LinkedIn is the dominant social network for professionals. With around a quarter of a million users, it has a strong base and proves that professionals need and want a social media platform that dedicates itself to recruiting, professional growth, and networking. A significant percentage of high-level executives are active users of LinkedIn for networking within their industries. To attain good visibility and traction, it’s crucial that you optimize the LinkedIn profile of you and your team. Here are several tips to do it effectively.

1. Set It Up

Go to LinkedIn’s website, click “Join Now,” and register. Once you’ve done that, go to your profile, and select “Edit Profile.” Here’s the time to gather keywords for your description that will enhance your SEO (search engine optimization). Check with your head digital marketer to determine the keywords that are best for your business, or check out the profiles of successful competitors to see the keywords they use. You want to be highly visible in search engines.

2. Select a Great Image

This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when crafting your LinkedIn profile, so choose carefully. Imagine that you are selecting your profile image to attach to your resume. If you need to hire a professional photographer, it’s a good investment. Again, competitors and influencers in your field can give you some good parameters to use when selecting your photo. Lighting is crucially important no matter what style of photo you use.

3. Create a Compelling Headline

The headline appears below your name, and next to your photo is the most visible part of your profile. It needs to include your title(s) and the name of your business. Your headline is also a place where good SEO can make a real difference. Best practice (according to the type of business) varies widely in this area, so do what you can to ensure that your language and tone are compelling to the audience you want to attract.

4. Customize Your URL

Customizing your URL may seem obvious but this is a step that is frequently overlooked. You certainly don’t want your URL to be a string of numbers — for obvious reasons. Go to your profile, click “Edit public profile & URL,” and change the URL to your actual name, rendered as simply as possible.

Now it’s time to fill out your profile in a professional, engaging way. Keep these tips on hand for your team.