specific words. Not vague descriptors, not jargon, not a list of every hat you wear. What do you do, for whom,and why does it matter? Answer that and you have your headline.
Treat LinkedIn as a Visibility Engine
One of the shifts I encourage in my personal branding workshops and corporate training sessions is this: stop thinking of LinkedIn as a digital CV and start treating it as a visibility gym. Every time you log on, commit to doing something; whether that's engaging with someone you follow, sharing something you've learned, celebrating an accomplishment, or posting something that reflects your expertise and perspective. You do not have to post every day. Consistency beats frequency but at least aim for once a week or even once a fortnight at minimum, and use LinkedIn's scheduling tool to pace your activity if that helps. The algorithm will shift and change, that's a given, so the goal is not to game it but to keep showing up in a way that's sustainable and that reflects who you actually are.
Pay attention to what your community responds to. If your written posts generate conversation, do more of that. If people engage more when you share images or video, adapt. LinkedIn is a feedback loop if you're paying attention to it.
Let Your Personality Come Through
LinkedIn does not have to be the boring, restrictive professional space that people assume it is. A lot of people feel restricted by LinkedIn because they're working with stale perceptions of what it's supposed to look like. There's nothing wrong with sharing something that's sparked a new idea, commenting on something happening in your industry, or letting people see a glimpse of who you actually are beyond your job title.
The goal is not to become a LinkedIn influencer or to perform for an algorithm. The goal is to show up in a way that means the right people, the ones who need your expertise, who want to commission you, who want to hire you, who are looking for someone to deliver training, moderate an event or coach their team can find you, understand you, and remember you. That is what a strong LinkedIn profile does. It doesn't just sit there looking tidy. It works for you, quietly building your Visibility Capital, even when you're not online.
The Quick Fix Checklist
Audit your experience section and remove anything no longer relevant
Update your profile photo: clean, professional, well-lit (basically one that you are proud to actually look at)
Use your header banner to communicate your expertise
Write a clear, human About section in your own voice
Sharpen your headline so it says what you do and for whom
Add your awards, qualifications and accolades, own your accomplishments
Commit to posting at least once a fortnight
Engage with others every time you log on
Use the scheduling tool to stay consistent without burning out
Monitor what lands and do more of it
Ready to Go Deeper?
If your team, organisation or leadership cohort needs support with LinkedIn, personal branding and professional visibility, this is exactly the kind of work I do through my corporate training and personal branding workshops. We go beyond the profile basics and get into the strategic, practical work of building credibility, communicating value and showing up with intention.