LINKEDIN PROFILE CHECKLIST FOR FREELANCERS ========================================== Free resource from SoloStack — solostack.madethis.app ========================================== THE HEADLINE FORMULA -------------------- Formula: [Role] helping [ICP] achieve [outcome] — [proof point] 5 BEFORE/AFTER EXAMPLES BY NICHE: Copywriter ✗ Before: "Freelance Copywriter | Passionate about words | Open to opportunities" ✓ After: "Email Copywriter helping SaaS startups increase open rates — 38% avg. open rate for clients" Web Designer ✗ Before: "Web Designer | I build beautiful websites | Available for projects" ✓ After: "Web Designer helping health & wellness brands launch credibility-first sites — 12 launches in 2025" Social Media Manager ✗ Before: "Social Media Manager | Content creation | Available for hire" ✓ After: "Social Media Manager helping e-commerce brands grow organic reach — avg. 3.2x engagement lift" Operations Consultant ✗ Before: "Ops Consultant | Process improvement | Ex-corporate" ✓ After: "Ops Consultant helping 7-figure founders systematize their business — 20 hrs/week reclaimed on average" Bookkeeper ✗ Before: "Freelance Bookkeeper | QuickBooks certified | Remote bookkeeping" ✓ After: "Bookkeeper helping creative agencies get clean books and stress-free tax season — 50+ clients served" -------------------------------------------------- PROFILE PHOTO SPECS ------------------ Goal: "Approachable expert" — not corporate headshot, not selfie - Use a high-contrast, well-lit photo (natural light or ring light) - Face clearly visible — fills 60–70% of the frame - Smile or soft expression — approachable, not stiff - Plain or neutral background preferred - Consistent with your other professional platform photos - No pets, logos, or group photos - Resolution: at least 400×400px (LinkedIn recommends 400×400 to 7680×4320) - File size: under 8MB - Round crop preview: check that your face is centered -------------------------------------------------- BANNER IMAGE STRATEGY (1584 × 396px) ------------------------------------- Your banner is prime real estate. Most freelancers leave it blank or use a stock photo. Use it intentionally. What to put in your banner: Option A — Services + Social Proof "[Your service] for [your ICP] | [Credential or result]" Example: "Website Design for Coaches & Consultants | 50+ Launches | 4.9-star Rated" Option B — Availability Signal "Accepting New Clients — [Month]" Add your email or website URL in the banner Option C — Portfolio Preview Collage of 3 best project results or client logos (with permission) Option D — Brand Statement Minimal design with your name, title, and a one-line positioning statement Technical notes: - Keep key text/visuals in the center 70% (edges get cropped on mobile) - Use Canva for free banner templates (search "LinkedIn Banner") - Update seasonally or when availability changes -------------------------------------------------- ABOUT SECTION STRUCTURE ------------------------ Maximum 2,600 characters. Use every element. Structure: 1. HOOK (1 sentence — most important) This is all that appears before "see more." Make it earn the click. Formula: [Specific claim + who you help] Example: "I help D2C brands double their email revenue in 90 days." 2. WHAT YOU DO 2–3 sentences. Specific services. No jargon. Real outcomes. 3. WHO YOU HELP Be specific. Not "businesses" — "bootstrapped SaaS founders" or "women-owned product brands." 4. PROOF 1–3 specific results: client outcomes, projects completed, years of experience, notable clients. Keep it grounded. Numbers beat adjectives every time. 5. CALL TO ACTION Tell them exactly what to do next. Examples: - "DM me 'PROPOSAL' for a free scope call" - "Book a 15-min call: [Calendly link]" - "Browse my services: [URL]" 6. CONTACT INFO Email address. Website. Calendly link. Don't make them hunt. Example About section (copywriter): "I help B2B SaaS companies turn cold leads into qualified demos through email sequences that actually get opened. What I do: cold email sequences, newsletter writing, sales page copy, and onboarding emails. Who I work with: Series A–C SaaS companies with a sales team that needs better pipeline. Results: 38% average open rate across client campaigns. $2.4M in attributed pipeline for a marketing automation client in Q3 2024. 30+ clients across 6 industries since 2020. DM me 'AUDIT' and I'll review one of your sequences for free — no pitch, just actionable feedback. Email: hello@yourname.com | Book a call: calendly.com/yourname" -------------------------------------------------- FEATURED SECTION — WHAT TO PIN ------------------------------- You get 3 pins. Use all 3. Priority order: 1. CASE STUDY (highest priority) A post or article showing a specific client result. Format: "I helped [client type] go from [before] to [after] in [timeframe]" Include numbers. Include before/after screenshots if possible. 2. FREE RESOURCE (lead capture) A free guide, checklist, or template that captures an email. This builds your list while demonstrating expertise. Even a Google Doc works — it signals generosity and authority. 