1 billion users on Linkedin.

And so many terribly-looking profiles.

Optimizing yours instantly pushes you to the top 1% bracket… but that’s still 10 million people.

The wrong question is “How does the top 1% optimize their profile?”.

The right question is “How do the successful ones optimize their profile?”.

I’m Ruben Hassid, and I went from 0 to 400,000 followers on Linkedin in 2 years.

I’m obsessed with AI, content creation & giving people a chance to share their voices the right way. But before speaking up, you must be dressed up for it.

So today, we’ll cover the 7 hacks to optimize your Linkedin account.

At the end of this article, you will start the right way — to never be considered one from the terrible-looking bracket.

1. How to Pinpoint The One Person You Post For

People make two mistakes when posting on Linkedin:

• They post for themselves, and share too many personal stories.
• They post for everyone on Linkedin, and no one can relate to it.

Instead, you must find the One Person you want to post for.

No, the One Person isn’t a real person. It’s what marketing calls an ICP.

Let’s take my account as an example:

1. I’m obsessed with content creation, AI & personal branding.
2. My audience has the same interests, but they are one step before me.

My ICP wishes they could leverage AI & content creation better in their day-to-day lives.

I don’t have to convince them personal branding is the way. I have to show them how.

And it goes even deeper than this: I want to dedicate my entire career (at least for the next few years) to finding the best way to support them on the how.

In a sense, I am the vessel, the agent, to fix their problems to satisfy their interests.

1. I am already an expert on the matter.
2. But I will keep being better for them to be able to share it the right way.

So my community trusts me to 1) master it now 2) and keep mastering it for them.

But who’s that “community”? It’s too vague. And it’s way too hard for me to write for “people”.

It’s much easier to write for the One Person. An idea of a very definite person in mind.

I wish I could help each & every one of you to find your ICP — but through the magic of ✨AI ✨ I built a GPT to find your ICP.

Step 1: Go to the GPT link here: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-89NEaQgUI-find-your-icp

Step 2: Click on “Start the process” and answer the questions (it takes about 2 minutes).

Step 3: You now have an ICP, the One Person to whom your content is directed.

2. Choose The Right Profile Picture

Your profile picture does not look good. Because it looks like this:

A terrible profile picture is:

1- Not zoomed in. People can’t see you whenever they are scrolling on Linkedin.

2- Not smiling. People connect to human beings smiling more. And if you’re a grump old man — don’t.

3- Too busy. Your background must be clean, either blurred or as a solid color. We want to see you, and nothing else.

4- Low quality. You must upload an HD picture. 1080 x 1080 is the perfect size for a Linkedin profile picture. Bear in mind that it will be in a circle too.

5- Open to work. Having the green “Open to work” watermark does not look good on you. Having the purple “Hiring” looks good on you. Choose wisely. And if you are indeed open to work – don’t make it public, just share it in your DMs / calls with your network.

Here’s a good example now:

✓ Zoomed ✓ Smiling ✓ HD ✓ Blurred background ✓ Confident, not open to work.

But don’t try to hire him. He’s also AI-generated.

3. Write a Clear and Strong LinkedIn Headline

Short headlines slap.

Make sure that people remember you from your headline.

For example:

• Ruben Hassid: “Master AI before it masters you.” This headline not only captures my expertise, but also implies I want you to avoid a future backlash. Avoiding negativity is strong. “Stop losing money on X” is stronger than “Get money from X”.
• Jasmin Alic: “Growing the best brands & businesses on LinkedIn.” This headline directly states his service, appealing to those looking for LinkedIn growth strategies.
• Eric Partaker: “The CEO Coach.” Simple, direct, and it clearly defines his role. You are a CEO? You’re looking for a coach? That’s him.

How can you write your own headline for Linkedin?

Again, I wish I could duplicate myself — Matrix-style.

But I can’t.

So I made another GPT to help you brainstorm.

Step 1: Go to ChatGPT (it’s free) at https://chatgpt.com/g/g-qK8iqnVNs-headline-gpt.

Step 2: Once you click on start, answer the 3 questions.

Step 3: Iterate, iterate, iterate. Until you have what you want.

PS: My own tagline “Master AI before it masters you.” was found by the one & only ChatGPT. You’ve got this.

4. Design a Banner that Stands Out

An optimized profile starts with…

1. A smiling profile picture, zoomed in.
2. A catchy headline, framing you as the X person.
3. A strong banner to get people to do one thing only.

This week, let’s focus on the banner with my team’s banners.

