There’s a been a real shift in LinkedIn over the last few months. It’s no longer just a job search platform; it’s a trust-based platform, designed to convert visitors into relationships, talent, and thought leadership.

That’s according to LinkedIn strategist Judi Hays, who earlier this month expertly led Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) members through the essentials of creating a LinkedIn profile that truly reflects their expertise, leadership and impact.

In November, LinkedIn introduced an artificial intelligence discovery tool, 360Brew, that drastically affects how people view your profile and how content is showing up in the feed.

Before this new AI tool was introduced, it was easier to, as Hays says, “game the algorithm” with things like scroll bait (i.e., those long posts with single-sentence paragraphs), dozens of hashtags, “perfect” posting times, and even paying others to “boost” posts by commenting.

“The real focus here was, ‘I want to get viral,'” Hays explained.

Now, with 360Brew, “it’s all about relevance and clarity and how your profile and the content you share aligns with who you say you are,” noted Hays. “It’s really rewarding intentional engagement.”

Hays shared best practices and actionable tips for staying relevant on LinkedIn given the recent changes to the social network.

Above the Fold

Think of the top of your LinkedIn profile as a newspaper above the fold — i.e., the part you can read on a newsstand without unfolding the paper to read the rest. Your profile photo, your header photo, your headline, etc., all weigh heavily in how likely your profile is to be viewed, as well as how high you rank when people search for your name.

It’s no longer relevant to simply list your name, title and company, Hays said. Instead, the key is to convey what you offer and why people should come to you. What are you best known for? What problems do you help people solve?

Claiming a Niche

“When you try to appeal to everybody, you appeal to nobody,” Hays said. That’s why claiming a niche is so important, and conveying that in the “About” section of your LinkedIn profile is the place to explore that niche further. Hays recommends the following customer-focused framework when focusing on your “About” section:

  1. Pain point: Address people’s core challenge. This is what gets folks to click “more” and reveal more of your profile.
  2. Insight: This is how you can demonstrate you understand that pain point and reframe their thinking with a unique perspective.
  3. Solution: This is where you show how you can solve for that pain point by explaining your unique approach and offerings.
  4. Action: This is where you invite a low-friction conversation or add a call to action to get the viewer to engage with you.

Want more insights from Hays’ LinkedIn workshop? Apply for membership today to view her entire session!