How to Turn Your LinkedIn About Section Into a Client Magnet
- Westowls Team
- 16 hours ago
- 21 min read
Most LinkedIn About sections are written for the person filling them in, not for the person reading them. They catalogue career history, list achievements, and end with a vague statement about being passionate about innovation, leaving the reader no clearer on whether this person can help them, how to engage with them, or why they should follow them.
Your About section is the longest piece of copy on your LinkedIn profile. It is the section visitors read when they want to know more than your headline tells them, which means it is almost always read by people who are already interested. These are not passive scrollers. They are people asking a specific question: 'Is this the right person for what I need?'
A client-magnet About section answers that question decisively and immediately and then tells the reader exactly what to do next. It is not a biography. It is not a CV summary. It is a conversion mechanism: one that transforms a curious profile visitor into a warm inbound lead, a follower, a subscriber, or a DM that opens a business conversation.
This guide gives you the complete system: the five-part framework that structures every client-magnet About section, the word-for-word templates for six different founder types, before-and-after rewrites that show the transformation clearly, the language patterns that attract clients versus those that repel them, and the call-to-action strategies that convert visitors who are ready to act.
2,600 characters, the maximum length of a LinkedIn About section. Most founders use fewer than 800. | 40% of profile views come from LinkedIn search, visitors who found you specifically are most likely to read your About section | 3x more inbound messages generated by profiles with a specific CTA in the About section vs those without |
Sources: LinkedIn profile analytics 2025; conversion rate analysis of 500+ founder profiles; LinkedIn internal engagement data
1. Why Most LinkedIn About Sections Fail to Attract Clients
Before building the right section, understand the specific ways the wrong one loses clients. These are the four patterns that appear most consistently in About sections that generate zero inbound business.
Failure pattern 1: Written in the third person
'Jane Smith is a seasoned marketing professional with over 15 years of experience across global brands.' Third-person About sections create immediate distance. They signal that someone else wrote this, or that the founder is performing professionalism rather than communicating directly. Every About section should be written in the first person, it is a conversation, not a press release.
Failure pattern 2: Leads with credentials instead of value
'I have an MBA from [University], 12 years at McKinsey, and have led teams of 50+ people.' Credentials tell the reader about you. Clients do not care about your credentials until they know you understand their problem. The cardinal rule of client-magnet copy is this: lead with their world, not yours. The credentials earn trust once the reader already believes you are relevant to them.
Failure pattern 3: Vague and generic language
'I am passionate about helping businesses grow.' 'I deliver results for my clients.' 'I am a strategic thinker with a results-driven approach.' These phrases appear on millions of LinkedIn profiles and say nothing distinctive. They are the written equivalent of white noise, present, but indistinguishable from everything around them. Every sentence in a client-magnet About section should be specific enough that it could only have been written about you.
Failure pattern 4: No call to action
The most common About section failure is the one that simply ends. The visitor has read 300 words, is interested, and then finds nothing telling them what to do next. No link, no invitation, no instruction. They close the tab and you never hear from them. An About section without a CTA is a landing page without a button. It is a conversion opportunity wasted.
"I rewrote my LinkedIn About section in one afternoon. In the following six weeks, I received more inbound client enquiries than in the previous six months. The only thing that changed was how clearly I explained who I help and what happens when I work with them." — B2B consultant, 15 years experience |
2. The Five-Part Client-Magnet About Section Framework
Every high-converting LinkedIn About section follows a specific narrative arc, five components that move the reader from curiosity to conviction to action. Each component serves a distinct psychological function. Remove any one of them and the conversion drops.
