7 Steps to Build an Unbeatable Personal Brand on LinkedIn

Looking to build a magnetic personal brand on LinkedIn and get your first 1,000 followers?

Then, this guide is your golden ticket. We’ll dive deep into 7 steps you can carry to build your personal brand on LinkedIn that will not only boost your profile views but also convert those views into meaningful connections and, ultimately, into business opportunities.

Main Takeaways

Optimize Your Profile: Your LinkedIn acts as your digital resume. Make it count.
Content + Engagement: Quality posts matter, but so does interacting with your audience.
Strategic Networking: It’s not just who you know, but how you engage. Genuine conversations make a difference.
Use Analytics: Data guides strategy. Taplio’s analytics can provide the insights you need for constant improvement.

Quick Table: The 7-Step Blueprint for Building a Magnetic Personal Brand on LinkedIn

Step Number	Step Description	Why It’s Important
1	Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile	Makes you more discoverable and sets the stage for what you offer. It’s like SEO for your career.
2	Create and Post Value-Driven Content Regularly	Establishes your expertise and provides value to your audience, driving more profile views.
3	Engage with Others on LinkedIn	Increases your visibility and credibility, and helps build relationships with other creators.
4	Utilize Strategic Networking	Takes your LinkedIn game to the next level by building meaningful relationships and potential partnerships.
5	Promote Outside of LinkedIn	Expands your reach and opens doors to opportunities beyond LinkedIn.
6	Analyze – Measure, Tweak, Repeat	Helps you understand what’s working and what needs improvement, guiding your LinkedIn strategy.
7	Use Taplio To Automate and Convert	Enables you to automate engagement and convert your LinkedIn audience into tangible business opportunities.

Introduction

In today’s digital age, your personal brand is your new resume. It’s what sets you apart in a sea of qualified professionals. A strong personal brand can open doors to new job opportunities, business partnerships, and even speaking engagements. It’s not just about who you know, but who knows you—and for what.

The Power of LinkedIn in Action – My Own Personal Experience

Before we dive deeper, let me show you just how transformative LinkedIn can be. During my active posting days, I was pulling in around 244 profile views daily, with some days dipping to 93. Even when I stopped posting, the numbers didn’t plummet; I still received 45 to 67 profile views per day due to the posts I’ve posted before.

A Quick Look At The Numbers

Posting Status	Average Daily Profile Views	Low Point
Active Posting	244	93
Inactive (No Posting)	67	45

The Importance of LinkedIn Profile Views: A Breakdown

Why does this matter? Because each of those profile views is a potential business opportunity. People find your posts, click through to your profile—which should look like a well-crafted landing page—and then they get a snapshot of who you are and what you offer. From there, they might DM you with a job offer or click through the link on your profile that directs them to your software’s free trial or your website to schedule a call.

The Bottom Line: Converting Views into Business

The impact is enormous. I run multiple companies, including a LinkedIn ads agency, and the number of DMs I was receiving on a weekly and monthly basis was staggering. Each DM was a step in a sales process that often led to three-to-six-month contracts. This strategy is particularly effective for B2B companies, CEOs, and professionals in various fields.

Table: Stages After a Profile View

Stage of Interaction	Action Taken by Viewer	Business Opportunity
Finding Your Post	Clicks on Post	Brand Awareness
Viewing Your Profile	Reads Profile	Interest Generated
Deep Dive	DMs for Job Offer	Direct Sales Lead
Deep Dive	Clicks on Software Free Trial	Product Interest
Deep Dive	Schedules a Call via Website	Sales Call Scheduled

The Ultimate Strategy: Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

To truly maximize the potential of LinkedIn, you need to build your personal brand on LinkedIn. This is the cornerstone that will elevate your profile views into meaningful business relationships and opportunities. So, let’s dive into how you can build a magnetic personal brand on LinkedIn.

The 7-Step Blueprint for Building a Magnetic Personal Brand on LinkedIn

Step 1: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Why Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile Is Important

By optimizing your LinkedIn profile, you’re not just sprucing up your digital resume—you’re making yourself more discoverable. How? LinkedIn has its own search algorithm that prioritizes well-optimized profiles.

In just the last week, 196 people searched for me. These aren’t just random clicks; we’re talking about founders, agency owners, and co-founders—people who mean business. They’re probably typing in keywords like “LinkedIn ads,” which is how my profile was optimized initially.

So, don’t underestimate the power of a well-optimized profile. It’s like SEO, but for your career. LinkedIn’s search capacity can be a game-changer for your professional life.

