The LinkedIn “Talks About” section allows you to share topics and causes you want to showcase on your profile. Adding relevant hashtags to this section can help increase engagement on your posts and signal your areas of interest and expertise. Here’s a complete guide to optimizing your LinkedIn talks about section for engagement and connections.
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What is the LinkedIn Talks About Section?
The LinkedIn “Talks About” section appears on your profile under your name and headline. It allows you to add hashtags about your interests, expertise, passions, and causes you want to highlight.
Adding relevant hashtags helps signal to your network the topics and conversations you want to have on LinkedIn. It serves as a sort of introductory summary of who you are and what you care about.
The LinkedIn Talks About section
Including hashtags in your talks about section also helps increase engagement on your posts. When you use a hashtag you’ve added to your talks, it will attract more attention from your networks.
Overall, optimizing this section with targeted hashtags can help you build connections, increase post engagement, and share more about your personal brand.
Also read: How to Add Badges to LinkedIn in 2023 – The Complete Guide
Why Edit the Talks About Section?
Before jumping into the nitty-gritty details, let’s first understand why you should even bother editing your Talks About section in the first place. Here are some key reasons:
Showcase Your Best Self
The Talks About space allows you to highlight aspects of your professional persona you most want to put forward. Strategic editing gives you control over that narrative.
Increase Discoverability
With savvy optimization around relevant keywords and hashtags, you can make it easier for your target audiences to find and connect with you.
Spark Engagement & Conversations
An intriguing, personality-infused Talks About section functions like a networking conversation starter, prompting viewers to react, comment, and contact you.
How to Add Hashtags to Your LinkedIn Talks About
Adding hashtags to your LinkedIn talks about section is easy to do from the desktop or mobile app. Here are step-by-step instructions:
On Desktop:
- Go to your profile and click “Edit public profile & URL”
- Scroll down and click the “Add profile section” button next to Talks About.
- Type in the hashtags you want to include. Make sure to include the # symbol.
- Click “Save” to add the hashtags to your talks about section.
On Mobile:
- Tap your profile icon at the top of your LinkedIn feed.
- Scroll down and tap “Edit public profile & URL.”
- Tap “Talks About” below your introduction.
- Tap the “+” icon to add hashtags. Type them in starting with the # symbol.
- Tap “Done” when finished adding hashtags.
That’s all there is to it! Now your hashtags will appear in your talks about section for all to see.
Also read: How to Download Video from LinkedIn in 2023 – A Step-by-Step Guide
How to Edit or Delete Hashtags
Need to make changes to your talks about section? Editing or removing hashtags is easy.
On desktop:
- Go to your profile and click “Edit public profile & URL.”
- Scroll down to the Talks About section and click the 3 dots icon next to a hashtag.
- Choose “Edit hashtag” or “Remove hashtag” from the dropdown menu.
On mobile:
- Tap your profile icon and “Edit public profile & URL.”
- Tap “Talks About” and tap the 3 dots icon next to a hashtag.
- Select “Edit” or “Remove” to make changes.
You can edit hashtags by changing the text or adding new ones. Remove any irrelevant or outdated hashtags to keep your talks about section optimized.
Best Practices for Using Talks About
To maximize the impact of your LinkedIn talks about section, keep these best practices in mind:
- Include 5-10 hashtags. More than that can overwhelm readers. Focus on your top interests and expertise.
- Use branded hashtags. Create hashtags with your name or business so followers can search and engage with your content.
- Leverage trending topics. Stay up to date on hot trends and news events related to your industry to spark engagement.
- Refresh regularly. Update your hashtags to reflect new interests, projects, and causes you want to highlight.
- Use Calls to Action (CTAs). After relevant hashtags, add action phrases like “Looking to connect” or “Let’s collaborate!”
Tips for Choosing Hashtags
The key to an engaging talk-about section is using targeted, relevant hashtags. Here are some tips:
- Do keyword research to find popular industry terms and discussion topics to include. Use Google’s related searches and autocomplete for ideas.
- Check influencers in your field and see what hashtags they use to position themselves as thought leaders.
- Use acronyms and abbreviations like #SMM for social media marketing if they are common terminology in your field.
- Make hashtags specific when possible. For example, #mobilephotography instead of just #photography.
- Mention brands, companies, and groups you want to connect with using their official hashtag.