Section 1 The Hook Purpose: Stop the skim. Earn the read. What it contains: Your single most compelling opening, a specific outcome you deliver, a bold belief about your industry, a surprising number, or a problem statement that makes your ideal client feel immediately understood. The first two lines of your About section are visible before 'see more' everything depends on these. Most common mistake: Opening with 'Welcome to my profile!' or 'I am a passionate professional...' both phrases are invisible. The first line of your About section must earn the second line every time. Target word count: 30–60 words. Two to three punchy sentences maximum. |
Section 2 The Origin Story Purpose: Build emotional connection and explain why you specifically. What it contains: The specific, personal reason you do what you do. Not your career timeline, the moment, realisation, or experience that made this work feel necessary. Origin stories build trust because they reveal motivation. Clients who understand why you care are significantly more likely to trust that you will care about their problem. Most common mistake: Writing a generic professional background ('I have 15 years of experience in...') instead of a specific founding moment. The origin story should answer: what did you personally experience that others in your field have not? Target word count: 50–80 words. One to two paragraphs, specific and personal. |
Section 3 What You Do and Who You Serve Purpose: Qualify the right readers and disqualify the wrong ones. What it contains: A clear, specific statement of what your company does, who it serves, and what outcome clients achieve. This section does double duty: it helps ideal clients self-identify ('this is for me') and helps poor-fit visitors self-select out ('this is not for me'). Both outcomes are good. Disqualifying the wrong readers saves everyone's time. Most common mistake: Being so broad that no reader feels specifically addressed. 'I work with businesses of all sizes across multiple industries' qualifies everyone and speaks to no one. Specificity is not limiting, it is attractive to the exact people you most want. Target word count: 60–80 words. Specific about audience, specific about outcome. |
Section 4 The Content Signal Purpose: Tell visitors what following you delivers. What it contains: An explicit statement of what you post about on LinkedIn, the topics, themes, and types of insight a follower will receive. This section converts curious profile visitors into followers who then see your content regularly. Without this signal, visitors have no reason to follow rather than simply note your profile and move on. Most common mistake: Omitting this section entirely. Most founders' About sections say nothing about their LinkedIn content, leaving visitors with no reason to follow. The content signal is also an SEO signal, naming your topic areas explicitly helps LinkedIn surface your profile in searches for those topics. Target word count: 30–50 words. Name two to four specific content pillars. |
Section 5 The Call to Action Purpose: Convert ready visitors into conversations. What it contains: One clear, low-friction instruction for what an interested visitor should do next. The CTA should match your primary LinkedIn business goal: generate leads, build newsletter subscribers, attract investors, or fill your hiring pipeline. It should be specific enough that only your ideal client or partner would feel compelled to act on it. Most common mistake: Ending with a vague 'feel free to reach out!' or no CTA at all. A specific CTA ('DM me the word AUDIT and I will send you our three-question diagnostic') converts at three to five times the rate of a generic one, because it tells the visitor exactly what to do and what they will receive. Target word count: 20–40 words. One action, one specific instruction. |
The Framework at a Glance Section 1 Hook (30-60 words): Stop the skim. Lead with their world. Section 2 Origin Story (50-80 words): Why you specifically. The founding moment. Section 3 What You Do (60-80 words): Who you serve and what they achieve. Section 4 Content Signal (30-50 words): What following you delivers. Section 5 Call to Action (20-40 words): One specific, low-friction next step.
Total: 190-310 words. Well under the 2,600 character limit. Short enough to be read; long enough to convert. |
3. The Hook: How to Write a First Line That Earns the Read
The hook is the highest-leverage writing in your entire About section. Get it wrong and no one reads the rest. Get it right and the reader is invested before they know anything about you.
These are the six hook structures that consistently produce the highest 'see more' click rates with examples for each.
Hook type | Structure and example |
The outcome hook | States the specific result your clients achieve before you mention anything about yourself. Example: 'In the past 18 months, the founders we've worked with have raised $47M in aggregate, cut their fundraise timelines by 40%, and avoided the three pitch mistakes that kill most seed rounds before the first meeting.' |
The problem hook | Opens by naming the exact frustration your ideal client is currently experiencing. Example: 'If you have ever spent three months building a sales playbook that your team ignored by week two, I know exactly why it happened and what actually fixes it.' |
The belief hook | States a conviction that your ideal client will immediately recognise as true and that distinguishes you from everyone saying the conventional thing. Example: 'Most B2B marketing advice is written for companies that already have a sales team. If you are a founder-led business doing your first $1M-$5M, almost none of it applies to you.' |
The number hook | Opens with a specific, verifiable number that creates immediate credibility and curiosity. Example: '127 enterprise sales conversations. That is how many I sat in on before I understood what actually causes B2B deals to stall and it was almost never what the founder thought.' |
The story hook | Opens mid-scene with a specific moment that draws the reader into the origin story before they have had a chance to decide whether to engage. Example: 'In 2020, I watched a $2M deal collapse in the final week of procurement because of a problem we could have fixed in a single conversation. That was the last time I let a client go into a procurement process without our framework.' |
The question hook | Asks the exact question your ideal client is privately asking themselves right now. Example: 'What would your business look like if your best clients found you, instead of you spending every quarter chasing them?' |
4. Before and After: Full About Section Rewrites
The fastest way to understand what makes a client-magnet About section work is to see the transformation side by side. These rewrites show the same founder, same experience, same company, expressed in two completely different ways.
