In short
How to use LinkedIn to build authority, trust, and real business opportunities through profile optimization and consistent, personality-driven content.
Guests
Kaz Grant and Toby Lee (hosts of Brand You). Kaz is a photographer who says LinkedIn helped her get bookings and conversations from people who weren’t previously connected. Toby joined LinkedIn about 1.5 years ago, started posting, and reports increased recognition and inbound conversations.
Key claims
Many “lurkers” watch without liking/commenting, and they can still become clients or referrals. Incomplete/outdated profiles reduce credibility and make it harder for people to trust or contact you. Job titles aren’t enough—profiles must explain what you do and why you’re different. Content shouldn’t be corporate-only; mix formats and tell stories.
Notable examples
Toby’s recognition in a gym/sauna after LinkedIn connections; Kaz’s clients booking headshots after seeing her posts; a high-performing post about a TV license letter sparking discussion. Action step: audit photo/banner/bio/contact details, review “About,” and analyze top posts in LinkedIn analytics to plan future content.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOTransitioning to LinkedIn
0:26 to 0:56
Hosts discuss their initial experiences and reasons for joining LinkedIn.
Recognizing Opportunities on LinkedIn
0:56 to 2:26
The hosts elaborate on how LinkedIn has enhanced their networking opportunities.
The Silent Observers: LinkedIn Lurkers
2:26 to 3:38
Discussion about people who engage with content without interacting publicly.
Maximizing LinkedIn's Potential
3:38 to 4:50
Encouragement for users to actively engage on LinkedIn instead of passive scrolling.
Importance of a Complete Profile
4:50 to 8:14
Emphasis on the need for a complete and updated LinkedIn profile for credibility.
“I could potentially work with them, collaborate with them.”
The Power of a Profile Photo
8:14 to 13:26
Hosts discuss how a profile photo affects first impressions and recognition.
“I guess that's a great place for us to start then.”
Evolving Your LinkedIn Presence
13:26 to 14:00
The importance of regularly updating your LinkedIn profile to reflect growth.
Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile
14:00 to 21:21
Learn how to effectively enhance your LinkedIn profile to reflect your professional identity.
“So I can see an evolution of cats over my Facebook years to now.”
Creating Engaging LinkedIn Content
21:21 to 24:01
Discover how to share content on LinkedIn that captivates your audience and showcases your personality.
“And then I guess the other thing then with LinkedIn is content and moving on to the content side of it.”
Types of Content for LinkedIn
24:37 to 28:01
Explore various content ideas to share on LinkedIn that resonate with your audience.
“So there's obviously a huge range of content ideas that you can share on LinkedIn.”
Show all 16 chapters
Engaging Content Strategies on LinkedIn
28:01 to 29:08
Learn how to create engaging posts that resonate with your audience on LinkedIn.
“Like you need a bit of a blend and a mix.”
Storytelling and Personal Branding
29:09 to 30:40
Discover how personal experiences and storytelling can enhance your brand on LinkedIn.
“And I think, again, a lot of people, because it's a business platform, related to that and had opinions on that.”
Building Confidence in Personal Branding
30:41 to 31:40
Understand the importance of confidence in personal branding and how to foster it.
The Role of Personality in Branding
31:41 to 34:25
Explore how personality can make even the most mundane industries appealing on LinkedIn.
“Too much of one, you're just entertaining your audience.”
Shifting Perspectives on Professionalism
34:26 to 35:00
Learn why LinkedIn doesn’t have to be boring and how to communicate effectively on the platform.
“It doesn't mean the industry, it doesn't mean it has to be boring.”
Actionable Steps for LinkedIn Success
35:01 to 36:14
Get practical tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile and increasing engagement.
“So this week's actionable step, we want you to go onto LinkedIn.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Welcome to Brand You, the ultimate personal branding podcast. I'm Kaz Grant and I'm Toby Lee. Together we're here to help demystify personal branding and to make it accessible and effective for everyone. Follow along as we guide you through creating your own personal branding journeys. So let's get started. Let's brand you.
