For a couple of years, LinkedIn has become one of the hottest and trending social media platforms. People call it a platform for professionals. But your LinkedIn profile mistakes to avoid may not make you look like one.
I have been watching LinkedIn evolve for many years. I remember when its user interface wasn’t as good as it is now. Now LinkedIn drives a lot of traffic for me.
People create a new account only when they seek a job. This is the biggest mistake anyone can make. It’s just about finding a job. There are so many more reasons to use LinkedIn today.
Many influencers are making a fortune out of the users’ engagement. You know that LinkedIn has the best people’s reach on a simple text status.
Table of Contents
5 LinkedIn Mistakes To Avoid That You May Be Making
It’s so strange to see people making common LinkedIn profile mistakes again and again. There are tons of articles available on the web to create your professional LinkedIn profile.
But no one really cares until someone makes them realize. I have been trying so hard to teach the newbies about the perfect use of LinkedIn.
It seems like I have to work so hard.
Do You Consider Yourself A LinkedIn Pro User?
This is the first question every person should ask before complaining or badmouthing about this platform. I have asked many but didn’t really get positive answers.
What’s yours? Are you a LinkedIn Pro? Have you crafted a professional profile? Do you even know what it takes to build one?
Wait, wait, wait… Am I confusing you? Why would you? It’s just a simple question.
These Are The LinkedIn mistakes That Are Ruining Your Career
Ever since people started using this platform, they always dream about getting 100,000+ views on their status updates. Let me show you how.
#1. You Act Like a Model
I don’t think I need to make you remember that LinkedIn is a platform for people who want to do some work. They’re not here to see your modeling pics.
Look at this profile, the guy is trying to make people curious just like his Instagram profile pic. Are you attracted to him?
I don’t think so. No one would. It’s because, on LinkedIn, people need to see your authenticity, they want to see your face without any glasses, no fancy selfies, and no Snapchat Doggy filters.
Just a simple photo in which your face covers more than 70% of the area. It’s just like you’re about to take a picture for your Passport. It should be even better than that.
I feel so bad about the people who try to display their beautiful pics in different poses. And the worst idea is to add a group photo.
Let me summarise it.
- So many filters
- Your face isn’t visible
- Big fancy glasses
- A Group Photo
If you’re having any such kind of profile photo, people consider you mediocre. That’s a big LinkedIn profile mistakes to avoid.
#2. You Share the Distorted Images
It has been told millions of times that you should always check the quality of your images before sharing them on any social media platform.
And when you’re promoting a brand, the logo reflects the brand value of your company. Have a look at this picture. Would you approach a such company for any kind of work?
I wouldn’t. Just after the first glance, the quality of the service, and the total reputation of that network holder get ruined within a second.
I have experienced that people are more responsive to abstract and unique images. No one can deny that visual content always attracts. Let me tell you what not to do.
- Never upload a smaller size image
- Check the quality once you publish it
- Use the Image update option provided for every LinkedIn post (I really like this feature)
- Never share the domain name directly on the timeline
Have you ever done that? I am sure you did, we all have gone through such a phase. Just make sure you never repeat this. This is one of the worst LinkedIn mistakes to avoid.
#3. You’re a Whatsapp Enthusiast
Whatsapp is one of the most used messaging apps in the whole world. I know it’s banned in many countries. But you may have seen people sharing such status.
Creating a Whatsapp group and publishing it on LinkedIn is the worst thing anyone can ever make. C’mon, it’s 2018 and you don’t need to join a Whatsapp group including random people to get a job.
The thing is people comment on such status hoping to have some shinning but eventually, they end up blocking that number.
Whenever I see such a Linkedin mistake status, I feel pity for those who comment and for the person who started it. It’s because, after that, he/she is never going to meet any professional.
Personally, I never trust such people who just try to get more reach to their status. These are the cheesy stunts professionals hate the most.
Have you created any?
#4. You’re a Lazy Kid
Having a profile pic isn’t the only thing that makes you look like a pro, the cover image should also reflect what you’re good at.
I have seen thousands of LinkedIn profile mistakes and there are only a few people who know the value of having a better header image. Some people are showing their gaming love whereas others are using Angeline Jolie’s pic.
- No pic (Default)
- A Scenery
- A cartoon from the magazine
- Your Instagram pouting pic
- Any Google-picked image
These are the commonly used cover images that directly impact your personal brand value. C’mon, start creating a custom image.
Use the websites like Canva. It takes only a few minutes to create something which can reflect your expertise.
[clickToTweet tweet=”If you desire to become a professional, you have to look like one” quote=”If you desire to become a professional, you have to look like one” theme=”style3″]
Are you still having that default cover photo? That’s a big LinkedIn profile mistake to avoid.
#5. You’re Self-Obsessed
You may have seen many people resharing their own status which doesn’t get a single like or share because of the zero engagement. Have you ever thought about what was the reason?
The reason is that people never engage with a status that is reshared by you only.
Let me describe a situation.
“You update a status about affiliate marketing, you wait for a while and don’t get any engagement. Your mind strikes you to share it again. And you use your lovely finger to press the left click. Boom!!! You’re screwed.”
It’s human psychology to start judging you on the basis of your posts, status updates, and the number of people who are involved.
Tell me your honest answer, do you like such kind of self-shared status?
If you ask me, I don’t. I am also a human. I can’t say about anyone else but according to my experience, you should share it again by creating a new status instead of using that old one.
What do you think? This can be one of the LinkedIn mistakes I have made in my starting days and I recommend everyone to avoid it. LinkedIn is always changing so stay on top of these changes.