Rewrite 1: B2B SaaS Founder
BEFORE: generic, credential-forward, no CTA BEFORE I am the Co-founder and CEO of Clarix, a B2B software company focused on finance automation. I have spent 12 years in financial services and enterprise software, including time at Goldman Sachs and two previous startups. I am passionate about building products that make finance teams more efficient and am committed to delivering excellent customer experiences. Feel free to connect if you are interested in what we are building. AFTER: outcome-forward, specific, CTA-driven |
The Rewritten Version Finance teams at Series A-C companies are spending 5 days every month on a process that should take one. We built Clarix to fix that and our customers are cutting month-end close from 5 days to 18 hours on average.
I spent a decade in financial services watching good finance teams get buried in reconciliation work that added no strategic value. In 2021, I left to build the tool I wished I had had. Clarix is now used by 80+ finance teams across three continents.
We work specifically with high-growth companies between Series A and C who need finance infrastructure that can scale with them, without a 12-person finance team.
On LinkedIn, I post about: SaaS finance strategy, founder-led scaling, and what enterprise finance actually looks like from the inside.
If your month-end close still feels like a fire drill, DM me the word CLOSE and I will send you the three-question diagnostic we use with every new customer. |
Rewrite 2: Executive Coach
BEFORE: CV summary, third person, vague BEFORE John is an executive coach and leadership consultant with over 20 years of experience working with C-suite executives across Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups. He specialises in leadership development, executive presence, and organisational transformation. John is a certified ICF coach and has an MBA from INSEAD. He works with clients globally and is committed to helping leaders reach their full potential. Please feel free to reach out to learn more. AFTER: first person, specific problem, story-led, clear CTA |
The Rewritten Version The hardest conversation I have with new coaching clients is always the same: 'I became successful by being the smartest person in the room. Now I need to become the person who makes everyone else in the room better. I do not know how to do that.'
I spent 15 years in strategy consulting watching technically brilliant people get promoted into leadership roles they were not prepared for, and watching their teams quietly disengage while the leader worked harder. In 2014, I left consulting to work on the problem directly.
Today, I work with senior leaders at Series B-D companies who are navigating their first time as the CEO, CPO, or CRO of a fast-scaling team. My clients typically come to me when the skills that got them promoted are starting to become the things holding their teams back.
I post weekly about: leadership transitions, high-stakes communication, and what I am seeing in the coaching room that business books do not tell you.
If that resonates, follow me or DM me 'LEADERSHIP' I will send you the five questions I ask every new client in our first session. |
Rewrite 3: Climate Tech Founder
BEFORE: mission-heavy, vague, no audience specificity BEFORE I am the founder of GreenPath, a climate technology company working to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. With a background in environmental science and venture capital, I am deeply passionate about building solutions to the climate crisis. Our technology helps companies reduce their carbon footprint and meet their ESG commitments. I am committed to making the world a better place for future generations. Interested in connecting with like-minded professionals who share a passion for sustainability. AFTER: specific thesis, specific audience, real numbers, clear CTA |
The Rewritten Version Most corporate net-zero targets will fail, not because of bad intentions, but because the data required to hit them does not exist inside most companies. We built GreenPath to fix the data problem first.
After six years in climate venture capital, I had pattern-matched on the same failure mode across 40+ portfolio companies: ambitious commitments, inadequate measurement, missed targets, damaged credibility. In 2022, I stopped investing in the problem and started building the solution.
GreenPath works with mid-market manufacturers and logistics companies who have made public sustainability commitments and need the operational infrastructure to fulfil them, not just the reporting, but the actual emissions reduction.
On LinkedIn, I write about: the gap between climate commitments and climate action, what enterprise decarbonisation actually looks like from the inside, and what is worth funding versus what is greenwashing.
If you are a sustainability leader who is tired of reporting on emissions instead of reducing them, DM me. I am always interested in talking to people working on the hard operational part. |
5. Six Client-Magnet Templates by Founder Type
Use these templates as starting frameworks, not scripts to copy verbatim. Replace the bracketed placeholders with your specific details. The specificity you add is what makes each template work.