0:25Hey everybody and welcome back to a new series of the Brand You podcast. Today we're going to be jumping in talking about LinkedIn how can you leverage the opportunities that are out there and make sure you're making the most of what is a really great platform I was not on LinkedIn for a long time as a photographer and it was actually when my sort of clients and target audience moved from actors and performers to businesses that I realized it's probably somewhere I need to check out and somewhere I need to see what it's all about absolutely I've only just joined a year and a half not joined because I feel like there's a lot of the LinkedIn community that have been on LinkedIn for years yeah but we've just not done anything had an account that's it maybe got a profile photo for 20 years ago yeah but never been on the platform since and I do wonder how many messages these people have that they have not replied to yet um but so that was me so I only stepped onto it about a year and a half ago and actively decided to take control of it and start posting and it's not like I'm not going to sit here and go I've got 50 ,000 followers in a year but I've got nearly 4 ,000 now active people following me on LinkedIn and I have some great conversations with those people and it's opened up a lot of doors to conversations I wouldn't have had before but also it's when I walk into a room now people know who I am and they recognize me and they know instantly they've got a conversation starter with me so they'll come and approach me so it's that like doorway into rooms that you never even thought existed or that you could get into and that's really nice feeling isn't it when you're kind of recognized or or certainly when you recognize someone you know you go into a room and you kind of think oh I do know that person or I know what they're about and you can start that conversation immediately based on content you might have seen that they've shared or mutual interests or whatever it might be it just it helps to break the ice doesn't it yeah make it easier for people guys because sometimes you you go to networking events and you want to try and speak to people but it's like oh who are they what do they do how are they it's a bit awkward but actually again if you know the person or you feel like you know you can go up to them and say oh I really like that post you did the other day or I really like this so I loved your opinion on that love to get more of it and it opens up the doors doesn't it yeah and we were just talking before starting the recording this episode of I sort of said never underestimate those people that you don't know are watching you but they are you know and it just gives even more reason to kind of implement the things that we're going to speak about today about making sure your profiles are utilized you know making sure you're engaging with people because I've had quite a few messages recently about you know booking in for calls to find out more about headshots and how that works from people that I'm not connected with they say they've followed some of my content posts but they've never liked never commented you know never interacted so there are a lot of people using LinkedIn in a kind of silent way aren't there so the people that I affectionately call Toby the lurkers the lurkers LinkedIn lurkers they sound like a terrible American football team I know right it's such a horrible or like a weird word to call people lurkers but they are the people that are watching you without you actually knowing because again they haven't liked anything they haven't done anything but it's often the lurkers that are the ones that will want your services or will pass you on to somebody else or will connect you or will want a chat and meet up for a coffee it's it's the strangest thing but almost like it's really good as well because you think sometimes when you're on a platform linked like linkedin and you are consistently putting out content and you do see the growth and you do see things increasing and you do see conversations increasing but sometimes you don't see it increasing quite as much as you think you should because again everyone wants to go from nought to vinyl um but you then start to get people like that content you're like ah it is working yes something is coming from this what i'm putting out is a value it's great it's starting these conversations i'm on the right track so i love the lurkers i really do like i think they're brilliant what i'd like to do is encourage some of the lurkers to stop hiding yeah and maybe they're the ones that are on linkedin right now because actually I see a lot of it blows my mind actually and only a year and a half ago I was one of them and I wasn't on the platform so I get it and I understand it but now I've used the platform for a year and a half and I've seen how powerful LinkedIn can be yeah I'm like why isn't everybody on here why isn't everyone on here doing it showing up sharing stuff and I'll go on to a profile and I'll think oh this person looks really interesting and I'll go on there and I'll have a little look and I'll be like, wow, great profile photo, lovely bio.
