LinkedIn Profile Optimisation for Founders and Business Owners
How founders should optimise their LinkedIn profile: photo, banner, headline, About section, Featured, recommendations and activity.
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A founder’s LinkedIn profile is often the first place a potential client, partner or hire checks after hearing about a business. It works like a personal landing page. A well-optimised profile makes it immediately clear who you help, how, and why you are credible, and gives visitors a simple next step. A neglected one, with an outdated headline, no summary and a job title of “Founder”, wastes attention that the founder’s network and content are already generating.
Profile photo and banner
Use a clear, recent, professional headshot with good lighting where your face is easily visible. It does not need to be formal, but it should look like you on a good day.
The banner image is valuable space. Use it to reinforce what the business does: a short statement of who you help, a visual of your work, or the company’s branding with a website address. Make sure important text is not hidden behind the profile photo on mobile.
Headline
The headline appears alongside your name in search results, comments and connection requests. “Founder at Company Name” tells people very little. A stronger headline explains who you help and how:
- “Helping construction firms get paid faster | Founder, Ledgerline Bookkeeping”
- “I build marketing systems for B2B SaaS companies | Founder, Example Agency”
Include terms your audience might search for, but write for people first.
About section
The About section should read like a short, clear introduction rather than a CV. A useful structure:
- Who you help and the problem you solve.
- How you approach it and what makes it different.
- Relevant credibility: experience, results, notable clients (with permission).
- A bit of personality or the reason you started the business.
- A clear next step: visit the website, book a call, or send a message.
Write in the first person. Keep paragraphs short. The first two or three lines matter most, because LinkedIn truncates the rest behind “see more”.
Featured section
Use Featured to pin your most useful content: a case study, a strong post, a guide, a booking link or your website. This gives profile visitors a quick path to evidence and action.
Experience
For your current role, describe what the company does and who it serves, not just your title. Include past roles that support your credibility, with brief descriptions of relevant achievements.
Custom URL, contact info and website
Set a custom profile URL (linkedin.com/in/yourname). Add your website and business contact details. LinkedIn allows a custom button or link on profiles in some cases; use it to point to a booking page or website if available.
Recommendations and skills
Recommendations from clients and colleagues provide social proof directly on the profile. Ask satisfied clients for a short recommendation that mentions a specific outcome or experience. Add skills relevant to how clients would search for you.
Creator mode and follow settings
LinkedIn has changed how creator features work over time; many features once limited to creator mode are now available to all profiles. If you post regularly, consider making “Follow” the primary button so people can see your content without connecting. Check current settings in your profile, as LinkedIn updates these options periodically.
Activity
A profile with recent, relevant posts and comments shows you are active and knowledgeable. Visitors often scroll to Activity to judge credibility. Our guide to founder-led content covers what to post, and our B2B LinkedIn content strategy guide explains how it supports the business.
Common mistakes
- Vague headlines and empty About sections.
- Profiles written for job hunting rather than for clients.
- No link to the business website.
- Outdated photos or banners.
- Claims without any supporting evidence.
Making your profile work for the business
A founder’s LinkedIn profile is one of the most viewed assets a small business has. An hour spent making it clear and client-focused can improve the results of every post, event and introduction that sends people to it.
If you want your LinkedIn presence to generate more conversations, our social media management service can optimise your profile and build a content plan around it.