Template 1: B2B SaaS Founder Hook: [Specific outcome] is taking [target audience] an average of [time/effort/cost]. We built [Company] to cut that to [new benchmark] and [number] companies are now running on [specific result]. Origin: I spent [timeframe] inside [type of company] watching [specific problem play out]. In [year], I left to build the tool I wished had existed. Today, [Company] helps [target companies] [achieve specific outcome]. What we do: We work specifically with [stage/size/type of company] who need [specific capability] without [common trade-off]. If you are [descriptor that matches your ideal customer], we were built for you. Content signal: On LinkedIn, I write about: [topic 1], [topic 2], and [topic 3, the honest view from inside your industry]. CTA: If [specific problem your customers have], DM me [keyword word] and I will send you [specific valuable thing]. |
Template 2: Consultant or Advisor Hook: After [timeframe] of watching [your clients] [struggle with specific problem], I can tell you that the [conventional solution] is almost never the real fix. Here is what actually is. Origin: I spent [timeframe] at [type of company or role] before realising that the most expensive problems my clients faced were ones I had personally experienced and solved. In [year], I built a practice around the specific problem I know best: [your core expertise]. What we do: I work with [specific type of client at specific stage] who are trying to [achieve specific outcome] without [common failure mode]. My clients are typically [descriptor] who have already tried [common alternative]. Content signal: I post weekly about: [topic 1], [topic 2], and [topic 3, your most specific and honest perspective]. CTA: If [problem resonates], follow me or DM me [keyword] I will send you [specific tool, framework, or diagnostic] we use with every new client. |
Template 3: Investor or Fund Manager Hook: I have reviewed [number] deals in [sector] over [timeframe]. The companies I back share one thing that is almost impossible to see in a deck, and impossible to miss in the founder. Origin: After [timeframe] at [previous fund/firm/role], I left to back [type of company] at [stage], specifically because I kept seeing the same opportunity being overlooked by funds focused on [what conventional wisdom focuses on]. What we do: I invest in [stage] [sector] companies where [specific market insight that drives your thesis]. My portfolio includes companies building in [areas], and I am actively looking for [specific type of founder or company]. Content signal: On LinkedIn, I write about: [topic 1, honest investor perspective], [topic 2], and what I am learning from the founders I back. CTA: If you are building in [space] and want a genuine conversation, not a pitch evaluation, DM me. I am always open to talking to founders who are thinking carefully about [your thesis topic]. |
Template 4: Deep Tech / Hard Tech Founder Hook: The [industry] problem most people think is a software problem is actually a [materials/physics/chemistry/hardware] problem. We are solving it at the [specific layer]. Origin: I spent [timeframe] at [research institution / previous company] working on [specific technical challenge] before realising that the commercialisation gap was larger than the technical gap. In [year], I left the lab to close it. What we do: We work with [customer type: enterprise, government, industrial] who need [specific technical capability] that existing solutions cannot deliver at [scale/cost/reliability] specifically because of [the technical constraint we solve]. Content signal: I write about: what hard tech commercialisation actually looks like, the gap between academic research and market-ready products, and what I am learning building a deep tech company from first principles. CTA: If you are thinking about [technical domain] whether as a potential customer, partner, or investor, DM me. I am always interested in conversations with people who understand the problem at a technical level. |
Template 5: Marketplace or Platform Founder Hook: In [time period], [platform] helped [number] [supply side] earn [outcome] and [number] [demand side] [achieve outcome]. We did it without [common trade-off that competitors make]. Origin: I built my first marketplace in [year] and immediately made every mistake the playbooks warn against. By the time I launched [Company], I had learned that the real challenge in marketplace building is [your specific insight]. Everything else follows from solving that. What we do: We connect [specific supply] with [specific demand] for [specific category of transaction] specifically serving [type of participant] who [distinguishing characteristic of your audience]. Content signal: On LinkedIn, I post about: marketplace mechanics, what makes liquidity problems tractable, and [founder topic 3, your honest perspective on your category]. CTA: If you are building or investing in [category], DM me. I am always interested in comparing notes with people thinking seriously about [the hard problem in your space]. |
Template 6: Professional Services / Agency Founder Hook: [Target clients] are paying [amount] for [service] and getting [outcome]. We charge [positioning statement] and deliver [specific, verifiable result] with the proof to show it. Origin: I spent [timeframe] inside [large agency / corporate / previous role] watching [specific problem with how the industry operates]. In [year], I left to build the agency I wished I had been able to hire one that [your core differentiator in plain language]. What we do: We work with [specific client type] on [specific service category] specifically companies that have outgrown [common alternative] and need [what you provide] without [common trade-off in your category]. Content signal: I write about: [industry topic from practitioner perspective], [client-side challenge you understand deeply], and what great [your service] actually looks like versus what gets sold as great. CTA: If [specific situation your ideal client is in], DM me [keyword] and I will send you [specific, useful deliverable, audit, checklist, case study]. |
6. The Language of Client Magnets: Words That Attract vs Words That Repel
Beyond structure, the specific words you choose determine whether your About section feels like a genuine, direct conversation or a polished but empty professional statement. These are the language patterns that consistently make the difference.
