A video overview of how to optimize your profile for inbound leads along with a checklist, copy templates, canva templates, and everything you need to get your LinkedIn profile set up for freelancing.
2 hours
📌 LinkedIn Profile Optimization Checklist
Before we dive into the deeper how-to, here’s the 9-point rubric I use to audit profiles:
Step 1: A Banner that acts as a billboard
Why it matters: Your banner is the first thing people pay attention to when they land on your profile. Treat it like a billboard that communicates what you do and who you do it for/with.
What to include:
- Your services &/or niche
- Who you help (target clients)
- Your brand colors or personality visuals
- Logos of past clients (optional)
Design Tips:
- Use Canva (1200x627 or 1080x1080 px)
- Stay inside the safe zone margins
- Skip the second photo of yourself — your profile pic already shows your face
⭐️ Examples: Stephanie Hlavin, Taylor Harrington, Heidi Beguin, Amy Watts, Kim Dohner, Kelsey Sanchez 🍉🌈🌹, Lauren Barnhill, and Alyssa Towns
⚡️ Don’t have a visual brand yet? Here’s my Visual Brand Mood Board template, use this video to guide you through a quick visual brand creation.
Step 2: A Client-Centered Headline
Why it matters: The keywords in your headline get you to show up in search results. Once someone lands on your profile, often in just a few seconds, your headline is how people decide if you're the right fit.
Formula: [What you do] for [who you do it for] | [services] | [benefits focused statement]
Avoid:
- You-focused combos ("writer | storyteller | dog lover")
- Jargon or vague phrases
- Listing multiple unrelated services &/or niches – if you have more than 1 niche or multiple unrelated services, check out
⚡️ Pro Tip: Keep a Google Doc of headline variations. Test each one for 1-2 weeks at a time and track search appearance data in the analytics on your LinkedIn profile. Go with whichever one performs best!
⭐️ Examples:
🍀 Polly Clover | SEO writer and consultant helping brands increase organic website traffic and earn more with results-driven content people actually want to read
⚡️ Johanna Flashman | 🧗♀️ Freelance writer and SEO strategist for adventure tourism, vanlife companies, and climbing brands | 📖 Author of Beer Hiking Southern California 🏳️🌈🚐
📘 Stephanie Hlavin | Memoirist | Strategic Storyteller for B2B Brands | Marketing Communications & Thought Leadership | Content Driven by Data and Empathy | Ex-IBMer, Oracle
🎸 Zoilo Velazquez | I ghostwrite educational email courses for Music Education Platforms, helping instructors raise the next generation of musicians 🎸🎶
🤓 Marie-Pier Tremblay - PCC | PCC-Certified Coach empowering creatives, tech professionals & entrepreneurs to grow boldly | Host of the Self-Growth Nerds Podcast | Bilingual FR/EN
🍵 Michelle Hsu 🍵 | "Marie Kondo-ing" Your Marketing ✨ | Simplifying Marketing Strategies to Help Your Business Thrive🪴| Marketing Consultant for Solopreneurs, Creatives, Coaches, and Portfolio Careerists
How to Test Your LinkedIn Headline (so you stop guessing)
This is the simplest way to see if your headline is actually working — using the data LinkedIn already gives you.
- Finish the rest of your profile edits first!!!!
- Write 4–5 headline options in a doc
- Pick one testing day + time and stick to it (mine’s Tuesdays at 4pm).
- Check your baseline “Search appearances”
- Swap in Headline #1 on your first testing day!
- One week later: record the result
- Repeat until you’ve tested all headline options (3-5 times is usually sufficient)
- Pick the winner
Headline testing only works if you’re not changing a bunch of other stuff at the same time.
Consistency matters to get clean data that reliably gives you answers. Choose a time you can reliably hit every week. Then, commit to changing your headline once per week at that exact day/time.
Before you change your headline: Go to your profile and find your Analytics box (it usually shows up near the top, around where “Activity” and “Resources” live).
Look for your search appearances and write down the number you currently have for the week.
Update your headline to your first version and save it. Then leave it alone for a full week til your next testing day/time.
On your chosen day/time the next week:
Go back to your profile and heck Search appearances – write that number next to the headline you tested.
Then swap in Headline #2.
Each week record search appearances, swap headline, don’t change anything else!
When you’ve tested all 4–5, the headline with the highest search appearances is usually the best performer. Keep that one as your headline!!
Step 3: Choose a Clear + Personality Packed Profile Picture
Why it matters: Your profile photo builds trust. People want to hire a real person. And adding personality like a colored background or unique outfit makes it memorable.
Do:
- Show your face clearly, smile if it feels natural
- Use your brand colors, a fun accessory, or personality-rich outfit
Don’t:
- Use filters or low-res images
- Use a distant or overly formal pic
⚡️ DIY Tip: Set up your phone on a tripod or just prop it up against a book. Put on the slow-mo video mode and strike 10+ poses. Once you’re done posing, take screenshots of your favorite moments!
⚡️ Don’t know how to pose for photos? Christine Buzan’s TikTok is full of super helpful posing tips for real people 😊
⭐️ Examples: Salma Harfouche 🐮, Stacy Corneau, Ray Slater Berry, Nick Lafferty, Diana Kelly Levey, Elena Galli, Stephanie Self, Emily Court, and Steven Schneider.
Step 4: Optimize Your Featured Section
Why it matters: This is your chance to move people off LinkedIn and into your world (portfolio, call scheduler, etc.)
What to include:
- Portfolio or top case study
- Discovery call link (free scheduler options →)
- Services or pricing page
- Newsletter or lead magnet (if you have one)
Pro Tips:
- Add on-brand Canva graphics so each link has a branded cover
- Put the most important link first – visitors will only see the first 3 links without having to scroll and only the first 5 without having to turn to a new page.
