If you are searching for how to improve seo on linkedin, you most likely want one of two things: to appear higher when people search inside LinkedIn, or to have your LinkedIn content show up on Google. These goals overlap, but they rely on different tactics. Most guides treat them as one.
The short answer is this. For LinkedIn search, choose the phrases your audience types, place them in your headline, About, Experience and Skills, complete every profile section and stay active. For Google, publish long-form LinkedIn articles that each target one specific search term, and give each a custom SEO title and meta description. If Google traffic is your main aim, one focused piece is often the most direct route. You can even write a LinkedIn article for Google around a single long-tail term and build from there.
What "SEO on LinkedIn" actually means
LinkedIn works as a search engine in its own right. Recruiters, buyers and peers search it for people, companies, jobs and posts. Separately, Google indexes parts of LinkedIn, especially public profiles and long-form articles.
- LinkedIn search goal: profile keywords, completeness, connections and activity matter most.
- Google goal: LinkedIn articles with a clear target term, a strong title and useful content matter most.
This guide covers the profile work first, because it supports both goals. It then moves to activity, articles and measurement.
LinkedIn articles work best when your own website ranks too. RankFusion builds authority for your site across Google’s own platforms (Google Sites, Blogger, YouTube and Business Profile map embeds) using your own Google accounts, so you can rank in Google and get cited by AI.
How LinkedIn search decides who to show
LinkedIn does not publish its exact ranking criteria, and its algorithm is private. Its help content and the experience of marketers point to a handful of likely factors:
- Relevance: how closely your profile or page matches the words searched.
- Connections and search history: results are personalised. People tend to see profiles with shared connections, and someone who often searches for B2B firms may see B2B specialists first.
- Profile quality: complete profiles appear to be favoured.
- Activity: accounts that are updated and that post regularly signal that they are in use.
- Followers (for company pages): LinkedIn has said company page search considers the page name, follower count and content quality, among other things.
Treat this list as well-informed guidance, not a formula. Results also differ by search type, whether people, companies, jobs or posts.
Find the keywords people actually search
Keyword research on LinkedIn means finding the words recruiters, clients or peers type into the search bar. For example, recruiters looking for a demand generation manager will probably search "demand generation".
- Search your target phrase and filter by People. Look at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd+ connection filters to see how others in your field describe themselves.
- Note recurring wording. Write down the job titles, skills and variations that well-placed profiles use.
- Use the search bar suggestions. Type a basic term and read the dropdown. These suggestions reflect real searches.
- Optionally use an SEO keyword tool to find related phrases you would not think of yourself.
- Pick one primary phrase and three to five secondary ones. Only choose terms that honestly describe your experience.
Where to put keywords on your LinkedIn profile
Headline
The headline is widely seen as the most important place to optimise, because it shows in search results next to your name and photo. Lead with a recognised title, then add a specialty. Compare these two:
- Weak: "Passionate professional | Results-driven | Leader"
- Stronger: "Head of Content | B2B SaaS content strategy for small teams"
A pipe symbol can separate two or three phrases neatly. A headline that is only a pipe-separated list of keywords reads like stuffing and gives people no reason to click.
About
The About section is the best place to use profession and skill keywords at length. Put your primary phrase in the first lines, which people see before expanding the text. Write a short narrative: who you help, what problem you solve, notable results or clients.
Experience
Describe each role with relevant terms, such as "brand strategy" or "reputation management", and quantify achievements where you can. Use standard job titles that people actually search, not internal nicknames.
Skills and custom URL
Add skills that match your keywords. Then customise your public URL: go to your profile, select the edit icon next to "Public profile & URL", enter your name or brand and save. A clean URL is easier to share and recognise.
Mistakes to avoid
- Repeating the same keyword in every line. This can hurt visibility and looks unprofessional.
- Claiming skills or titles you do not have.
- Writing only for the algorithm. People still decide whether to click.
Complete the profile details that support ranking
LinkedIn has reported that complete profiles receive 30% more views than incomplete ones. Research cited by marketers also claims profiles with a professional photo get 14 times more views and 36 times more messages. These figures are second-hand, so treat them as directional, but the advice behind them is sound.