5:30Oh, this person's got a lot to... Nothing. They've shared nothing. I want to know a bit more about them. I could potentially work with them, collaborate with them. I could refer them on to people. But I don't know if I can or not because I don't know anything about them or what they do. Yes, you've got your job title, but job titles don't explain what you do anymore, really. they don't explain if I could work with you or help you out or like you could have some weird and wonderful job titles that I know nothing about but I could be your absolute person to connect you with the right people but I don't know that because I can't see anything on your profile and I just think so many people are wasting it and they're going on to platforms like Instagram or TikTok and yeah they might be showing up on there a little bit but most of the time on those platforms we're getting stuck into scroll holes and we're wasting more of our time on those platforms so again are we are we utilizing those platforms correctly or are we wasting our time scrolling on platforms that are never going to give us any benefit when we should flip it to look at LinkedIn if our idle audience is on LinkedIn and actually use that platform and start online networking and that's really what LinkedIn is all about isn't it online networking yeah absolutely it's almost trying to like see all your connections as being like an online networking room isn't it and every time you open the app or a website you're you're stepping in there you can either choose to share value or you can choose to engage with other people and what they've shared and try and be a really proactive member in order to get the most out of the platform but you're absolutely right when you talk about incomplete profiles it's amazing how it takes something so small to instantly go well you know what I've sort of switched off from this person or there's a question now over the trust or credibility and it can also look slightly lazy as to why they haven't bothered to complete their profile you know and like you say you just want to find out more like the fact you've clicked through is a good sign because there was something that engaged you and now you can't continue that journey yeah what are they missing out on yeah By not having their profile complete, by not being visible on that platform.
7:49Because I think people are on LinkedIn, again, for different reasons to maybe just entertainment and scrolling and fun on some of the other platforms. They're on there to help other people get ahead in the business or in life. They're on there to buy things or get services from people and stuff like that. So it is a really valuable platform to be on. If you've got something to offer the world, be on it. Yeah, absolutely. I guess that's a great place for us to start then. So if anybody's listened to this right now and has thought, okay, let me see. First of all, I'd encourage them to go on their LinkedIn if they've already got one and just have a look.
8:28Like, how have you left it since the last six months, 10 years that you were on the platform? Does it represent the person that you are now? So let's encourage listeners, I guess, at start to do a profile audit if they've got one or think about a new profile if they have them but we're looking at then like so so somebody goes on to your LinkedIn first impressions count what profile photo have you got on there I use the term professional catfishing a lot when I'm giving talks are you professionally catfishing people and if you don't know what catfishing is it's where you pretend to be someone that you're not usually in the dating scene and then you meet them for a coffee it's like oh my god you look nothing like your profile photo so again are you doing that professionally do you look like the person that you look like because again if you want to build relationships and want to get speaking gigs and want to go for one-to-one coffees maybe with some of these connections to get work business through your doors you want to look like the person they're going to meet you don't want them to walk into a cafe and be like yeah where are they what is is that there yeah oh do i go what it's not there is it there like just make it as easy as possible for people to see it and you're the photographer guy you are like this is your bag how important is profile photo oh so important it's pretty that you're talking about being like recognizable though because i met someone for a coffee the other day that we'd only spoken and connected online and it's really funny that he recognized me we got chatting and then we're stood ordering a coffee and he just looks at me goes you're so much taller than I thought you'd be and I thought I thought it was so funny because how you can't really give scale on online can you in terms of photos of videos I was thinking like what impression did you have of me how did you come to that conclusion that I would be such and such a height um but yeah it's really funny isn't it it's the amount of times I've kind of met people online or um even worse you know not realize that I have connected or messaged people online and when I come to meet them in person they know who I am but I don't necessarily recognize them because actually their photo's outdated or or something like that and you know you feel bad for it but really it's a it's an onus to keep all those things updated isn't it yeah yeah yeah be more active on the platform keep everything updated because again yes it's it happens to me as well It's a horrible feeling because I'm like, I should know it.