3. BOOKING LINK OR PORTFOLIO Calendly link for discovery calls, or a link to your portfolio/website. Headline it clearly: "Book a 15-min call" or "See my recent work →" What NOT to pin: - Generic posts without a clear takeaway - Old content (anything over 12 months old) - Your LinkedIn profile URL (that's redundant) -------------------------------------------------- EXPERIENCE SECTION — OUTCOME-LED DESCRIPTIONS ---------------------------------------------- Most freelancers write job duties. Write outcomes instead. ✗ Before: "Provided social media management services to clients in the healthcare industry." ✓ After: "Grew organic reach 340% for a health tech startup over 6 months. Managed content strategy, copywriting, and community engagement across LinkedIn and Instagram." ✗ Before: "Designed websites for small businesses." ✓ After: "Built 18 conversion-focused websites for service businesses. Average client reported 2.4x improvement in lead inquiries within 60 days of launch." Formula: [What you did] + [For whom] + [Measurable result] Start each bullet with an action verb: Built, Grew, Designed, Managed, Reduced, Generated. -------------------------------------------------- SKILLS SECTION -------------- Top 3 skills are displayed by default — these matter most. Choose skills that match exactly what your ideal client would search for. Endorsement strategy: - Endorse 10 people in your network for skills you genuinely know they have - Many will endorse you back - LinkedIn's algorithm gives weight to skills with 10+ endorsements - Add your top 3 client-facing skills, not just tool proficiencies Examples by niche: - Copywriter: "Email Marketing," "Copywriting," "Content Strategy" - Web Designer: "Web Design," "UI/UX Design," "WordPress" - SMM: "Social Media Marketing," "Content Creation," "Meta Ads" - Bookkeeper: "Bookkeeping," "QuickBooks," "Financial Reporting" -------------------------------------------------- CREATOR MODE — ON OR OFF? -------------------------- Turn Creator Mode ON if: - You post original content consistently (3+ posts/week) - You want a "Follow" button instead of "Connect" - You want to show your top hashtags on your profile - You're building an audience for thought leadership Keep Creator Mode OFF if: - You're primarily doing outreach (the "Connect" button converts better for cold outreach) - You post less than once a week - You're focused on 1-on-1 business development vs. audience growth Note: You can switch between modes anytime. Try both for 30 days each and check your profile views. -------------------------------------------------- CUSTOM URL SETUP ----------------- Default: linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname-randomnumbers Goal: linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname (or firstname-lastname) Steps: 1. Go to your profile → Edit public profile & URL (top right) 2. Click the pencil icon next to your URL 3. Type your preferred URL (no spaces) 4. Save Use cases: - Add to your email signature - Put on proposals and invoices - Include in your bio on other platforms - Makes you easier to search and remember -------------------------------------------------- OPEN TO WORK vs. #OPENTOWORK BADGE ----------------------------------- The green #OpenToWork badge (visible to all): ✓ Gets you more messages from recruiters and potential clients ✗ Can signal "I'm desperate" to some clients — reduces perceived exclusivity Best for: new freelancers who need volume at any cost "Open to Work" (visible to recruiters only): ✓ Targeted. Doesn't show on your public profile. ✗ Less visible for inbound client interest Recommendation for established freelancers: Skip both. Instead, use your headline and About section to signal availability. "Currently taking new clients for Q3 — DM or book a call" in your About section is better positioning. -------------------------------------------------- PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST (run this before outreach) ------------------------------------------------ □ Headline uses the formula: [Role] helping [ICP] achieve [outcome] — [proof point] □ Profile photo: professional, approachable, clear face □ Banner image: not the default blue — has a message or visual □ About section: hook visible before "see more," CTA in last paragraph □ Contact info visible in About section (email or Calendly) □ Featured section: all 3 pins filled with high-value content □ Experience: outcome-led descriptions (not duty lists) □ Skills: top 3 match what clients would search for □ Education and certifications filled in □ Custom URL set (linkedin.com/in/yourname) □ All links in About and Featured are live (test each one) □ Keyword check: your service appears in headline + About + at least one experience entry □ CTA visible without clicking "see more" (check mobile view) □ Creator mode decision made and set -------------------------------------------------- 30-DAY PROFILE REFRESH RITUAL ------------------------------ Run this every Sunday for the first 30 days after optimizing: WEEK 1: - Check SSI score (Social Selling Index): google "LinkedIn SSI" — aim for 60+ - Note your profile views from the past 7 days (baseline) - Note your search appearances from the past 7 days (baseline) - Check which section people are viewing (LinkedIn shows this in Analytics) WEEK 2: - If profile views < 50/week: your headline needs work. A/B test a new formula. - If search appearances < 20/week: add more keywords to your headline, About, and experience sections - Update Featured section with any new work or results WEEK 3: - Request 2 recommendations from recent clients or collaborators - Endorse 10 connections in your network (reciprocity loop) - Add any new certifications, courses, or notable projects WEEK 4: - Full profile re-read: does it still represent your current positioning? - Update availability signal in About (e.g., "Taking 2 new clients in Q3") - Review your top 3 skills — still accurate? WEEKLY KPI TRACKING (ongoing): - Profile views (goal: 100+/week after 60 days) - Search appearances (goal: 50+/week after 60 days) - Connection requests sent vs. accepted rate (goal: 30%+ acceptance) - Inbound DMs per week -------------------------------------------------- More free resources for freelancers: solostack.madethis.app/resources Want done-for-you proposal, onboarding, and contract templates? solostack.madethis.app/products