If you think your LinkedIn Profile is not up to date or the content you are posting on the platform is not reaching and engaging the right audience, then it is time to conduct an audit to find out why that is happening.

Why is an Audit Important?

1. It helps you assess the effectiveness of your current content strategy on LinkedIn.
2. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Literally, figuring out what works and what does not.
3. Helps you understand how you can optimize various aspects of your profile including tagline, banner, about section etc.
4. Helps you measure the progress towards your LinkedIn goals.
5. It also gives you a perspective on thought leadership by helping you understand the engagement you are receiving on your content.

How to Conduct a Mini Audit of Your LinkedIn Profile

Step 1: Break Down the Audit into 4 Parts

1. Profile Completeness
2. Content Quality
3. Thought Leadership
4. Brand Tone

Step 2: Profile Completeness

When it comes to your profile, there are certain essential elements that need to be in shape for your profile to become SEO optimized, or easily searchable on LinkedIn.

• Profile Picture: A good professional headshot really works well on LinkedIn and conveys your seriousness.

• Banner: Also called Digital Real Estate, it should be designed based on your brand tone and should ideally communicate what your personal brand stands for, from a visual and messaging perspective.
• About Section: This space is crucial to showcase your experience, personality, your life journey, and the services you offer. Make it as compelling as possible and make sure you align it with your goals on LinkedIn.

• Creator Mode: An amazing feature which needs to be "turned on" to make your profile creator-friendly. This also gives you the option to add hashtags to your heading, a call to action link to your external website/Calendly to book calls, and even utilize a "featured section" to showcase your credentials.

Step 3: Assess Your Content Quality

When it comes to content quality, there are three parameters that matter:

Post Quality

• Value Addition: Every post you share should provide value to your audience. Are you offering insights, sharing news, or teaching something new?

• Engagement: Analyze the average reactions and comments per post. High engagement typically indicates content relevance and quality.
• Visuals: A picture speaks a thousand words. Are you using high-quality images, infographics, or videos that complement your written content?

Post Types Utilized

LinkedIn boasts a variety of post formats:

• Text-only posts
• Text + Image posts
• Carousels
• Interactive Polls
• Videos

It is important for you to utilize the post formats offered. This also helps the algorithm understand that you are serious about your content.

Frequency of Posts

• Posting Frequency: Regular updates keep you on the radar. But it's essential to maintain a balance – too frequent, and you may be seen as spammy; too infrequent, and you may be forgotten.
• Response Time: Engaging with comments on your posts or messages in a timely manner showcases your commitment to your network.

Step 4: Assess the Level of Thought Leadership Achieved

You become a thought leader when you command certain attention in your field of work on LinkedIn. How do you measure that?

• Followers Growth: A steady increase in followers suggests you're consistently offering value.

• Engagement on Posts: Another key aspect to measure is the engagement you receive on your posts. Are people reacting to your posts?
• Are they commenting on your posts and sharing them with a wider audience?

• Content Sharing: Engaging with posts of other influencers and leaders is another great way to build your thought leadership and your LinkedIn profile.
• Recommendations: Having recommendations from colleagues, clients, or supervisors can boost your authority. Remember, giving genuine recommendations can also enhance your standing.
• Courses and Certifications: Regularly updating your profile with new skills and courses shows commitment to professional growth, further cementing your position as an industry leader.

Step 5: Have a Look at Your Brand Tone

When I say brand tone, I am referring to the following:

Visual Consistency

• Color Palette: Maintaining a consistent color theme, especially if it aligns with your personal or company brand, can make your profile visually appealing and instantly recognizable.
• Content Formats: Use of similar templates or styles for posts, especially for series or regular updates, can solidify your brand tone.

Messaging Consistency

• Consistent Themes: If you're an expert in a particular field, ensure your content consistently echoes your expertise.
• Value Proposition: Make sure the value you offer is evident and consistent in every post, article, or update.

Voice and Tone Consistency

• Tone Consistency: Whether you opt for a formal tone, conversational style, or a mix, staying consistent is key.
• Authenticity: Be genuine in your interactions. Authenticity resonates and is more likely to foster trust and engagement.

If you can assess these four crucial parameters – profile completeness, content quality, thought leadership, and brand tone – you will be able to find the gaps that exist on your LinkedIn profile and subsequently plan to create a content strategy to fill those gaps.

Too much to do?

Buzzli is here to help you with your LinkedIn profile audit for free.

Click here to submit your LinkedIn Profile link and we will send across a comprehensive LinkedIn profile audit to you with actionable steps!

Your LinkedIn world is about to change. Get ready to grow!

Grab 5 LinkedIn post templates inspired by Justin Welsh right here.