10:54Do I? Should I know you? Shouldn't I know you? Oh, my gosh, you know me. Really? Oh, yeah, yeah, you're that person. But I don't have a clue because you're not putting out on the platform, though. Like if you were, I'd be seeing it and I'd know and I'd be like, oh, yeah, it's happening a lot at the moment since I've joined this new gym. and it's really funny because I feel like the new gym that I've joined is an extension of the Lincoln business scene. Everybody from the business scene seems to be, everyone from my LinkedIn, I'm meeting in real life in this gym and it's hilarious but I was in the sauna the other day and I walked in and I sat down, someone instantly started talking to me, it's like oh you've joined this gym then have you and I was like yeah yes I have yeah yeah oh you tried Everlast though didn't you you tried to make this you tried all the other things it was like really he was like okay so you really know yeah you are following me on some platform you really know me and then we were chatting and then he said I said oh so what do you do he said oh you know he flipped and I was like I did not know that though because are you sharing that are you not but then I did I found him afterwards on LinkedIn and again he does share a little bit but not as much as I share of me so again like that so it was a bit like oh gosh do I know and then yeah there's been loads of times recently and then I was sat next I was sat in there as well and he introduced me to a person next to me sat next to me in the sauna and I was like oh hi hi he's like oh yeah we've spoken on LinkedIn I'm blah blah and I was like ah you don't look like but it's a sauna so it's difficult it's dark it's a different environment so so there's an element of that but I'm like if I'm being recognized in a sauna then I am definitely showing enough and the right stuff of me online that people will recognize me in a coffee shop it's a funny example but it's like yeah can will they recognize and that instant like even in a new environment in a new sauna in a new place I haven't been before people are coming to me to talk to me they're opening up conversations and again it started on LinkedIn as a bit of a networking and stuff but then actually they then meet me in person that rapport is built more isn't it yeah so that's what we want to make people do in a way with our LinkedIn profiles it's like opening the doors getting visible people recognize us know us start those conversations and then you never know where they'll lead along the line you never know no so profile photo i went off on a tangent then well i mean the last thing i throw in on profile photo is it's not when i talk about keeping things up to date it's not just aesthetically either it's about your goals you know does your photo still align with what you want to be represented as because that does change you know um a lot of recent clients um i've had in the studio have you know their objectives for getting new photos has been i've been seen as this up to now but now i want to be taken seriously and seen as you know for public speaking roles or um you know just taking business to the next level or appealing to a different demographic i need to show myself something else so your goals are constantly changing aren't they so yeah so this is the thing i guess we're talking about this now as well this is an upkeep yeah this isn't you do all these changes and that's it you never have to change anything again for another 10 years on linkedin like keep it updated all the same keep reviewing every six months every year have a little look what how am i coming across on there is it what i want to come across as or not yeah do i need to tweet something or not yeah and it's it is that evolution and that level up i almost wish that i'd kept and facebook was good at this wasn't it because you keep all your Facebook profile photos.
14:41So I can see an evolution of cats over my Facebook years to now. And I'm thinking, well, like, who was that person that long ago? But LinkedIn doesn't quite do that, does it? It doesn't save the profile photos. So it's a shame because you could probably see over time yourself professionally developed just through your visuals and through your photos. So interesting. So, OK, so we've got profile photo. The other, I guess while we're on photos, the other image is the banner, isn't it? Yeah. What would you say to anyone on the banner? I'd say it's a great opportunity to add more information. So I encourage, if you're a personal brand, certainly, get another photo of you in there.
15:19You know, something that says something slightly different, a bit more personality. And then you've also got that space to use the text on your banner to either add more contact details, maybe a quotation, or, you know, just something that, again, and it gives us more information about who you are and why you do what you do. Yeah, absolutely. The one thing I'd say on the text on the banner is for people, have a think, your profile photo covers some of that banner. Yes, yeah. So when you're creating it on Canberra or whatever tool you're using, you've got the whole rectangular space. When that's on your profile photo, don't put your text that you want everybody to read under that profile photo side of it.