- Include locations like cities or countries that are important to your professional identity.
- Use numbers and dates like #YearOfTheCreator or #WomenInSTEM2023 to stay timely.
Also read: LinkedIn X-Ray Search in 2023: The Ultimate Guide to Boolean Recruiting
Should You Use Creator Mode?
LinkedIn recently rolled out its new Creator Mode feature, which places a colorful “Creator” label under your name in your profile.
Creator Mode amplifies your presence in the LinkedIn algorithm, so your posts and interactions may get more visibility. However, it also comes across as self-promotional to some.
Here are some pros and cons to weigh if considering Creator Mode:
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Increased reach and post impressions | Can feel like you’re bragging or showing off |
Helps you stand out as an influencer | Prioritizes creators over other professionals |
Gives you access to Creator analytics | Metrics only apply to engagement on LinkedIn |
In general, Creator Mode works best for established thought leaders with large followings already leveraging LinkedIn to build their brand and audience. It may not provide as much benefit if you are just getting started or using LinkedIn mainly for networking and job searching.
Expert Tips for Maximizing Your Talks About Section
To take your LinkedIn talks about section to the next level, incorporate these pro tips from LinkedIn experts and influencers:
- “Swap out one or two hashtags weekly to test which ones get the most engagement. Go with what resonates most with your audience.”
- “Don’t just list random hashtags. Curate hashtags that tell a story or reinforce your personal branding.”
- “Occasionally post talks about-only status updates using all your hashtags to get them trending.”
- “Cross-promote your talks about hashtags on other social platforms like Instagram or Twitter to expand their reach.”
- “Ask colleagues and connections for hashtag suggestions to crowdsource the best keywords to represent you.”
Benefits of Optimizing Your LinkedIn Talks About Section
Crafting a compelling, keyword-rich talks section delivers a multitude of benefits that can significantly impact your LinkedIn presence and engagement.
- Strengthen your personal brand. The hashtags you select reflect your values, expertise, and thought leadership.
- Increase profile views. Talks about keywords help you come up with more LinkedIn searches.
- Expand your reach. Your posts with talk about hashtags will be seen by more people.
- Spark meaningful conversations. You can connect with others passionate about the same topics.
- Enhance your authority. Industry-related hashtags position you as a knowledgeable leader.
- Get noticed by brands/companies. Your talks about section makes your interests crystal clear.
- Drive traffic to your website/blog. Direct visitors from LinkedIn to your other content.
- Boost engagement. Posts with your branded hashtags tend to get increased likes, comments, and shares.
- Stand out in the feed. Talks about how hashtags help you create “searchable” content.
Optimizing this often-overlooked section of your LinkedIn profile can produce significant dividends for your personal brand and engagement. Use these tips and best practices to craft a compelling talk-about section that tells your story!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where is the talks about section on my LinkedIn profile?
The Talks About section appears beneath your name and headline on your LinkedIn profile. On mobile, you can find it by tapping “Edit public profile & URL” and then scrolling down and tapping “Talks About.”
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What’s the maximum number of hashtags I can include?
You can add up to 100 hashtags in your LinkedIn Talks About section. However, 5-10 is recommended so you don’t overwhelm readers.
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Can I add emojis or images to my talks about section?
At this time, only text-based hashtags are supported in the LinkedIn Talks About section. You cannot add emojis, images, or other multimedia.
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Do talks about hashtags work in LinkedIn posts?
Yes, when you add hashtags used in your talks about section within LinkedIn posts, they will be highlighted and clickable – increasing engagement.
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How often should I update my talks about hashtags?
Plan to revisit your talks about hashtags every 1-2 months to swap out stale terms for more relevant, trending hashtags as your interests evolve.
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Can I add videos to my LinkedIn talks about section?
No, LinkedIn does not currently support adding videos directly to the Talks About section. You can add a hashtag referencing a video you created.
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Do talks about hashtags appear anywhere else besides my profile?
Your talks about hashtags only appear on your profile for now. LinkedIn may expand them to other sections in the future.
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Can I add competitor brand names or products as talks about hashtags?
It’s best to avoid including trademarked brands, products, or companies you don’t represent in your talks about section. Use more generic terms.
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Do talks about hashtags improve SEO?
Yes, adding keywords to your talks about section can help boost your LinkedIn profile’s search engine visibility and ranking.