How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Optimizing your LinkedIn profile isn’t just about filling in the blanks. It’s about creating a compelling narrative that showcases your expertise, your services, and most importantly, how you can solve someone’s problem. Here’s how to do it:

Banner

First off, you need a clear and concise high-quality banner image that describes the service you provide. This is your first impression, so make it count.

Profile Picture

A professional photo can make or break first impressions. Choose a clear, professional photo where you look approachable and has your brand colours.

Short Profile Video

Consider adding adding short profile video where you introduce yourself. Just remember, don’t oversell; be yourself.

Headline

The headline is your elevator pitch and is your chance to sum up your professional identity in a sentence.

It should clearly state what you do and how you can help people. Over the years, I’ve tweaked this to align with my current focus—whether that’s LinkedIn ads, B2B Hero, or Marketing Hero. Your title and description should be dynamic, just like your career.

Custom Button

Add a custom button that links to your company website. If you’re posting and engaging regularly, people will land on your profile and want to learn more. Make it easy for them by providing a direct link to your services or portfolio.

Here’s a snapshot of my own profile as an example:

Creative Mode and About Section

Turn on LinkedIn’s Creative Mode and utilize the About section to elaborate on your services, your mission, and your achievements. This is your space to tell your story, so use it wisely.

Here’s a snapshot of my own profile’s About Section as an example:

Experience Section

Don’t forget to list the companies you’ve worked for in the Experience section. This adds credibility and gives potential connections more reasons to engage with you.

Here’s a snapshot of my own profile’s Experience Section as an example:

Summary Table: Key Elements to Optimize Your Profile

Profile Element	Purpose	Tips
Banner and Profile Picture	First impression and connection point.	Use a clear, concise banner and a professional profile pic with brand colours.
Profile Video	Adds a personal touch.	Keep it short and sweet. Don’t oversell; just be yourself.
Headline	Your elevator pitch.	Keep it dynamic to align with your current focus. Be clear and concise.
Custom Button	Directs visitors.	Add a custom button linking to your services or portfolio.
Creative Mode	Showcase your work.	Turn on Creative Mode and utilize it to display your portfolio, articles, or other content.
About Section	Elaborates on you.	Use the About section to tell your story and showcase your expertise.
Experience Section	Adds credibility.	List the companies you’ve worked for and roles you’ve held.

Step 2: Master the Art of Content Creation

Once your profile is optimized, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive into the meaty part: content creation. This is where you’ll spend the bulk of your time and effort, but trust me, it’s worth it.

The Frequency of Posting

Frequency	Focus
2-3 times a week (Minimum)	80% Work-related
5 times a week (Recommended)	80% Work-related

At a minimum, aim to post two to three times a week. However, if you’re serious about making an impact, strive to post five days a week. Your content can be simple—text and maybe an image. But what you talk about should be 80% focused on your work and processes.

Show Your Work

Content Type	Description
Case Studies	Detailed processes and results
Work Insights	Day-to-day work processes

As someone who’s been deep in the trenches of LinkedIn ads, I used to share detailed processes and results. Think of it as a “disguised case study.” Whether you’re a consultant in Google ads, Facebook ads, or SEO, or even a CEO, sharing your day-to-day work processes is intriguing to your audience.

Tailor Your Content to Your Role

Role	Content Focus
CEO	Life insights + Company processes
Consultant	Tips + A/B Testing + Results

If you’re a CEO, share insights into your life at the helm, but also showcase your company’s processes. If you run a cold email outreach company, for example, share tips on crafting better emails, A/B testing, and what has worked for you.

Use Multimedia

Content Type	Frequency
Text + Image	Most often
Video	Occasionally
Infographic	Occasionally

Don’t just stick to one type of content. Mix it up! Throw in a video here and there, or maybe an infographic. Have a content strategy that keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more.

The Power of a Well-Oiled Machine

Here’s the kicker: when you consistently share valuable content, people will start clicking through to your profile. And remember, your profile is your landing page. They’ll see your banner, your services, and how you can help them. Some might even slide into your DMs or click through to your website. It’s a self-sustaining cycle of engagement and conversion.

But don’t stop here; posting is just a part of the process.

Note: For more insights to take your LinkedIn content to the next level, check out my guide on 4 Proven LinkedIn Content Strategies for B2B Marketers, which unpacks the secrets to mastering LinkedIn for B2B marketing.

Step 3: The Power of Engagement and Commenting

Engagement isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the lifeblood of your LinkedIn strategy. You can’t just post and ghost. You need to be in the trenches, engaging with other creators and your audience. Let’s break down why this is so crucial.

Why Engage?