16:03make it all the other side of it which is as you look at it the right side put everything there or in the middle because your profile photo will cover it I've seen some people it's like half your emails chopped off yeah it's like oh that's such a shame like just twist it just turn it around yeah um so you try and do that with a cover photo um but again great space to show your personality colors different things like again how do you want to come across what do you want people to initially see um and then bio so again bio great section lots of people are just putting sort of their business title they're like um their title of what they do if i did that with quirk just put brand account manager what is a brand account what does it do what does it like what does it mean so you've got to go a bit more in depth there if it is something that's maybe a bit more like confusing to people obviously like astronaut is an easy one astronaut you can still add more to that to make it more playful show your personality but it says what it does on the tin your one's great because again says what you do on the tin and your link and everything yeah is like headshot toby like on on all of your profiles and stuff so again it says what you do pretty clear yeah pretty clear yeah fingers crossed you can use emojis if you want to and stuff like that just to make it your own kind of thing and then the other thing that i see on the initial top part of the profile sometimes i'll click to the contact us section contact me section click on it it's got your email address your personal one from five years ago what's your business one what what like what contact details do you want people to get you on what's your updated website what's your updated email address what's your updated phone number make it as easy as possible for someone to contact you yes i know linkedin has a message button so people can do that humans are lazy if we're on something online we want to click on it yeah and make the thing done straight away don't we we don't want to have to come off of that to go to a message yeah so then message someone just make it as easy as possible for someone to click through and then i think the last thing really on i mean there's lots of aspects to your your um your profile lots of aspects to your profile that you can fill in you can do and obviously make it as optimized as possible but the other part is the about section yeah we'll give people a little bit more information about you and the number one thing i see people doing wrong on that section is the copy and paste the cb in the popular yeah yeah bob smith is a capable and adaptable versus child member of the blah blah blah blah has been in project management for 500 years and is an agile blah blah blah blah all the classic cb buzzwords oh yeah you know i switched off hard worker and yeah resilient yeah yeah oh get it out of there or use some of those words but put it again in your own words not as the cv and not as the third person because this is your profile why are you saying bob smith is a yeah it's you saying it so it looks weird well the thing is we we say in third person don't we because we perhaps don't feel like we can big ourselves up in that sense but actually if you were to take all those buzzwords out we assume everyone's professional we would assume that everyone has those qualities um until proven otherwise you know you want you want to assume that if you're contacting uh if you're contacting me as a photographer you're going to assume that i am you know pretty confident can make you feel comfortable and relaxed and settled like i don't need to be telling you that again and again again because every other photographer is probably preaching that as well you know so it's more about what is it that makes you different shout about those things in your about section yeah yeah how you help people yeah what's the thing that why would someone come to you over somebody else what's so different about you what's your usp or unique selling point pop that in there and again at the bottom of the about section make sure you put your contact details as well again yeah okay they might not be able to click on it they might not be but again it's there pop it everywhere that you can they know how to get in contact with you if they need it or if they share your profile with someone else they know um so that's kind of profile in the nuts and bolts of it obviously you've got your work sections down below again make sure that your work is the work that you want to be showing or the dates are filled in correctly and stuff so people can see like you what's got you to that point um but everything else then that's your profile essentially set up so if somebody from an external person goes onto that profile they can clearly see who you are what they do what you do how you can help them whether they want to look further have a conversation with you open a door to your world or not yeah um and you're not after everybody are we so it doesn't have to be perfect for everyone but think about your ideal audience with some of these things so what would they want to see what person do you need to be for them to resonate with it on so that's that And then I guess the other thing then with LinkedIn is content and moving on to the content side of it.
