Having a good LinkedIn summary is essential to getting ahead professionally in the legal space. Whether it’s to find yourself a great firm, attract new clients, or network, LinkedIn is an essential tool for lawyers. In fact, Hubspot expressed that LinkedIn is 277% better at creating leads than both Facebook and Twitter combined, proving that when used strategically, LinkedIn can make all the difference. In this article, we focus on your opening gambit: the “about” section in your profile. So what are the necessary things to consider to make your profile summary really pop?
Express yourself, in your own words
People should know more about you than just your past jobs, even if they are important. With a LinkedIn summary, you can make a friendly first impression and quickly show off your skills and achievements. If your LinkedIn summary isn't afraid to show who you are, it will make you more "sticky," leaving a lasting impression, long after people leave their devices.
You can choose to add some personality and humour, or you could keep it more serious. Either way, your LinkedIn description should tell LinkedIn users what to expect if they get in touch with you. This way, potential clients and prospects can already start to use it to figure out if they want to work with you or not, in order to understand if you are a good fit.
Use the right words
The LinkedIn algorithm combs your "about" section, your LinkedIn headline, and your present job title, and uses this to rank you in other feeds. Using a lot of the right keywords assists this process leading to more views. So be sure to use law-specific buzzwords in your bio, always ensuring that you use them sensibly and within context.
Write your description in the first person
When you were younger, you might have used a professional bio or written a line in the third-person voice. But today, it’s better to write in the first person, as if you are speaking directly to your client. Actually, a lawyer's LinkedIn summary shouldn't read like a bio. Rather, it should be a piece of writing that shows some personality and talks about why they're a great lawyer and how you help your clients. So speak directly to them as if you are already face-to-face and working with them.
Write your summary as if speaking to the clients you care about
Your overview of yourself is essentially a short sales pitch and is the first contact you have with your potential client or recruiter. So it’s important to research your prospective clients and find out what they may want to know about you. Then, write your bio section up, speaking to these specific ideas. What are the most important facts, skills, or successes that they need to know about? Try to get their attention right away by highlighting these things.
Let your clients get to know you more personally
Most lawyers' web bios are pretty dull and cold. Think about approaching this differently, and lowering that professional mask. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be professional, but you may well want to feel approachable. Consider adding in something about your passion projects in the field, or why you got into Law in the first place. This helps clients understand your motivation. Of course, your degrees and licensing matter, but this doesn't really say anything about who you are in the world. So you can also consider adding a little info about what you're interested in outside of work, like volunteering, hobbies, or family.
Related: How Lawyers Can Find New Clients
Use the first three lines to get people interested
People can't focus for long. Get the word out about who you are and what you can do as quickly as possible. When you post on LinkedIn, the first three brief lines on your profile "follow" you, and this is all users will see about you before they hit "show more". So make sure that these first few lines catch people's attention.
Add a request to do something
The next thing you want your reader to do is what? In order for your marketing to work, you need to make it clear what to do next at the end of your outline. This could be different based on your business goals. If you want people to read more about your thought leadership, for instance, put a link to your blog or podcast in your bio.
Next, ask someone who is not a lawyer to look over your LinkedIn description with a neutral view. Ask them to read it with the people you want to reach in mind. Does it make your point? Does it show who you are without being too casual? Did it get their attention right away? Only put up your bio once someone trusted has read it and given it the all-clear.
The bottom line
On LinkedIn, you need to sell your clients your very best self. Be creative, show who you are, and highlight your successes in the legal field. All in a succinct, strategic way. With these simple steps, you can really improve your LinkedIn profile, generate more views, and lead to real-world leads and connections.
