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How to write a LinkedIn headline? Updating tips & templates

article author
Marina Yunevych
 
 ・  Updated 27 February 2023

Do you want to create the perfect LinkedIn headline in your account so that your page doesn't just exist but brings real results? It's not rocket science, but you must know some details. And don't worry; I'll help you figure it out.

In the next few minutes, you'll learn more about a small but essential part of your account, get information on how to check it, helpful tips and templates, and LinkedIn professional headline examples.

What is the Headline for a LinkedIn profile?

The Headline for your LinkedIn profile is the tagline that appears right below your name and photo. It's the first thing people see when visiting your account or searching for the right person using keywords on LinkedIn, and it's one of the essential elements of your LinkedIn presence.

A bad headline should not cause missing out on your leads
Some users add only a few phrases to their headlines. And these can be great leads that may be valuable for future collaboration. Run a search with our Chrome extension, and get a list of relevant contacts with the necessary info, including emails.

What should be the headline on LinkedIn?

A Linkedin headline for sales professionals and other specialists should be a brief, attention-grabbing statement that tells people who you are, what you do, and why you're worth connecting with.

A strong headline can help you stand out, get noticed by potential clients, and give you an opportunity to collaborate with professionals and build your brand. It's essential to craft this block that accurately reflects your identity and captures the essence of what you have to offer.

LinkedIn headlines for sales professionals may include

  • The job position you currently hold and the company;

  • An offer that will be of interest to your target audience;

  • Career achievements that can attract TA;

  • Areas of expertise and Hard skills.

What is a good professional headline for LinkedIn?

Good Headlines for LinkedIn capture the attention of your target audience and encourage them to engage with your profile.

– «Marketing Strategist | Branding Expert | Helping businesses build their brand and grow their revenue»

 

– «I create global, scalable & highly efficient sales teams | MBA Candidate»

 

– «Head of People | Talent HR Consultant | People Developer | Recruitment Expert»

How to measure the efficacy of a headline for a LinkedIn profile?

For your awesome Linkedin headlines not just to look good but to work for the success of your business or to promote you as a specialist - marketer, salesperson, recruiter, and so on, you need to analyze some indicators.

Do you have the best headline for LinkedIn? Check it out!

Do this before the upgrade and after to evaluate the results.

Step 1. Check the number of views your account receives before and after updating your headline for your LinkedIn profile. An increase in views could indicate that your headline is attracting more interest from your target audience;  monitor the number of likes, comments, and shares your posts receive.

Step 2. Monitor the number of likes, comments, and shares (all recent activity on the page, how much more/less activity there is). A higher level of engagement may indicate that your headline is resonating well with your TA.

Step 3. If you are using LinkedIn to generate leads, track the number of inquiries from potential clients. A higher number of inquiries could suggest that your headline attracts the correct type of leads more effectively.

Use LinkedIn's analytics tools to track the performance of your headline over time, including the number of views, engagements, and clicks it receives.

To view the performance, click on the «Me» icon at the top of the page. Then, select «View Profile» from the drop-down menu. After you’ll see:

To see the analytics, click on the column you want. I suggest analyzing each of them. They all show the effectiveness of your marketing or sales LinkedIn headline (or else) and make any essential adjustments to improve its performance.

You can also check how good headlines for LinkedIn you (and maybe the headlines of your teammates) have by using special tools such as – LinkedIn headline Analyzer from Cultivated Culture, CoSchedule, and ShareThrough. You insert your text and get the results with recommendations.

For example, this may look like the evaluation of a headline that needs to be reworked.

And this is what perfect score sales LinkedIn headline might look like.

Note. Сheck your SSi score after all updates to see how it affects the different categories of your account success ( «Establish your professional brand,» «Find the right people,» etc.) and the Current Social Selling Index in general.

How to add your headline for LinkedIn profile?

Step 1. To update this section, click on the «Me» icon at the top of the page. Then, select «View Profile.»

Step 2. Press the pencil in the upper right corner below the banner to get to the headline editing section.

Step 3. Well done! 👏 Save your updates and analyze the results.

How to write a Linkedin headline?

To create the best headline for LinkedIn, you should

  • Add relevant keywords

  • Stand out

  • Avoid inappropriate words

  • Keep it concise

  • Add personality or creativity

  • Try testing to pick the best option

And now, about each point in more detail with templates of great LinkedIn headlines.