21:28And I think a lot of people get put off again with LinkedIn because it's a professional platform. So we need to do professional posts all the time. And I need to sound like a corporate robot. And like I really, really, really know what I'm doing because otherwise no one will trust me. Actually, it's so off putting. there's a lot of profiles out there that are not getting a lot of eyes on them visibility because they're just sharing boring boring boring boring corporate stuff and it's like tumbleweed one or two likes probably your mom and your best friend one or two nights your message isn't getting through to anyone yeah so think about like the messaging you want to get across with those corporate aspects of it and and the yeah you want to share about your business you want to shout about what you do you want to shout about the skills that you've got the people that you're looking for who you help but you can do that through a certain way of like injecting your personality into it can't they and storytelling and sharing a bit more about things that resonate with people yeah it doesn't have to be just corporate by nothing corporate by nothing yeah and we've we touched on that really in the subtle art of selling kind of episode didn't we so go back to that one if anyone wants to hear that yeah but the rules apply on linkedin as well as instagram or anything and i feel like if you do ever get a comment on your linkedin going this isn't facebook i have to i have to do a stupid accent when i do that because i'm like that's what that's what that comment comes across in my mind as if any if i ever read that comment know that whoever wrote it that's how i'm taking that comment in my mind this isn't Facebook no it's not Facebook but also I don't want to be bored on this platform either so yeah I want to hear a bit about this and I want an object to that if it's right for your audience and what you're trying to get across again the people that say those kind of things are not experts on LinkedIn and their content is potentially flopping and also they've probably not even got a profile photo of them on their profile like like if anybody says anything mean or bad on LinkedIn, it happens every now and again, like every social platform.
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24:33You can also find that email address in the show notes of this episode. So there's obviously a huge range of content ideas that you can share on LinkedIn. We're not going to sort of break down those but it's probably quite useful that we kind of share a couple of things that we talk about or types of content that we produce and share. So for me my kind of content pillars are along the lines of what's going to help people feel really confident and brave in front of the camera, some behind the scenes that kind of show what I'm doing, my perspective of what a photo shoot might be which can sometimes be a bit technical and maybe not be fully understood by the audience but if it gives that impression of I know what I'm talking about these are the reasons I do these things it can be quite interesting and also there's always so many hobbyist photographers as well that always kind of like to geek out on those kind of things have been showing off lights and equipment and things and then a few little personal areas as well so personal side of my business and running a business which I think a lot of people like to share and it's very it's mutual ground isn't it you know there's a lot of solo business owners out there and then personal achievements like fitness races, dogs, holidays those kind of things I just like to touch on now and then and I kind of deliver all those in different formats which is based loosely on where I'm at the time so if I can do a bit of video content and I've got the time to do it I'll do that I'll set up the cameras in the studio get the lights out do some content to camera edit it up really nicely and that tends to be more the advice based stuff because if I can show you what it's like to be in that position there and then and show that I'm doing it and I'm practicing what I'm preaching I think that goes a long way there'll be behind the scenes videos as well where I'll set cameras up on photo sessions as well and just try and capture what that feels like again breaking down the barriers of somebody coming for a headshot session or enrolling in my services this is what it looks like to do it just try and leave no stone unturned in that sense obviously share a lot of photos if I can either work as in work like photos I've created for work and often I do those as a PDF so if you upload a file to a LinkedIn post it will share it as a carousel essentially so you can flick through it which is a lot more engaging than when you add five or six photos and it yeah crops in on some and does some just displays them in it in a weird way um so yeah that would be the sort of main main uses I very rarely do a text only post which I don't know where the algorithm's at now but at one point LinkedIn did go back to kind of favouring text only and and I think it just mixes up sometimes for the sake of it but whether that's to stop people stop it becoming too video-led or too visually-led I'm not sure what the plans are how about you I quite like a mix though you know when you're saying it's it's too much of one thing yeah would make people just kind of zone out a little bit isn't it yeah so I I think a good mix of stuff.
