LinkedIn is the ideal platform for businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers. A social platform that’s geared toward businesses makes it easier for professionals to find potential partners, clients, and service providers. However, with several million users on LinkedIn, it doesn’t hurt to do things that will make your personal or company LinkedIn profile standout. LinkedIn recently added a new feature that allows users to list the services they offer in their profile.
Unlike the users of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, LinkedIn users are less concerned with the funny picture you posted and place a greater focus on the professional qualifications of the individual or company. A new feature makes it easier for users to show their value to people looking at their profile.
LinkedIn already allows users to list their skills, educational background, and more. However, that doesn’t tell people will services a user can provide by using their skills and education. Listing services will make it evident whether or not a LinkedIn user offers the services that someone searching the platform is looking for.
“Today, we’re sharing an exciting new feature that we are rolling out to help freelancers and small businesses grow their business,” wrote Vidya Chandra, LinkedIn’s Group Product Manager, in a post explaining the new feature. “That’s why we are rolling out the ability for you to share what services you provide right on your profile. This is a great way to quickly indicate to members that you are “open for business.” So you provide marketing services? Share this on your profile so other members can reach out to learn more about your work and available services.”
The ability to list the services a LinkedIn user provides also has an SEO benefit on the platform. The services listed on the profile will allow users to show up in LinkedIn search results more often. For example, say you list “small business marketing” as one of the services you provide. When someone searches for that term in LinkedIn search, they will see your profile and that you offer the services they need.
Unfortunately, this new feature won’t be available to everyone immediately. Last week, the feature was rolled out to small business leaders and freelancers who have a Premium Business subscription in the U.S. LinkedIn has said that the functionality will be expanded to other markets and all users sometime in the fall of 2019. Users who are interested in gaining access to this feature can sign up on to be placed on LinkedIn’s waiting list.
Listing the services a LinkedIn user provides is a helpful tool for people on the platform. It makes the profile more useful for visitors, and it helps the profile perform better in search results on the platform. Users who have access to the feature should update their profiles immediately.
For more recent news about updates and changes to LinkedIn, read this article on a feature added this year gives companies recommendations on ways to update their LinkedIn company page.