Six main LinkedIn headline tips that cannot be ignored (+templates)

Advice 1. Add relevant words

If you add phrases relevant to your industry, it will be easier for people of particular jobs to find you.

As an example,

  • For the sales LinkedIn headline, add some relevant keywords to consider might include «sales coordinator,» «account executive,» «sales executive,» «business development,» «sales development representative,» «lead generation,» «sales development.»

  • For marketing, you could include phrases such as «brand management,» «content marketing,» and «digital strategy,» «talent marketing manage,» «growth marketing,» «demand generation.»

  • For public relations specialists, some relevant keywords are «Head of Communications,» «PR,» «communication strategy,» «communications,» and «PR & Outreach.»

  • For human resources, relevant keywords might include «employee engagement» and «workforce development.»

  • For recruiters, you could include «talent acquisition specialist,» «tech talent acquisition,» «IT recruiter,» and «functional recruitment lead.»

  • For a business analyst, relevant phrases are «process excellence business analyst,» «process automation,» «IT business analyst,» and «data analyst.»

  • For business development executives, you may add «business development,» «business strategy,» «sales management,» «strategic planning,» and «business planning and marketing strategy.»

  • For SEO specialists, a few relevant keywords are «SEO executive,» «SEO optimize,» «SEO outreach,» «SEO expert,» and «content analyst.»

Sales LinkedIn headline +keywords:

I help B2B companies with sales growth | 7x Strategic Advisor | 4x Sales Leader | SDR Coach

Chief of Staff at HR platform Humi Chris Wainwright:

«When choosing a keyword to focus on for your LinkedIn headline, it is vital to consider the language used in your profile and the industry you are targeting. Asumes you are selling something, keywords relevant to what you are selling will likely show up more often in searches on LinkedIn than generic keywords. 

Also, to create a headline that stands out and captures attention, it is essential to follow specific formatting guidelines. Mind using all caps and italics for emphasis and comply with other particular LinkedIn format requirements such as having at least one space before and after the title.»

Advice 2. Stand out to make the best headline for LinkedIn

Focus on your unique offer - the value proposition, state what specifically sets you apart from others in your field, what special skills or experience you have to offer, and so on.

Templates of good headline for LinkedIne with value offer

1) Team Lead Global Commercial Sales @ [Company Name] | More than [number of] deals  with B2B product companies|  I help startups validate their critical assumptions, hone their business case, and build traction | Believer in data-driven decisions

2) Customer Care | Post Sales | Inside Sales Specialist | Startup Enthusiast | +4 years making customers happy

3) Marketing Professional helping businesses grow through strategic campaigns and data-driven insights

Advice 4. Define the goal of your headline for your LinkedIn profile

To get the desired results, you must define the goal, the reason you want to get it, and what should be in the end. For example, you're looking for work / want to get more job offers, or you want to promote the account as an expert in marketing and expect to increase the target audience, or a sales specialist who also wants to promote the account and become the authority among the target audience and increase sales in their company.

Advice 3. Avoid inappropriate words

To create the best LinkedIn headlines for sales, the better choice is to use active language because buzzwords or jargon (Humaning, Synergy, Disruptive, Game-changing) may not be understood by everyone in your target audience, and the use of such expressions may repel.

Remember. Always write for your audience and speak their language.

Template of gripping creative LinkedIn headlines sans buzzwords

1) Chief Revenue Catalyst | Fueling Business Growth and Delighting Customers | Unlocked $5M in New Opportunities and Kept 95% of Clients Coming Back for More
2) Digital Marketing Maverick | Increased Client's Revenue by 200% with Data-Driven Strategy and Creativity | I helping Companies Crack the Code on Customer Engagement with Case Study-Backed Strategies

Advice 4. Keep it concise to create the best headline for LinkedIn

Why do you need to do that? Because of the 220 characters limits, and like International SEM Manager at EcoOnline Jonas Østergaard Pedersen says, if it's too long, people are likely to skip over your account.

Let’s show you an incorrect template of a headline.

Correct templates of LinkedIn headline for business development executive

1) Senior Business development executive at [Company name]| Helping firms with their legal support | [Successful case]

2) Experienced Business Development Manager focused on identifying and pursuing new business opportunities to drive growth and increase profitability.