Increases your visibility and credibility
Builds relationships with other creators
Adds a unique flavor to your online persona

Like, Comment and Share

After you post, spend at least 30 minutes liking, commenting on other people’s posts and sharing their posts. Be thoughtful, be funny, be a little controversial if you must in the comments, but most importantly, be engaging.

The Cycle of Engagement

Action	Result
You engage with others	They engage with you
They engage with you	Your posts reach their followers
Your posts reach more people	More impressions and potential business opportunities

The more you engage with others, the more they engage with you. This creates a virtuous cycle where your posts get more visibility, leading to more impressions. I’ve seen people get millions of impressions just by being consistently engaging.

Secret Tip: Social Selling Through DMs

Type of DM	Purpose
Non-Selling Conversations	Builds genuine relationships
Asking About Struggles	Understands the needs of your audience
No Hard Sell	Leaves a good impression

Here’s a pro tip: Slide into people’s DMs, but not to sell. This is called “social selling.” You’re building relationships, not pushing a product. Ask them how they’re doing, what they’re struggling with, but don’t sell. It leaves a good taste in their mouth and turns them into loyal followers.

Tools to Automate Your Engagement: Taplio

Feature	Benefit
Outbound DMs	Automates engagement with people who’ve interacted with your profile
AI Tools for Post Writing	Helps you craft compelling content
Intense Analytics	Gives you deep insights into your performance

One tool that I’ve found incredibly useful is Taplio. It automates part of the engagement process, helps you write posts, and even offers deep analytics. It’s a game-changer for anyone serious about LinkedIn.

By combining content creation with thoughtful engagement, you’re not just building a personal brand; you’re creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that continually brings in new opportunities

Step 4: Strategic Networking – The Extra Mile

You’ve optimized your profile, you’re creating killer content, and you’re engaging like a pro. Now, it’s time to take it to the next level with strategic networking.

Why Network?

Networking isn’t just about collecting connections. It’s about building meaningful relationships that can lead to business opportunities, partnerships, or even friendships.

Type of Conversation	Benefit
Quick Check-ins	Builds rapport and keeps you top-of-mind
Discussing Struggles	Identifies potential areas where you can offer value
Sharing Your Journey	Creates a deeper connection and understanding

One strategy I’ve found incredibly effective is scheduling quick, 15-minute conversations with people. These aren’t sales conversations; they’re genuine check-ins to see how the other person is doing and what they’re struggling with. You also get a chance to share what you’re up to, creating a two-way street of value.

The Snowball Effect

Number of Weekly Conversations	Potential Annual Connections
3	156
5	260
7	364

Just a few of these conversations each week can snowball into hundreds of meaningful connections over the course of a year. And each of these connections is a potential business opportunity, a potential partner, or even a potential friend.

Becoming a LinkedIn Influencer

Networking strategically can elevate your status from just another LinkedIn user to a bona fide LinkedIn influencer. As your network grows, so does your influence and the opportunities that come with it.

Step 5: Promote Outside of LinkedIn – Expand Your Reach

You’ve built this amazing LinkedIn profile and you’re engaging with your network like a champ. But why limit yourself to just LinkedIn? It’s time to take your personal brand beyond the platform.

Why Promote Outside of LinkedIn?

Platform	Benefit
Email	Direct line to your network
YouTube	Broad audience reach
Social Media	Diverse user base
Website	Complete control over branding

Promoting your LinkedIn profile on other platforms can significantly increase your visibility and open doors to opportunities you might not have found otherwise.

How to Promote

Email Signatures: Include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your email signature. It’s a non-intrusive way to encourage people to check out your profile.
YouTube Descriptions: If you have a YouTube channel, include a link to your LinkedIn profile in the video descriptions.
Social Media Bios: Use your other social media platforms to cross-promote your LinkedIn profile.
Website: If you have a personal or company website, include a LinkedIn icon that links directly to your profile.

The Multiplier Effect

By promoting your LinkedIn profile outside of the platform, you’re creating multiple touchpoints for people to discover you. It’s like casting a wider net in the sea of potential opportunities.

Step 6: Analyze – Measure, Tweak, Repeat

You’ve optimized your profile, created killer content, engaged with your network, and even promoted your LinkedIn presence outside the platform. But how do you know if all this effort is paying off? The answer is simple: analytics.

Why Analytics Matter

Metrics	Importance
Profile Views	Gauge visibility and reach
Post Engagement	Measure content effectiveness
Connection Requests	Indicator of network growth
DMs and Inquiries	Direct opportunities for business

Understanding your LinkedIn analytics can provide valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement. It’s the compass that guides your LinkedIn strategy.

