7 Ways to Re-Energise Your Profiles in 2022

When was the last time you reviewed your LinkedIn profile?

Not to mention that online dating bio, and the ‘About Me’ web page you cobbled together way back when.

It was enough effort to get them written in the first place, you might think.  Because let’s face it: writing about yourself can be devilishly difficult.

Somehow, sentences formed perfectly in your head look weird written down… and how much should you say about your amazing personality and stellar achievements?

(No-one else is going to say it all for you – yes, you know that – but still, at what point do you start stumbling into ‘arrogant arse’ territory?)

It might help to think of your profiles as virtual coffee shop tables.  Essentially, you’re inviting people to sit down, get comfy, and hear more about how you’re going to make their lives better.

And wouldn’t it be nice for those people to meet the current ‘you’, rather than the slightly less accomplished one from a few years ago?

Here are seven simple ways to refresh your personal and professional profiles, so they’re warm, inviting, and… well, just marvellously you, in all your present-day glory.

1. A few questions before you start

Ask yourself: what do you most want from this particular profile?

In other words, would you like it to get you a brand-new job or a brand-new relationship, or do you just want more people to be aware of you?

Knowing this beforehand will help you re-shape your writing, so you’re more likely to get what you want.

Then: what’s changed since your last profile review?  Don’t just think skills and qualifications, but opinions and preferences.

2. Know your limits

Check the word and/or character limits for your chosen profile/s.  It could be that they’ve increased since you last wrote them, giving you more space to shine.

(As an example, the ‘About’ section on your LinkedIn profile now has a 2,600 character limit, with a whopping 3,000 character limit for posts.

Here’s a handy tool to help you check yours).

 3. Headline news

Your headline should reflect exactly what you want your profile to do.

But you don’t have to get overly creative – in fact, sometimes that will be a hindrance.

As an example, when I worked in HR my LinkedIn profile headline was ‘Professional empathiser and caffeine enthusiast’.  Lots of people liked it  (I know that because they told me).

But had I been looking for a new job in a similar vein, a clear, concise ‘HR Manager’ would have to feature somewhere.

4. Don’t ramble

Try not to let your headline cut off in scrolling feeds.

There’s a current trend for people to write things like “I help people achieve greatness by (whatever it is they actually do)”, but many readers will only see the first bit, with nothing compelling them to stop scrolling and click.

Meanwhile, if you’re writing a dating profile, don’t headline it with “I never know what to write in these things”.  If you can’t be bothered to think of something to write, why should anyone else bother reading it?

5. Avoid clichés

Readers skim over clichés without thinking, so don’t use them.

But if clichés are all that spring to mind, try unravelling them.  Think about what they’re really saying about your business or personality, and write that instead.

6. Use detail

“I love going to the cinema and spending time with my kids” is boring.

“I love romcoms and finger-painting with my five-year-old” is less so.

7. Add a personal fact

As with your headline, your fact doesn’t have to be witty or creative, just true.

Mentioning that you’ve been trying to learn Spanish, for example, or that your favourite book is The Forest of Hands and Teeth (it’s a real book) won’t just help you stand out.  It’ll also help to remove any intimidation people might feel about getting in touch for the first time.

Why?  You’ve offered them an automatic conversation-starter.  It’s the equivalent of flashing a warm smile, then sliding out a chair at your virtual coffee table.

(Plus, personal facts are fun).

Do you find it hard to write about yourself?

I do.

If I’m being honest, the words I write about other people are far superior to those I write about myself.

So, you could try writing your profiles as though you were someone else.

Or you could save yourself the time and trouble, and ask me to write them for you*.

If you’d like to arrange a friendly, no-pressure chat to get things started, click here.

*I write lots of other things, too.  If you’d like to know more about any of them, just ask.