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You will learn how you the best of the best write their headlines to attract more profile visits, build trust and at the end of the day increase their influence on LinkedIn.
If you're asking yourself if this guide can help you to write a better LinkedIn headline, read on. I'm sure it will!
A quick breakdown of what makes your LinkedIn headline stand out from the crowd.
Outstanding examples with actionable advice from the best headlines I found on LinkedIn.
Improve your LinkedIn profile, grow your influence. I'll show you how.
... is hard. Sometimes frustrating. I understand. You want to get it perfect...
In this article, I'll show you LinkedIn headlines that have proven to work for others. For this cause I have curated a list of outstanding real-world headline examples. But before we start, let us ask the question of what we want to achieve with our LinkedIn headline?
In my opinion, your headlines should awake the following:
Note: On LinkedIn, you get 220 characters of total headline length. (Some report to have 240 characters when editing the headline on mobile). Use them wisely!
Next example:
Another one:
Why are they good LinkedIn headline examples?
What do all of these headlines have in common? Right, they add massive trust by showing their accomplishments/references. Does it work? I'm sure it at least helps to stop the scroll and make people want to read more.
If that's your goal, think about adding similar trust elements in your LinkedIn headline.
Don't have any exciting-looking accomplishments like that? Me neither, so here is an example of someone that is most likely closer to you and me:
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
In his profile, the word SEO appears 59 times. He made it very clear what his offer is all about, which is - you guessed it - SEO! Fili will be the first thing you find on the LinkedIn search when you type in "SEO." Impressive!
Tip: By adding keywords in your profile, you increase the chance of getting found for your target search term.
Takeaways:
Ah, wait! It's not that easy after all. But it is a good first step towards your goal of getting found more often.
(If you want to dig deeper into how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile check out the linked article.)
Why is it good?
What's the benefit when I look at Taylor's profile? "I'm the best account to follow on LinkedIn, look at my headline!" Well, that's one way to put it.
People like reading about what you can do for them or how you can help, especially if you're on LinkedIn to grow your business. Be clear and precise, that's my advice.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
You want people to buy, not just keep scrolling? Try to add a call to action like Kendall. She did a few things very well:
First, the headline is on short & point.
Second, she's taking the opportunity to get the word out in just 38 characters. That's great because the CTA will also be visible on mobile.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
Holy smokes! That's what I'm talking about!
Cindy uses a bold and outstanding headline that grabs attention. It's promising, brave, and makes you want to learn more.
Use this strategy if you want to grab attention and you are the kind of person that likes to be in the spotlight. If you meet the criteria, Cindy's method might just be for you. ;)
Takeaways:
Why is this LinkedIn headline example good?
It's not very engaging, not special... BUT it's still better than stuffing your headline with buzzwords and phrases like: "I help companies with more than..."
You don't want people to think you are smirking. Use this format if you don't have anything to sell, no "real" goal on LinkedIn, or just want to point out one specific thing.
At the end of the day, it's all about focus.
Takeaways:
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Why is it good?
I think this first example is great because it simple. People want to know who they are dealing with. The message is on point and Michael makes it clear where he works, which is a great move. People will reconcile you with the name of your brand. This is what you want, especially when doing cold outreach on LinkedIn.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
Very short and concise. The whole idea here is to make the domain name, aka. the brand, stand out. And it does. Do this if you want to raise the awareness of your company while being fully responsive, even on mobile.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
I like this headline example because it builds trust while focusing on important keyword opportunities. Again, it's all nice and neat. Ryan used different words to describe his skills, all of which might be used by his target audience(s). Learn from him and apply it to your LinkedIn profile.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
Linsey has a good use of emojis in this example. The headline is perky, but not too much. The point is: you can get away with anything - just don't overdo it.
I also like the implementation of the hashtag right there. Still, I have to criticize her for not including a more compelling CTA in the headline. Something like: "get in contact 👇" would do the trick.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
I love this example because Thorsten did on thing perfectly: he communicated the benefit in under 50 symbols. Awesome! Also, he is very precise about what he does, especially with his LinkedIn content strategy.
He included a clear CTA in the headline as well as his domain name. Great job!
Takeaways:
Why is this LinkedIn headline example great for IT professionals?
The best thing about this profile is that it showcases only the things relevant to the target audience. First, it has the keyword “full stack software engineer" that will help this IT professional get discovered on LinkedIn, followed by the skills he mastered.
Takeaways
Why is this headline example good?
I personally liked the “AWS certified” section highlighting Harikrishna's credibility as a software developer. Also, mentioning that he’s looking for new opportunities helps a recruiter know he’s available to hire.
Takeaways
Why is this LinkedIn headline good for entrepreneurs?
Credibility in any form speaks for a person. In this case, Pallav is showing it off boldly in his headline. The headline is simple and eye-catching to stop the scroll.
Takeaways
Why is it good?
The headline is neatly structured and organized, showcasing all important info about Slavko, including his company, role, value prop, and CTA. His ‘Talks about’ section also say a lot about the kind of content you can expect from him. (It's visible because he uses LinkedIn Creator Mode).
Slavko follows through, making it clear he's an expert at LinkedIn storytelling!
Takeaways
Why is this a great LinkedIn headline example for accountants?
Jerin's profile instantly impresses with the on-point cover photo and the massive list of services. The headline tells you exactly who Jerin caters to ("startup consulting") and which primary services you should contact him for.
