What the LinkedIn Profile Redesign Means

After making striking design changes to the LinkedIn homepage earlier this month, LinkedIn has confirmed it is rolling out new design for its users’ profiles.

The new design will mimic the cleaner, more modern feel of the updated LinkedIn homepage. Details underneath the user’s profile picture are either shortened, moved further down the profile, or made available via rolling over an area on the profile. An important update is that user links have been removed from the upper part of the profile. These changes have moved the profile summary upwards allowing it to be seen over the fold.

Contact information is now available in a separate tab near the top of the profile, a major change as it previously was at the very end of a user’s profile. The profile picture was also enlarged.

These changes are being released slowly and will be rolled out to all users over the next few weeks.

The new profile has a few important implications for users:

1. Your profile summary is now even more important as it now displays more prominently on your profile. Since it can now be seen above the fold, use this space to grab the reader’s attention and provide a great summary of who you are, what you do, and what your goals are. Make it personable, but keep it professional. While less is more, also keep in mind the importance of SEO even on LinkedIn. Include important keywords that users may be searching on LinkedIn.

2. Links are now less important. If you want to drive traffic to links previously shown at the top of your profile, add these to your summary, but do so in a matter that makes people want to click. For example, don’t simply make these links your summary. Instead, incorporate them into your summary (ie Follow me on Twitter to learn more about why I love digital media.)

3. Ensure your profile picture is the correct size. Since the photo is now enlarged, if it was previously just the right size for the original profile picture, it will now appear stretched. This stretching will affect the photo’s appearance and resolution. I would suggest uploading a photo larger than the new profile picture size to eliminate resolution concerns.

4. Take the time to make updates to your profile for this new release. While you’re editing your profile for these changes, run through its content. Do you have any new experiences? New projects that you’ve worked on? Recommendations you can request? New UI releases are a great time to make sure everything on your profile is clean and up-to-date.

Overall, I think the new LinkedIn redesign looks great and I think it was about time for a change!

– Bryan Nagy