I just received an email from one of my clients that his profile ranked in the top 1% of profiles for views on LinkedIn in 2012. I’m pretty stoked because this is precisely why he hired me last year to optimize his profile and teach him how to be more strategic on LinkedIn.

Believe it or not, optimizing your profile for LinkedIn really is not rocket science. There are a few things that everyone can do to gain more leads.

1. Optimize your profile for keywords. If a set of words are not in your profile, you will not come up in search when someone types them in. Think of all of the words, products, concepts a potential client may use that relate to you and PUT THEM IN YOUR PROFILE.
2. Make sure your clients are on LinkedIn. Honestly, someone who has a clown shoe business could have a kick butt optimized profile and be extremely active, but still not get many views. Realistically, one’s ranking also has a great deal to do with the demand for their products/services. We should be most concerned with obtaining leads vs. strictly views. Someone with few views (due to low demand) could close extremely lucrative contracts.
3. Be active. Post in groups and be of service. When you offer awesome solutions and insight into client issues in groups, group members will click on your name to check out your profile and learn more about you.
4. Stalk people (a little). If you see that someone viewed your profile on the home screen, contact them to see if you may be of assistance.