3) Strategic Business Development Executive passionate about creating and executing sales strategies that drive market share and revenue growth.

4) Business Development Executive | USA & CANADA Region | Salesforce Solutions|  [Successful case]

Advice 5. Add personality or creativity

These things can help you make a lasting impression. Just be sure to keep it appropriate for your industry and audience.

Templates of Linkedin headline for business analyst

1) Insightful Business Analyst | Uncovering Data-Driven Solutions for Companies Across Industries | [Successful case]

2) Data-driven Business Analyst with expertise in interpreting complex data sets to drive informed business decisions and improve operational efficiency

3) Strategic Business Analyst skilled in conducting market research, identifying business opportunities, and implementing effective business strategies.

4) [Company name]  Business Analyst | 5x [Company] Certified | [Brand, for example, Slack] Certified Admin

Templates of LinkedIn headline to describe great sales experience

1) Sales Manager with over 10 years of experience leading successful sales teams, implementing effective sales strategies, and driving revenue growth.

2) Sales Consultant with a proven ability to drive new business through market research and sales prospecting, always providing excellent service to clients.

3) Sales | Grow Business | Account Management | Business Development | [Company]

4) Pre-Sales Engineer | 10+ years driving growth in Enterprise Sales, Technology, & Retail

Advice 6. Try testing to pick the best option

Experiment with different versions of your headline to compare their performance. This can help you determine which version of your title is most effective in generating interest and engagement from your TA.

Step 1. Define the goal of your headline for your LinkedIn profile. For example, find a job as a marketing specialist, and increase the number of contacts targeted to your field.

Step 2. Prepare a few versions of the page's title «A,» «B,» «C.»

A) Innovative Marketing Strategist at [Company name] | [Work experience, for example, I have 10+ years of experience in...]

B) Innovative Marketing Strategist | Creating Impactful Campaigns that Drive Business Results | [Case]

C) Marketing Mastermind | Elevating Brands and Boosting Bottom Lines through Strategic & Creative Campaigns

 

Step 3. Update «Version A», and after seeing the results in a week/month in your account analytics, analyze how many people have been added to your contacts, how much better people are responding/reacting to your request to add contacts to your network, and so on.

Step 4. Then similarly test the second «Version B», and after that, if you want, try another option – test «Version С».

7 real working headline examples for LinkedIn

Below are examples of the best LinkedIn headline for a sales leader, marketing, and PR that worked positively in the case of the experts below.

Professional headline examples from experts

Headline for LinkedIn profile for sales increase #1

Ivan Novikov, CEO of API security company Wallarm:

«We chose this headline because it accurately reflects our mission to use AI-driven security solutions to protect APIs. We measure our headline results by tracking how many views our LinkedIn account gets and how many new leads or customers reach out to us. We have seen a steady increase in both since we implemented this title.

One LinkedIn headline that didn't work for us was «The Future of APISecurity». We chose this option because we wanted to emphasize our pioneering approach to API security. However, this title wasn't specific enough to capture the attention of our target audience.»

Headline for LinkedIn profile for sales growth #2

James Nathan, founder & CEO of MarketJar:

«My headline stands out because it not only highlights my position and company but also emphasizes our expertise in generating revenue for high-growth online companies.

While focused on creating titles, I concise and clear messages that would resonate with potential clients. Additionally, I have tracked the results of our marketing efforts through metrics such as lead generation, conversion rates, and revenue growth.

Regarding LinkedIn headlines that didn't work, we have found that generic or uninformative content at this block doesn’t attract attention or generate results. For instance, I previously used a title that read «Digital Marketing Expert,» which did not convey a specific value proposition to potential clients.»

Sales LinkedIn Headline #3

Kirstyn J. Allen, Chief Executive Officer Kay Allen Agency, with over 10 years of experience on LinkedIn as a B2B salesperson and sales team trainer:

«My simple recipe for a compelling headline has two components: add pitch that showcases your unique value proposition, and include keywords to make your profile findable.

Because of my title and other guidelines for account optimization, I've been able to grow a brand new profile to over 1000 connections in less than 90 days. That was a success for me

Marketing headlines for LinkedIn: example #4

Executive career coach and founder of Marketing Career Jumpstart Braxton Wood:

«Anyone who has achieved something has to show that they have ability, special skills. And the right way to do this is to briefly share any sort of accolade or achievement in your LinkedIn headline.

