Using LinkedIn for architects is a great way to expand connections with peers, stay on top of the industry news, and, of course, showcase your work. Furthermore, through this platform, you can connect with potential clients and partners, seek and offer mentorship, and find new job opportunities. On top of that, if you have a well-set-up LinkedIn profile, it’ll be one of the first links people see when searching for your name or firm online. However, as with any social media, there are certain tricks to getting LinkedIn networking right.
Our architecture rendering studio is in the thick of it, as maintaining our presence on LinkedIn helps us grow our business. In this article, we collected some tips on how to make the most of LinkedIn for architects. Let’s dive in!
#1. Set Up and Personalize Your Profile
Your profile is the first impression of you, so everything matters here. People are not likely to reach out to you if your profile lacks basic information even if they were initially referred to you.
- Use the name field as intended: for your first and last name, full and correctly spelled. It’s recommended to avoid squeezing additional information there, for example, about certificates for architects. In LinkedIn, there’s a separate field for that.
- When choosing a profile picture, go for a recent headshot with a neutral background. Your face should take up approximately 60% of the image. Of course, just as with a CV, it’s better to opt for a professional photo rather than a selfie. But in any case, don’t leave this space blank. If you do so, many users will straight-up assume that your page is fake.
- Take the time to compose a headline. Use this space to highlight your professional background and expertise. Incorporate relevant keywords to increase discoverability through the platform’s search function. Simply stating that you’re an architect is not enough to attract attention. To catch the eye, include keywords, target audience, and unique benefits you offer. Simply put, be specific. For instance, if you’re an award-winning specialist working on luxury homes, or a Florida-based commercial architect, mention it in your headline to connect with your target audience. Also keep in mind that when you’re showing up on someone’s feed, they see the first 60 characters of your headline (or only 20 if they use a smartphone), so make sure those characters provide valuable information.
- Use the cover picture to stand out and make a great visual impression. You can showcase your latest projects here. The recommended image size is 1.128×191 pixels.
- Describe your work experience. Make sure to include your notable projects, responsibilities, and achievements. However, as it’s not a CV, you don’t need to list every job and award. Filter in those that will be relevant to the audience you want to engage.
- List your skills, including those with software for architects. Members with 5 or more skills are far more likely to get contacted by recruiters and other users.
- Ask your former clients and collaborators to add endorsements. These are incredibly helpful to boost your credibility and prove your skills.
- A final tip: don’t use your personal page as a company one. Setting them up separately is the best choice.
#2. Connect With People You Know
Make sure you’re connected with people you are already acquainted with. Past clients and collaborators, your colleagues and teammates, as well as industry leaders you look up to are the first ones to add. After this, you can move on to expanding your network to potential clients or referrals.
Connecting with people you know is important not only because you actively network this way, but also because those looking you up will pay attention to your connections. Being connected with well-known architects and other industry experts improves your credibility.
#3. Engage With Other Users
Now that you’ve connected with some people, you need to actually stay in touch with them. Likes, shares, and comments will go a long way to boosting your LinkedIn presence. If someone has a question relevant to your expertise or asks for feedback, take it as a chance both to connect and to prove your knowledge and skills. Remember to always engage genuinely, not just for the sake of interaction.
#4. Share Engaging & Valuable Content
If your website has a blog, it’s a good idea to feature new articles on your LinkedIn page. It’s a win-win situation: you attract new traffic to your blog, as well as boost your LinkedIn for architects’ performance, keeping the audience engaged.
In case you don’t have blog articles, generating content for your page might get a bit more tricky. It is recommended to write posts that will emphasize the value of your work, offer insights, or answer some important questions your target audience might have. Remember that even in the B2B segment, it’s still humans who read your content. So, it’s better to avoid sounding too formal or academic. Your content should be engaging, informative, and easy to read. Educational articles, the latest industry trends, and discussion-provoking business news are some of the niches you can cover.
#5. Use High-Quality Visuals
On social media, a picture is often worth a thousand words. This is especially true when it comes to LinkedIn for architects. Here, pictures of the finished projects serve as the best proof of your qualifications and achievements. So, make sure to use high-quality photos. You can also combine 3D rendering and photography for new concepts and projects under development. You can post, for example, an initial project concept next to the photo of the finished building. Or, you can even share a 3D render of an innovative project that you don’t plan to bring to life just yet. Overall, using photoreal CGI will help you to always have a steady stream of visuals to update your profile. So, get creative but remember that it’s better to share nothing at all than a low-quality picture.
#6. Develop Your Personal Brand and Stick To It
Who you are, how you stand out from your competition, and what unique value do you bring to your audience? These are questions you should ask yourself first at the beginning of your social media journey, and then before posting basically anything. Is your idea or visuals relevant to your brand? Does it support the image you want to create of yourself as a professional? If yes, go ahead and share it. And if not, it’s best to take a bit more time and tailor your piece of content to your goals.
#7. Stay Consistent
Just like with any other social media, making the most of LinkedIn for architects requires some time and effort. But it does not need to be overwhelming. In fact, 10-20 minutes a day is generally enough to keep your profile working for you. Like and comment on other people’s content, add relevant connections and, of course, give updates on your work. Even if you don’t have anything valuable to share at the moment, spend some time engaging with others to keep yourself fresh in their minds.
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With millions of users focused on expanding their professional networks and finding new opportunities, LinkedIn for architects is a great platform to boost your credibility and find potential clients or collaborators. Showcasing new projects and achievements is an intrinsic part of architects’ job, and here they can do it with relatively little effort. For that, they just need to engage with other users, share relevant content and, of course, use top-notch imagery.
Looking for 3D rendering services to help you fill your social media with enticing visuals? Contact us today and get photorealistic renderings without breaking the bank!
Nataly Cher
Senior Social Media & Email Marketer
Nataly's ambitious nature and creativity play a key role in her ability to create engaging content and highly successful targeted campaigns. Outside of the office, Nataly indulges her love of photography and plays with her joyful Jack Russel terrier, Mario.