27:52So I think a text post could be all right every now and again. But every single post being a text post, people just drone out. Yeah. Every post being a video, every post being a thing. Like you need a bit of a blend and a mix. I think that's what hooks people in and keeps it a bit more interesting. Yeah. So they wanna like, oh, what's he doing now? Oh, what's that? And actually again, like stopping our audience overthinking stuff as well. And like, oh, I need to do video because that's the ultimate thing to drive engagement and algorithm what's the thing that you want to post like what can you post what you want to post it is better than not posted because you're overthinking doing the thing that makes the algorithm work better just get the bloody thing on so we're almost thinking about it like that um most of my like top performing posts are always never talking about personal branding a work oh really so yeah they're talking about things that like discussion things like something will happen and it will have annoyed me or there'll be something that I want to share and I think why is this happened but again it's in the realms of like business or the something biggest one was the tv license I got a tv license letter through the door because I hadn't renewed it and it's got big red letters all over it like basically threatening me blah blah blah I'm like but I don't watch any of the channels that you need me to pay for so I'm not paying for it stop threatening me was basically the gist of the post a lot of people apparently on LinkedIn hate the BBC so that generated a lot of anger and stuff like that so it wasn't like I didn't do that on purpose but again I was showcasing a bit of life and a bit about me and a bit about a bit about like business would you do business like that is threatening as a business model a great idea or actually nurturing your clients, giving them what they want.
29:46So that was the gist of the post. And I think, again, a lot of people, because it's a business platform, related to that and had opinions on that. So that was great. But again, it's like my posts after my weekend, I'll do like, you know, a Monday, what I go up to at the weekend, because it resonates with people. People, again, want to work with the human behind the brand because of who they are as a person. and so I show them who I am as the person and that's part of my content pillars is that and then obviously personal branding and digital marketing is in there as well so then later in the week I'll normally share a bit of a maybe a client success story that we've had and then also I don't know some some things that as I'm working with clients will pop up there'll be a question that they've got or there'll be a query that they've had or they there's something that's happened whilst working with them that I won't necessarily say this client this this this but I'll be like oh I had a client the other day and we went through that but then we resolved it by this and this is how we got around it kind of thing so it's telling a story it's taking people again behind the scenes of what I'm doing and how I'm working with people but it's showing that there was a resolution to it and if they're in that same boat there's a way around it that's it a good chance that if it's been a question for one client that other people are thinking the same thing isn't it yeah yeah so so address that in the content that you're sharing as well um so those are my main ones really there'll be other stuff sprinkled in again just showing people life and also a bit confidence building like yourself mine is personal branding that's the business they've got to be brave to start personal branding you've got no confidence then they're not going to do it no matter how many things I say do this do this do this you're scared you're not going to do it so so part of what I'm doing as well as is getting them over that fear and again part of me showcasing a lot of me is that look nothing bad happens yeah that's it and actually what does happen is more engagement comes and good things happen yeah yeah and yes you need to be sharing your business and what you're offering because people need to know that and what you do, but that's not going to get the engagement.
32:02It's not going to get the eyes on it. You also need the eyes on stuff. So again, a mix of those things. Too much of one, you're just entertaining your audience. Too much of the other ones, you're turning them off. So it's getting that balance and that mix right with it. There's so many ideas with content, isn't there? Literally, once you pop, you really cannot stop with content. Yeah. There's ideas everywhere. And I think some people might, if you consider the work you do or the services you offer to be boring, it then becomes incredibly hard to communicate about them. But going back to your client or your previous clients and thinking about what is it, what was their experience about, what are the challenges they came up against that I solved for them with my services and focus on those key elements.
32:51suddenly you've then got more exciting reasons to be sharing about what you do even if you consider it well people are just going to think this is a bit boring for post about this um you know and that's where the personal experience comes into it doesn't it of like what's your experience delivering these services you know how do you feel about it and like sharing that cannot can help people see in a different light yeah yeah and what's boring to you because you do it every day It isn't necessarily boring to the person whose issue and problem you're going to solve. So again, it's like, if you don't share that, that person's not going to get their issue or problem solved.