For example, my personal title subtly references an award I received in 2021 for being a top coach.

So ask yourself the question, «What is the greatest thing I’ve accomplished that I could share in my headline?»

Simple headline for LinkedIn profile #5

Founder of Tribe Builder Media (Society22) & Council member at Forbes Danielle Sabrina:

«Be clear, concise, and catchy: Your headline should be clear, concise, and catchy. It should briefly summarize who you are and what you do.

Avoid using buzzwords and jargon, and instead focus on using simple, easy-to-understand language. Don't be afraid to include emojis to add a visual to your title. So my LinkedIn headline has generated over $500k in revenue for my business.»

Marketing headline for LinkedIn #6

Founder & CEO of Betterly Alexandre Bocquet:

«People are inundated with advertisements hundreds of times a day. Therefore, a title that has a promotional dint can be a turn-off.

Removing adjectives such as «experts», «superior,» or any other descriptive word commonly used in advertising from your headlines, you will avoid sounding braggadocious or promotional and reassure people your offer value.»

One of the great headlines for LinkedIn examples #7

Dawid Stasiak, CEO & Founder of Swyply and Acclaim:

«My headline on Linkedin is perfect because it's based on a special formula. When creating this block, it's important to answer three questions:

1. Who can we help?

2. How can we help?

3. What will be the effect?

This approach helps people get interested in your brand through the LinkedIn Headline because they will know we are an exceptional fit for them and understand the value we can give them.»

Remember. You should note that these are only LinkedIn professional headline examples, and your experience may show the result of a headline formed differently or in a combination of the phrases of the persons below. Experiment and find your own personal recipe for a successful title.

Use multiple search options
Just as it's essential to create a headline to get your audience to find you faster, it's also important to use multiple approaches and test each approach to find your target contacts specifically. Don't limit your search to Linkedin, use our B2B Database with 50+ million business emails and 7+ million companies.

The best headline for LinkedIn: summary

  • Headline for your LinkedIn profile is the tagline that appears right below your name and photo and the first thing people see when visiting your profile or searching for the right person using keywords on LinkedIn.

  • Headline should be a brief, attention-grabbing statement that tells people who you are, what you do, and why you're worth connecting with. May include the job position you currently hold and the company. This offer will interest the target audience, achievements in professional terms that can attract TA, areas of expertise, and Hard skills.

  • To measure the efficacy of a sales LinkedIn Headline you need to  check the number of views your account receives before and after updating, monitor the number of likes, comments, and shares in LinkedIn analytics,  and track the number of inquiries you receive from potential clients.

  • You can check the title's quality by using special tools such as – Headline Analyzer from Cultivated Culture, CoSchedule, and ShareThrough.

  • To create the best headline for Linkedin, you should add relevant keywords, stand out, avoid inappropriate words, keep the headline concise, add personality or creativity, and try testing to pick the best option.

  • After looking at LinkedIn professional headline examples, choose the best options for you and build your own unique title for your account. Better yet, make two and test which works best.

Frequently asked questions: how to write a LinkedIn headline

What mistakes should you avoid making a  sales LinkedIn Headline?

When creating a sales headline, avoid common mistakes like using generic terms, being too vague, or using excessive jargon. Instead, focus on a clear value proposition and use specific keywords highlighting your expertise and industry knowledge. Also, ensure your title aligns with your career goals and personal brand.

What's the importance of the sales LinkedIn headline?

Crafting a strong Headline is crucial as it portrays you as a credible industry member. It's the first thing that catches a viewer's eye, making it your chance to showcase skills and convince them to connect with you. It also appears in Google search results and impacts LinkedIn's algorithm.

How often should you update a headline for your LinkedIn profile?

It's a good practice to update your LinkedIn headline whenever there's a significant change in your role, career goals, or skills. Keeping your title fresh and relevant can help grab the attention of potential connections – employers, potential customers, and possible people for the collaboration.

What tools will help to generate the best headline for LinkedIn?

To create a strong LinkedIn headline, you can use various online tools like LinkedIn's «Headline Generator», CoSchedule's «Headline Analyzer», or SEMrush's «Writing Assistant». These tools provide ideas and suggestions to improve your headline's quality and readability. However, don't forget to add a personal touch that reflects your skills and experience.