Writing a Great LinkedIn Summary (with Examples)

What’s the single most important piece of digital real estate you own and control? For most people, it’s your LinkedIn Profile, which often ranks in the top spots in Google searches for your name.

By now, most executives understand the importance of maintaining a presence on LinkedIn. But with tons of responsibilities to juggle every day, you might have overlooked one prime piece of that LinkedIn real estate: the summary.

Keep reading to learn how to write a LinkedIn summary that captures your audience’s attention, and stay tuned for some real-world examples of what effective LinkedIn summaries look like.

What is a LinkedIn summary?

A LinkedIn summary is a brief introduction that appears at the top of your LinkedIn profile in the About section. When utilized correctly, this space provides a snapshot of who you are, what you do, and what sets you apart. It’s an opportunity to highlight your professional experience, current area of focus, and whatever else sets you apart from your peers in a concise and engaging way.

Essentially, your LinkedIn summary is a digital elevator pitch that helps folks understand the value you bring to the table in just a few seconds. A well-crafted LinkedIn summary should reflect your personal brand and invite folks to connect with you for relevant opportunities.

Since it’s one of the first elements people see, your summary is one of the most important parts of your profile.

How to write a LinkedIn summary

Before you sit down to write a LinkedIn summary, start by understanding what you’re trying to accomplish. Are you in the market for new career opportunities? Do you want to build your personal brand? Is growing your network a top priority? Clarifying your goals will help shape the content.

Next, it’s time to identify your target audience and adjust your message accordingly. What you write might be different if you’re focused on attracting top talent compared to if you were most interested in landing new clients.

As you begin writing your summary, pay close attention to tone. A conversational, professional tone often works best — striking a balance between being approachable and being authoritative in your industry. Whenever possible, avoid using jargon that could potentially confuse readers.

Since you want to make a great first impression, don’t overlook the importance of proofreading and editing. If creating an ideal LinkedIn summary from scratch sounds like a significant undertaking, you can always partner with an expert to take care of the heavy lifting for you.

How long should a LinkedIn summary be?

Currently, LinkedIn gives users the ability to write summaries that include as many as 2,600 characters — roughly between 400 and 650 words total. Just because you have all that space, however, doesn’t mean you should use it.

According to recent data, the average human attention span is 8.25 seconds. Cater to this reality by creating a clear and concise summary that captures a reader’s attention out of the gate. You might be tempted to write a wall of text highlighting your career achievements, but being too verbose might turn at least some folks away.

For the best results, aim for a summary that’s between three to five short paragraphs — somewhere in the ballpark of 200 to 500 words. This gives you enough space to convey key aspects of your professional experience, skills, and goals while ensuring your summary is still easy to digest.

What are the key components of an effective LinkedIn summary?

Now that you have a better idea of the basics, let’s dig a little deeper and examine some of the key components your LinkedIn summary needs to include.

1. A hook

An effective LinkedIn summary starts with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention immediately. This could be a bold statement, a personal anecdote, or a question that draws people in and encourages them to keep reading.

The hook should reflect your personality or highlight your key expertise, making your profile stand out from others. By kicking your summary off with a compelling opening, you set the tone for the rest of your summary and invite potential connections to engage.

2. Unique selling points

Your unique selling points are what make you stand out against peers in your field. These are the core skills, experiences, and perspectives that differentiate you and demonstrate your value.

In a LinkedIn summary, focus on two or three unique selling points that align with your career goals and the needs of your audience. If you’re an executive with a track record of successful large-scale digital transformation projects, you’ll probably want to hit on that.

3. Professional goals or mission

Including professional goals or bigger mission in your summary helps readers better understand what you’re working toward. Whether you’re looking to disrupt a new industry, expand your network, or strengthen your personal brand, clearly stating your goals shows that you’re transparent and ambitious — building trust and creating intrigue out of the gate.

Pro tip: Be specific about the direction you’re heading it while keeping it broad enough to appeal to a range of readers.

4. Keywords

Using keywords in your LinkedIn summary makes your profile easier for folks to discover during searches. After all, employees, potential business partners, and clients all use specific terms to find what they’re looking for, so incorporating industry-relevant keywords into your summary can increase the chances your profile appears in search results.

Ideally, the keywords you choose should reflect your skills and goals. If your objective is getting more speaking engagements, use keywords to call attention to that fact. If you’re more interested in selling your products to more customers, you may want to include keywords that relate to your product or market category.

How can I highlight my skills and achievements in my LinkedIn summary?

To highlight your skills and achievements in your LinkedIn summary, focus on specific examples that showcase your expertise. Mention key accomplishments — like closing a $25 million Series B round or boasting a 99% customer retention rate. When possible, tie your relevant skills to real-world outcomes, demonstrating the impact you’ve made.

Since time is of the essence, use concise, action-oriented language to show your value and ensure your achievements align with the goals you hope to achieve and the audience you hope to reach.

What are some good examples of a LinkedIn summary?

To give you a better idea of what an effective LinkedIn summary looks like, here are a few real-world examples.

Kieran O’Brien, co-founder at Shopgenie

Whether you’re familiar with the brand or not, Kieran O’Brien demonstrates the power of an engaging hook by using approachable language and making a bold statement: kinda like Hubspot, but for auto repair shops. The hook certainly appeals to companies that fit Shopgenie’s ideal customer profile, and it’s also intriguing enough for anyone who knows a bit about HubSpot.

Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security

It’s not every day that a CEO describes themselves as a hacker, but that’s exactly what Rachel does here. In addition to an engaging hook, Rachel’s summary is filled with unique selling points and professional accomplishments. Clear and concise, she shares a ton of information in four short sentences.

Connor Jeffers, founder and CEO of Aptitude 8 & hapily

In eight words, Connor Jeffers has you on the line with an engaging hook and a friendly tone. He then quickly summarizes the value-add his two companies offer, as well as how those two companies work together — demonstrating his unique selling points and the synergy of what he’s working toward.

Short, sweet, and effective. What’s not to like?

Ready to refine your LinkedIn summary?

If you haven’t really thought about your LinkedIn summary lately, chances are it could use a bit of a facelift. Since your LinkedIn bio serves as a highly visible advertisement of who you are and what you’re hoping to accomplish, your energy is well-spent polishing it as best as you can.

Not sure where you’ll find the time needed to give your summary the proper treatment? That’s where the right agency can support.

Curious How Your Company’s CEO is Doing on LinkedIn?