- Profile photo: 400 x 400 pixels, clear and professional. It appears in every search result.
- Banner: 1584 x 396 pixels, ideally showing what you offer. LinkedIn accepts JPG, PNG and GIF files.
- Every section filled: experience, education, skills and more. Use the profile strength meter's suggestions.
- Verification: LinkedIn says verified accounts get more page views and engagement.
- Updates: revisit the profile whenever your role or focus changes.
Personal profile or company page: what changes
Much advice mixes the two. Here is what applies where.
- Personal profile: headline, About, Experience, Skills, profile photo (400 x 400), banner (1584 x 396) and custom URL.
- Company page: logo (300 x 300), banner (1128 x 191), a clear overview with keywords near the top, industry, company size and location, a short tagline, and a call-to-action button linking to your site.
- Company page verification: super admins go to Settings, then Verification, and select "Verify Now" to confirm ownership of the company's web address.
Use posts and activity to stay visible
LinkedIn appears to reward active accounts. Practical habits:
- Post regularly on topics linked to your keywords, at times when your audience engages most.
- Comment with substance: add experience or a view, not just "Great post". Reply to people who comment on yours.
- Vary formats: text, images, video, documents, polls. Semrush cites carousel posts reaching 1.8 to 2.3 times more people, though results vary.
- Join groups in your field and contribute, without breaking their rules on self-promotion.
- Send connection requests with context, mentioning a shared interest or recent post.
- Link to your profile from your website, guest posts and podcast notes.
The 4-1-1 rule
The 4-1-1 rule is a content-marketing rule of thumb, not an official LinkedIn rule. For every six posts, share four pieces of useful content from others, one original piece of your own and one promotional post. Its value is the balance it enforces: mostly helpful, rarely salesy.
Is 3,000 followers a lot?
There is no official benchmark. For an individual in a niche field, 3,000 relevant followers is a solid base. In broad consumer topics, it is modest. Relevance counts for more than the raw number, since your content and profile reach people who actually search for what you do.
Publish LinkedIn articles to reach Google
Long-form LinkedIn articles are indexed by Google, and LinkedIn improved how search engines discover them in 2023. Unlike regular posts, long-form articles are the format Google indexes. To make an article work:
- Pick one specific long-tail search term, such as a question your clients ask, rather than a broad topic.
- Answer it fully in the opening paragraphs, then cover related questions under clear subheadings.
- Set a custom SEO title and meta description in the article editor's SEO settings, including your search term.
- Link to related resources and share the article in your feed to earn early engagement.
For a wider look at how the two platforms work together, see our guide to seo and linkedin.
Using AI tools without sounding generic
ChatGPT, Claude and similar tools are useful for drafting. Give the tool your target role, your keywords and a few real achievements, then ask for five headline options and two About drafts. Then edit hard: check every claim, remove clichés and rewrite in your own voice. Readers notice generic text. AI speeds up the work, but it does not replace knowing what your audience searches for.
Tips for students and recruiter-facing profiles
- Put the job title you are targeting in your headline, for example "Computer Science student | Aspiring data analyst".
- List skills that appear in job ads you want.
- Add projects, internships, volunteering and coursework under the relevant sections, with results.
- Fill in education completely, and set your profile to show you are open to work if appropriate.
- Use the same terms recruiters use in job titles. They search for roles, not slogans.
Measure results and adjust
Without measurement, you cannot tell what worked.
- Record a baseline: profile views, search appearances and post impressions from your analytics.
- Change one element at a time, such as the headline.
- Check the same numbers weekly for three to four weeks before the next change.
- Keep what improves results and revert what does not.
LinkedIn's Social Selling Index scores four areas: your professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights and building relationships. One cited claim says a score of 70 or above increases reach by 25%. That figure is unverified, so use the index as a rough guide only.
Your order of work for improving SEO on LinkedIn
- Research and choose your primary and secondary keywords.
- Rewrite your headline.
- Rewrite the first lines of About, then the rest.
- Update Experience titles and descriptions, and add Skills.
- Complete the photo, banner, URL and remaining sections.
- Start a regular posting and commenting routine.
- Publish a LinkedIn article targeting one search term.
- Measure weekly and adjust one thing at a time.