You may have seen many people resharing their own status which doesn't get a single like or share because of the zero engagement. Have you ever thought about what was the reason? Share on XAre There Any LinkedIn Mistakes You Would Want To Mention?
We’re humans and we all make mistakes but it’s always said that making a mistake can teach you a lesson. But repeating those mistakes can ruin you, especially when it comes to your LinkedIn profile mistakes.
In this era of professionals, people are more into what you show them. You should behave like the person you always wanted to be.
If you want to be a digital marketing pro, do some research, share your experience, gather some recommendations and build a strong profile.
This is what I have earned so far. I got 31 recommendations so far which add value to my profile. How many do you have? What’re the things you have done for your clients?
People check each and every detail before hiring you. Whether it’s just about a few hours job or a full-time job, the recruiters keep an eye on every single portion of your LinkedIn profile.
If you’re making any of these LinkedIn mistakes, there is a 90% chance that the rejection letter will be in your hand.
What do you think? Share your thoughts below in the comments.
- LinkedIn Marketing: Drive Traffic Using LinkedIn Pulse - February 5, 2024
- 5 LinkedIn Mistakes To Avoid And How To Fix Them - October 23, 2022
I am telling you, 80% of the people reading this article have been making some of the above mistakes. I am one of them.
Gotta see what I have got to improve now.
Hii Ravi,
Great stuff shared by you!!! I agree to you that people use LinkedIn as personality showing platform. All should avoid these mistakes while using LinkedIn.
Thanks for sharing these important tips….
Awesome post, Ravi. It’s good to have you on Lisa’s blog.
Though I’m not a big fan of LinkedIn but I know it’s an amazing platform for reaching to potential clients.
One strong LinkedIn mistake I see a lot of people make is lying about their certification and professional skills. It’s bad. I do hope some of them will read this post and learn.
Thanks for sharing.
Emenike
Hey Emenike,
It happens on every platform. People flaunt about something they don’t posses.
You can only come to know after witnessing their skills.
Appreciate your input.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi,
All good points dude. Generosity goes a long way on LinkedIn. So does conveying a clear, branded image. Sadly, LinkedIn has been my forgotten network. Maybe I need to get things going a bit over there with your post being a kick in the tuckus. Thanks dude.
Ryan
PS….Looking good in that picture! Very fit.
Hey Ryan,
LinkedIn is the best platform where people truly respect what you have.
It’s totally, it’s better to top on the platforms f your interest instead of being a failure on all.
You’re doing great on Twitter and Facebook. That’s more than enough.
Thanks a lot.
~Ravi
Such an insightful and fun to read post Ravi.
I do see a lot of people making those mistakes on LinkedIn. It’s a great professional platform for networking with others as well as finding new business building opportunities, so being and act like a professional works like a charm.
I also see a lot of people making a mistake of not creating any content on it. If you want to get the most out of LinkedIn, follow influencers in your field and see how they are using it grow their audience.
Great share!
My favorite (or least favorite, I guess) LinkedIn mistake: Adding your LI connections to your email list without permission.
Maybe I’m alone in thinking this is spam. Isn’t this illegal?
Regardless, I immediately unsubscribe, mark as spam, and block the connection. They’re always people I have NO connection to save accepting their request on LI.
Hey Louise,
It can be considered as spam but it’s unethical adding you without permission.
I has happened to me many times. Either I mute that person or remove myself from the list.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi,
It’s good to see you here on Lisa’s blog! Thanks for sharing these tips about LinkedIn. Thankfully, I don’t do any of those – so I guess I’m okay, lol. 🙂
The only mistake I’m making is not being on there to engage with everyone, which is my goal to change this year. 🙂
No doubt I’ll be passing this along!
Have a great day and week!
Cori
Hey Cori,
LinkedIn requires a lot of time to build a personal brand. Making such mistakes ruin everything.
Try it sometimes and you will find the power of its traffic.
Thanks for stopping by.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi,
Amazing article on the various mistakes people are making on LinkedIn. I used to make the mistake of posting or sharing domain name directly on the timeline, this is an eye opener for me.
However, there are many other mistakes that people are making, such as using the default connection request. I did that, but learnt by experimenting with a custom connection request and found the custom request to generate more positive responses.
Another mistake is that some LinkedIn users forget to fill in the summary section of their profile, which is hurting their campaign. A linkedin summary offers you a remarkable opportunity to sell yourself by letting others users know who you are and what you do in a more detailed manner.
Thanks for sharing Ravi & Lisa ?:-)
Hey Moss,
LinkedIn isn’t a platform everyone can have expertise in. I have noticed many people having the blank profile.
You’re right. Explaining about yourself and the skills you have is really important.
Thanks for shedding the light.
Have a great week ahead.
~Ravi
Hey Ravi,
You have pointed out some great mistakes. Yes LinkedIn is not for models lol. I’ve seen quite some profiles like that!
And distorted images are not for ANY social media – especially in the age where visually appealing stuff is what is needed 🙂
I am not aware of the Whatsapp group stuff. Thanks for pointing it out too!
Great one 🙂
Cheers,
Jane.
Hi Jane,
You will see a lot of people creating the Whatsapp group just to get one-time user engagement.
I feel pity for them for not generating any business.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Enjoy the day.
~Ravi
Hey Lisa,
I have always considered LinkedIn as one of my favorite platforms and sharing my experience with everyone is a must.
I hope you’re not making any of these mistakes? Are you?
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts.
Have a great day.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi, thank you so much for writing this post. So many people do not use LinkedIn often and therefore don’t update their accounts. You are right that they only use it for when they are looking for a job. Mistake! I don’t think I have been doing any of these 5 but I’m sure I could beef up my profile and usage there. Thank you and have a wonderful day ahead Ravi.