What to Analyze

Profile Views: Are more people viewing your profile after a post? If yes, your content is engaging.
Post Metrics: Look at likes, comments, and shares to gauge the effectiveness of your content.
Connection Growth: A growing network means you’re doing something right.
Inbound Messages: The number and quality of DMs can be a direct indicator of business opportunities.

Tools for Analysis

There are several tools available to help you dive deep into LinkedIn analytics. For instance, LinkedIn itself provides a basic analytics dashboard. For more advanced metrics, you might consider Taplio again as it offers intense analytics.

The Feedback Loop

The key to a successful LinkedIn strategy is a continuous feedback loop. Analyze your performance, tweak your strategy based on the insights, and then measure again. It’s a cycle of constant improvement.

Step 7: Leverage Taplio To Automate and Convert

One tool that I’ve found incredibly useful is Taplio.

What is Taplio?

Taplio isn’t just another tool; it’s a secret strategy for those who are serious about not just building an audience on LinkedIn but converting that audience into tangible business opportunities. Whether you’re an agency owner looking to acquire new clients or a B2B SaaS company aiming to boost sales calls or free trials, Taplio is your go-to tool for conversion.

Features of Taplio

Outbound DMs: Automates the process of sending direct messages to people who have interacted with your profile or content.
AI Tools for Writing: Assists you in crafting compelling, engaging messages that resonate with your audience.
Intense Analytics: Provides deep insights into your LinkedIn performance, helping you understand what’s working and what needs tweaking.

How to Use Taplio for Automating Engagement

Taplio can automate messages to people who have engaged with your content. These aren’t sales messages; they’re genuine conversations aimed at building a relationship. For example, you can upload a list of people who have liked a particular post, and Taplio will send out messages like, “How’s your day going? You good?” This keeps the conversation light and engaging, setting the stage for deeper interactions down the line.

Leading to Conversion with Taplio

After you’ve warmed up your audience through genuine engagement, it’s time to think about conversion. Taplio’s analytics can help you identify potential leads that are more likely to convert into clients or customers. Once you’ve engaged and done a bit of research, you can make a soft ask, something like, “By the way, this is what I do. If you need it, I’m here for you.”

The Bottom Line

The ultimate goal is to build an audience and convert that audience into business opportunities. Taplio can help you do this at scale, efficiently and effectively

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why LinkedIn for Personal Branding?

LinkedIn is a goldmine for B2B opportunities. Unlike other social media platforms, it’s specifically designed for professionals and businesses, making it the ideal place to build your personal brand.

How Much Time Should I Spend on LinkedIn Daily?

At least 30 minutes to an hour. This includes posting, engaging with other posts, and networking. The more time you invest, the better the returns.

Can I Automate Posting on LinkedIn?

Yes, tools like Taplio can help you schedule posts. However, make sure your content remains authentic and engaging.

What Type of Content Should I Post?

A mix of industry insights, personal experiences, and value-driven posts work best. The aim is to provide value to your audience while subtly showcasing your expertise.

Content Type	Frequency	Example
Industry Insights	Twice a week	“Latest trends in LinkedIn Ads”
Personal Experiences	Once a week	“How I landed a big client through LinkedIn”
Value-Driven Posts	Twice a week	“Top 5 Cold Email Tools for 2023”

How Do I Measure Success on LinkedIn?

Key performance indicators (KPIs) like profile views, post engagement, and DMs can give you a good idea.

What If I’m Not a Writer?

No worries! You can use multimedia like videos, infographics, or even podcasts. The key is to be consistent and authentic.

How Do I Convert Profile Views into Business Opportunities?

Your profile should act like a landing page. Use a clear banner, title, and description to guide visitors towards a call-to-action, like a DM or visiting your website.

Can I Use LinkedIn for More Than One Business?

Absolutely. Your profile can showcase multiple talents and businesses. Just make sure your messaging is clear so that you attract the right audience for each venture.

Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It?

For most professionals, especially those in B2B sectors, LinkedIn Premium can offer valuable features like InMail and advanced search filters that can be worth the investment.

How Do I Avoid Coming Off as Salesy?

The key is to engage first, sell later. Use social selling techniques to build relationships before making any soft asks.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing and personal branding, LinkedIn stands out as a powerhouse for professionals, especially in the B2B sector. From optimizing your profile to mastering content creation, engaging with your network, and leveraging analytics for continuous improvement, the platform offers a holistic approach to building a personal brand that not only attracts but also converts.

Tools like Taplio can supercharge this process, automating engagement and providing valuable insights for better decision-making.

So, don’t just exist on LinkedIn—thrive, engage, and convert. Your next big opportunity could be just a post away.