We are all on LinkedIn, but are we truly using it to it’s full capabilities? Of course you just blindly fill in the information and maybe you think about optimizing it for job offers, but have you thought about optimizing your profile to rank for searches on your name, current company, and past company?

The fact is that LinkedIn profiles do rank well in search engine results, so you should take every opportunity to optimize it. Below are just a few steps on the optimization path for a free personal account on LinkedIn:

Account & Settings:
Fill out full name and use as display name as well
Upload a profile photo and make visible to “everyone”

Public Profile Settings:
Create an optimized public profile url by adding in keywords
Allow for a full view of your profile so that all information can be indexed
Promote your profile on your blog, online resume, or website by using the custom LinkedIn buttons or LinkedIn text link that includes your name in the anchor text.

Status Visibility:
Include keywords in your status
Make available for “everyone” to see

Questions and Answers:
Utilize the many types of RSS feeds to keep connected with any opportunity to promote yourself or your company to someone who may be in need

Groups:
Display your group affiliations to non-members
Consider creating a new group or joining additional groups

Service Provider Directory:
Allow your profile to be displayed in the directory

Within your profile:
Consider adding a Professional Summary
Utilize keywords within experience, education, and additional information sections