A few things about Linkedin banners…

• Size: 1584 x 396x px.
• Headline combo: Your banner is an extension of your headline.
• One CTA: More than one call-to-action leads to confusion. Be clear.
• No questions: “Tired of XXX?” No, I’m not tired. Be straightforward.
• Credentials: add strong, positive brands to position yourself as an expert.

One color. One call-to-action. One catchy sentence.

Less is more.

Being simple is the ultimate sophistication = you did the job to be clear.

Don’t expect me, your audience, to do the job for you.

PS: Your banner is the biggest design on your profile.

It sets the tone–for the first impression & all of the next future interactions.

Be clear. Be straightforward. Be convincing.

5. The Custom Button Link Is Your Most Important CTA

Winning on LinkedIn is expensive.

A tool to write. A tool to design. A tool for videos. A tool to organize. A tool to book meetings. You can easily get to $100/month—without receiving any money back from LinkedIn.

But what if you also had to pay for LinkedIn?

Because yes. You should pay for LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Premium has one feature you can hardly neglect.

Another spot for a link.

Right below your name, you drive people to your newsletter, to your website, to book an appointment.

That’s how I grew my newsletter using Linkedin to 40,000+ subscribers.

Because that’s the goal of social media.

Reach people you can’t possibly reach by yourself. Build an intimate connection with them. Get them out on social media. Would it be a newsletter, a website or to book an appointment.

But now comes the problem with the social media platform: they don’t want to get your audience out.

Their business model is built upon you (& your audience) staying on the platform, and consuming ads.

So whenever LinkedIn gives you an extra bullet like a link under your name… you take it.

It’s worth every penny.

Here’s the step-by-step process to optimize your custom button link on Linkedin:

Step 1: Have access to Linkedin Premium.

Step 2: Go to your Profile, and edit it.

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom, and click on the “Edit custom button”.

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Step 4: Select the “Premium custom button” and pick the most suited.

My personal favorites are “Visit my website” & “View my newsletter”.

6. Tell Your Story in the About Section

Your About section is where you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Let’s face it: no one reads it.

But now imagine someone actually make the effort of:

1. Going to your profile.
2. Scrolling down to the About Section.
3. And starts reading it?!

That’s your moment to shine. Give it all.

Key elements for an effective About section:

• Make it a post: Use the full capacity of the character’s limit.
• Problem-Solution: Clearly state the problems you solve and for whom.
• Make it relatable to your One Person ICP.
• Storytelling: Write your About section like a story, but keep the focus on what you can do for your audience. It’s not just about you, but about them too.
• Contact Information: Make it easy for people to reach out. Include your email, LinkedIn messaging, or other preferred methods of communication.

Mistakes to avoid in an About Section:

• Not filling it up.
• Begging for attention, or a call.
• Bragging about past experiences.
• Write one long confusing non-formatted text.
• Making it all about you, without being relatable.

Here’s mine:

7. Use the Featured Section to Share What You Offer

The Featured section is a powerful tool often underutilized. Instead of showcasing popular posts, use this space to highlight your offers and services.

Effective use of the Featured section:

• Links to Services: Include links to your Calendly for easy scheduling, your digital products, or any other services you offer.
• Visibility: Position your most important offers at the top so they are the first thing visitors see.

By optimizing the Featured section, you make it easier for potential clients or collaborators to connect with you, increasing your chances of converting visitors into leads.

Bonus Tip.

• Have 50 skills. That’s the max. on Linkedin & gives you maximum reach for employers.
• Make your experience count. Write a precise, number-heavy experience summary on your Linkedin resume.
• Recommendations. Give dozens to hope of receiving a few of them. It also counts.
• Offer services. Go to “Add profile section” and select “Add services.”

• Get a top voice badge. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/topics/home/ and answer 1x question every day on your expertise. You’ll get a yellow badge in no time.

Conclusion

Tenth of a Second:

That’s how fast someone makes their opinion on you.

“Research conducted by Princeton psychologists found that it takes only a tenth of a second to form a first impression. This study focused on judgments made about facial appearance, with attractiveness and trustworthiness being the quickest decisions made.”

Your Linkedin profile is your first impression. Make it count.

Once you’ve followed these tips, your profile will be ready to make a strong impact.

Not the impact of the top 1% profile (10 million people).

But the impact of the top 100 profiles.

Now that you’re ready to start, it’s time to write your posts.

I built an AI for that to get my first 100 million views on Linkedin.

It’s called EasyGen.

An optimized profile + the best fine-tuned AI for Linkedin will make you unstoppable.

But to be unstoppable, you have to start.

Are you ready to start?

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