- Add enough description (~3 lines) so visuals display properly
⚡️ Try these Canva Templates →
⭐️ Examples: Polly Clover (of course), Taylor Harrington, Elena Galli, Lauren Bedosky, Kyle Adams, and Elliott Duck
Step 5: Fully Fill Out Your Experience Section
Why it matters: More experiences = more keywords = more visibility. Adds credibility and instant trust. Gets you showing up on company’s pages so you can get poached (or, at least, more visibility)!
What to include:
- Every freelance gig you’ve ever had (yes, even short-term ones)
- Volunteer or side projects (in the volunteer section)
- Full-time or part-time jobs from your past (you can be selective here – I’ve included all of mine tho)
⚡️ Concerned about listing clients? Unless your NDA says otherwise, you're in the clear. When in doubt, ask for written permission from your POC (point of contact).
Step 6: Write an "About" Section That Sells
Why it matters: This is your mini sales page. Most freelancers treat it like a resume summary paragraph. Booked and busy freelancers use it as a chance to call in their ideal clients and show their USP, stats, and personality.
The first 2 sentences of your About section are also what shows up under your profile link in a Google Search (or any other search engine) – I know, why didn’t they make it your headline??? UGH! But, alas this is what we’re dealing with. So consider optimizing this for google with a 1-2 sentence HOOK to grab both people from Google and LinkedIn.
Visitors to your profile will only see the first 2-3 sentences without having to expand, so make them count!
Your About should:
- Highlight what you do + the results you get
- Speak to your dream client’s pain points
- Show personality + credibility
- End with a strong CTA (ex: book a call, email you, view portfolio)
Format:
- Short intro (who you help + how)
- Bullet points or bold for skim-readers
- Optional: quote, testimonial, fun fact
⚡️ Here are two templates you can try:
1️⃣ TEMPLATE 1 (if you’ve never had clients):I'm a freelance writer and specializing in [services] for [niche].I've worked with [anyone you’ve worked with - omit this sentence if none].
—-
[SERVICE YOU OFFER][Elaborate about said service]
[SERVICE YOU OFFER]
[Elaborate about said service]
[SERVICE YOU OFFER]
[Elaborate about said service]
- --------
Experience:
[Your experience]
About Me:
[About you]
Send me an email: [your email] or learn more here: [your portfolio or website - if you have one]
2️⃣ TEMPLATE 2 (if you’ve had clients before): (inspired by this post)I'm [your name] – [the type of freelancer you are (be as specific as possible)] specializing in [your niche].
As a [type of writer you are] writer for [adjective] companies in [niche], [any other relevant experience]...
I know what you're dealing with:
- [issue you think your ideal client is facing]
- [issue you think they’re facing]
- [issue you think they’re facing]
You're [how they’re wasting their time] when you have a million more important things to do.
What’s more?
[Another problem they’re having].
[Consequence of that problem].
If there's someone who can make things easier and nail it on the first try...
it's me.
—
I've written [what you’ve written] for the best in [your niche]. And I've been doing it for [# of years of your career]
- I've [accomplishment]
- I've [accomplishment]
- I've [accomplishment]
My superpower is helping [type of business] educate and entertain their customers with [adjectives] [niche] [service].
There are a lot of writers out there. But you’ll never find another like me.
Because when it comes time to [your superpower], no one does it better.
—
TESTIMONIALS:
[testimonial from your past client]
[testimonial from your past client]
[testimonial from your past client]
ARE YOU DONE STRUGGLING WITH BAD [YOUR SERVICE]?
Do you have a backlog of [your service] that need the help of a pro?
I'm the [your title] (and results) you've been wishing for.
Take back your time. Reduce your stress. Get the best [your service].
Shoot me an email: [your email]
Step 7: Request Recommendations (If You Can)
Why it matters: Social proof builds trust. A rec from a past client can be the thing that tips a lead into reaching out.
Ask for recommendations from:
- Past clients
- Colleagues or collaborators
- Managers or mentors (even from full-time jobs)
How to request a recommendation:
- Go to the person’s profile
- Click “more”
- Choose “request recommendation”
- Fill out the form and send it!
⚡️ Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to follow up on these. I usually follow up 4 weeks after my first ask. In my follow up, I usually offer a first draft.
I try to make the first draft out of feedback they've given me already (they usually send google doc comments, remarks in emails, or say something on a call that I can use as a starting point). Then, I add it results-oriented stuff so it works fo rme.
I say something like:
"Hey [name], I know you're super busy so I wanted to offer a draft of the recommendation I asked for! I hope it saves you time – feel free to just copy and paste it as-is or tweak it to your liking.[put your testimonial draft here]
Thanks again for being a great client to work with!"
I remember the first time one of my clients asked me to write their testimonial for them and I was ⭐️ offended ⭐️ and it felt disingenuous to me.
But this far in, I've realized – ain't nobody got time for that. If you want it, you've got to get it for yourself.
The only way the testimonials show up on my profile is if they put through on their end anyway so they've fully approved it.
Start Here: The Most Impactful Changes to Make First
Short on time? Prioritize these three:
- Headline
- Banner
- About Section
These are the highest-impact changes to start attracting clients faster and showing up in search results.
Need help?
- If you’re in Pop Club, you can ask for a profile critique any time in
- Not in Pop Club? – You can join for just $33/month to get resources, templates, live workshops & Office Hours, coworking, community + more
- If you’re not interested in Pop Club, you can book a LinkedIn Profile Critique for just $25 to get a personalized video audit and action plan
You don’t need a perfect profile — you need one that shows up in search, communicates clearly, and converts.