Takeaways
Why is this a good headline for customer support?
The headline shows a glimpse of who Kelsey isand what she does - including her job title, her value proposition, and her being a military spouse (adds a personal touch to it). What’s more impressive is her cover photo which showcases her company logo and their USP to the visitors.
Even if you're looking for a new position, it'll be nice for new employers to see how much you champion the companies you work for and that they can count on you to be an employee advocate.
Takeaways:
Why is this a great LinkedIn headline for project managers?
The profile shows Sameer’s expertise in a specific area as a project manager and mentions the division for which he works, i.e., engineering. This helps him stand out among other project managers on LinkedIn and get noticed right away when someone searches for “engineering project manager."
Takeaways
Why should freelancers learn from this LinkedIn headline?
This profile clearly shows what Andrew does and who he works with. When someone searches for a fintech, financial, crypto or Web3 content writer, they'll easily find him.
Likewise, clients coming from other sources will immediately recognize that he specializes in their niche, as opposed to having to waste time browsing his profile.
(Spoiler alert: very few do that.)
Takeaways
Before we go deeper, I want to show you 1 specific example that I want you to avoid.
I see a lot of people adding terms like "Looking for a job," "unemployed," or "seeking a job" to their headline. That's terrible!
Why?
It's inexpressive and doesn't indicate what your skills are or what you are looking for. Instead, I have put together examples of good and meaningful LinkedIn headlines that will make your LinkedIn profile interesting to recruiters.
Why is it good?
This example convinces by a good use of active voice: "Actively searching..". Also, he points out the industry he wants to work in, which is great for recruiters. They can help you more because they know what you're searching for.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
Magalie uses a precise description to let people know what she is searching for. She avoids buzz words. Also, she includes the location she is aiming to work in. Bravo!
Takeaways:
Why is this a good LinkedIn headline for job-seekers?
Fantastic! This is a great headline. Here is why:
She used her graduation as a trust element ("see, I learned this at a well-known university!"). At the same time, she made sure to connect her profile experiences (rightside) to match her LinkedIn headline. Furthermore, she included her preferred location.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
This student did a great job with adding relevant pieces of information to her headline. She included her current position, that she is searching for a new intern position, and also added trust by showing her current side project: a podcast.
A friend of mine, who is frequently involved in the recruiting process once told me about how he prospects new candidates. What he is looking out for. The most important thing is engagement. Someone showing that they aregoing the extra mile by doing things like, for example, starting their own podcast, shows how engaged and ambitious they are.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
The woman in the example above does one thing extremely well: she states very clearly what she and her company are looking for - an HR Manager.
Many headline CTAs are all the same: "Hiring!" or "We're looking for good people." That's like naming the CTA on your website "Searching for Customers." Not very special, is it?
It's better to describe what specifically you're searching for and sprinkle in your employer branding.
(At this point, I want to thank Jan-Lütje Thoden for giving me a heads up about this topic.)
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
I very much like how Michael captures the value of his work in short statements like these: "Talent Spotter" and "Team Builder," both characteristics of an excellent HR professional.
Takeaways:
Why is it good?
Shaziya includes top-ranking keywords in her profile, such as "talent acquisition" and "IT recruiter," and shows her personal side, too!
Takeaways:
Why is this a great LinkedIn headline for recruiters?
The profile helps job seekers immediately understand what roles the recruiter is hiring for and the locations they’re offering jobs for. This helps job seekers narrow down their job hunt and make sure they're talking to the right person.
Takeaways:
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When you look at your profile today, I'm sure you'll find room for improvement after some digging. The old way is to guess what you should change, research different topics and try to spruce it up.
I'd like to introduce you to a tool that cuts out the guesswork and puts you straight to work: Inlytics.
Inlytics is a comprehensive LinkedIn analytics dashboard to save hours researching how your profile and your content should improve to get more attention.
Included is a LinkedIn profile checklist that enables you to avoid common profile pitfalls in minutes. The benefits you'll experience include:
Note: You can start building your LinkedIn Analytics Dashboard today, by signing up for the free account right here. Give it a test drive!
Finding the right wording for your LinkedIn headline can be challenging, especially if you have multiple things to reference. My best advice is to focus on what you want people to notice. Put that first and you'll keep your profile crisp. Cheers!
WRITTEN BY
I help startups to validate their critical assumptions, sharpen the business case and ultimately generate traction.
I answer the questions that you may still have:
As a job seeker, you want to get found. Here are a few tips that can help you:
- Use hashtags like #ONO (meaning Open to New Opportunities) in your LinkedIn headline or near the start of your "About" statement.
- Use LinkedIn's new "Build a resume" feature.
- Get your CV updated.
- Connect with people that can help you find a job. Most likely these are the people currently working in the industry you want to settle in.
If you are a student looking for a job or internship you can follow the same rules like the ones for job seekers. Instead of searching for a job, name the internship position you would like to get.
What you are going to write in your headline depends on what you want to achieve. As you have found out in the examples above, you can formulate the title in different ways.
Some people write a short, self-explanatory title, others a longer statement to appeal to the target audience. Think about what best fits your communication strategy or that of your company. If you are unsure which title will be memorable, you can proceed as follows:
1. Think about who you want to address on LinkedIn.
2. Write a list with 10 short and concise titles and show them to 2-3 friends.
3. Ignore their suggestions and wait until the next day.
4. Ask them which title they remember - here you go!