33:27But they're not going to get it resolved. So that's not boring at all. I also think sometimes of like the most boring industries, I see some really great personal brands. Because the industry is boring, or I'd perceive it to be boring, but the person isn't. And I'm going to work with that person when I need, because there's certain... That's true, yeah. Again, I refer to this as an example all the time because it's an easy one for me. Like accounts, accountants, because one of the founders of Quirk is an accountant, quite an amazing personal brand. Accounts to me is, oh, I'm boring. Yeah. I don't want to do anything.
34:02I have anything to do. It's so boring. I'm not a spreadsheet person. I don't want anything to do with that. I didn't go to her because I thought she'd equally make it as boring. Yeah. I went to her because I was like oh at last someone that's not going to make that boring yes we're going to get what we need done with account side of stuff but it's going to be fun around that oh my gosh yeah let me have that person so again it's the personalities behind it as well isn't it and that's why personal branding is great because you can show your personal brand your personality and attract the people that want that no matter what industry you're in you could have a boring astronaut couldn't you you wouldn't want to be stuck on the moon with for weeks on end ever, right?
34:43So like there's different levels. It doesn't mean the industry, it doesn't mean it has to be boring. It just means maybe how it's been put across in the past because of people being on LinkedIn, putting it across in the past in a very boring way because it's a professional platform. That's what you have to do. No, you don't. No. So this week's actionable step, we want you to go onto LinkedIn. If you haven't got a profile already, we want you to look at setting one up and optimizing your profile. Or if you have been on the platform and you've had a little play around or maybe you're a little bit more experienced, it's time for that profile review.
35:17So go through, have a little look at your profile photo, your banner photo. Are you giving as much information in those two visually as you can about you and what you do? Then onto your bio and your about me section and your content. Go back through your content, your recent posts. If you're not posting that frequently, can you look to kind of engage your audience a little bit more and how think about how you're going to do that or if you are posting regularly have a little look at your stats so if you go into your is it phrased as statistics or analytics analytics and that'll tell you within the last 30 days 90 days whichever category you put it on which of your posts perform best and from there you can kind of look at okay why did that get so much engagement what were you talking about what were the topics covered?
36:06What was the format? Was it a video, a photo, or just a text post? And from there, you can start planning some more content and making the most out of LinkedIn. So make sure you follow the Brand You podcast on LinkedIn in our Brand You podcast group and ask us any questions you may have in there. And also follow myself and Toby as well. We're on LinkedIn. If you want to chat to us, jump on the platform, connect with us, chat with us. It's what we're on there for. Here's to Branding You. .
From the publisher
In this episode, we’re diving deep into one of the most underrated tools for building your personal brand: LinkedIn.
Despite being packed with potential, most people are still using it like a digital CV rather than the powerful, real-time networking platform it’s become. Whether you’re job-hunting, running a business, or simply wanting to grow your visibility, there’s a huge opportunity waiting if you know how to show up the right way.
We’re breaking down the basics of a standout profile, from your headline to your “About” section, and why first impressions here matter a lot. Think of your profile as your digital storefront: if it’s outdated, vague, or missing key info, you’re likely turning away opportunities before they even reach out. And let’s not forget content: sharing wins, lessons, or even behind-the-scenes moments can help you connect as a real human, not just a résumé on legs.
And yes, we get it, the fear of being “too much” or “too casual” holds a lot of people back. But we’re here to tell you: professional doesn’t mean personality-free. Showing up with authenticity, consistency, and a clear message builds real trust, and that’s what opens doors. Whether it’s a new client, a dream collaboration, or your next job, LinkedIn can absolutely be the launchpad. Let’s help you make it work for you.
Follow the podcast on LinkedIn, and join the Brand You community group where you can share all your personal branding questions and queries.
Follow your hosts Caz & Toby for lots of extra tips and wisdom on personal branding, social media strategy and brand photography.
Check out Sparkhouse if you’re based in Lincoln and are looking for affordable, flexible and buildable office spaces.
Welcome to Brand You, the Ultimate Personal Branding Podcast.