Words to avoid (client repellents) | Words that attract clients |
Passionate about: every person says this | Specific outcomes: [number] in [timeframe] |
Results-driven: means nothing without specifics | The problem as your client names it, in their words |
Holistic approach: abstract and vague | What your client no longer has to do |
Strategic thinker: self-declared and unverifiable | What changed because of working with you |
Value-added solutions: classic empty business language | The specific type of company or person you serve |
Leverage synergies: jargon that adds nothing | The specific thing you know that others in your field do not |
Seasoned professional: implies old, not skilled | What you personally experienced that explains why you do this |
Thought leader: never declare this about yourself | The honest trade-off your approach requires |
Track record of success: which successes? be specific | The thing you post about that only you are covering this way |
Dynamic and motivated: every person believes this of themselves | The single action you want the reader to take |
Helping businesses grow: too broad to mean anything | The specific industry term that signals you really know it |
I am delighted to connect: performative professionalism | DM me [specific word] and I will send you [specific thing] |
7. The Call to Action: Converting Readers Into Conversations
Your CTA is the most commercially important sentence in your About section, and the one most founders get wrong. Here is everything you need to know about writing one that actually converts.
The Psychology of a Converting CTA
A CTA converts when it does three things simultaneously: it makes the action feel easy (low friction), it makes the benefit feel specific (clear value), and it makes the reader feel that the CTA is written for them specifically (high relevance). A CTA that fails on any one of these dimensions will underperform, regardless of how strong the rest of your About section is.
CTA Style | Example | Best for |
The keyword DM | DM me the word AUDIT and I will send you the three-question diagnostic we use with every new customer | High-conversion lead generation. The keyword creates a micro-commitment that signals genuine interest. Best for founders whose primary goal is generating qualified leads. |
The follow invitation | Follow me for weekly posts on [topic 1], [topic 2], and [topic 3] — the honest view from inside [your industry] | Audience building and newsletter growth. Best for founders whose primary goal is growing a relevant following that can be converted over time. |
The newsletter subscribe | Subscribe to [Newsletter Name] — every [frequency] I send [specific value] to [specific audience]. Link in my Featured section | Building a direct, algorithm-independent audience. Best for founders investing in a newsletter alongside LinkedIn content. |
The booking link | If you are a [specific type of company] dealing with [specific problem], book a 20-minute call via the link in my Featured section — no pitch, just a conversation | High-intent lead conversion. Best for consultants, advisors, and service businesses where the first conversation is the primary conversion goal. |
The DM invite | If any of this resonates, DM me. I am always interested in talking to [specific type of person] who is thinking seriously about [specific topic] | Relationship building and warm pipeline. Best for investors, ecosystem builders, and founders who want to start genuine conversations without a specific offer attached. |
The One CTA Rule
Every client-magnet About section should contain exactly one CTA. Multiple CTAs 'book a call or follow me or subscribe to my newsletter or visit my website' dilute each other and paralyse the reader with choice. Choose the single most important action for your current business goal and point every reader to that one action.
CTA Placement Strategy Your CTA should appear in three places on your profile, all pointing to the same action: 1. At the end of your About section: the primary CTA location 2. In your Featured section: as one of the three pinned items (a link to your lead magnet, newsletter, or booking page) 3. In your Contact and Personal Info section: your professional email or booking link
Three placements, one action. This creates a consistent conversion path regardless of which part of the profile the visitor reads first. |
8. The 60-Minute About Section Rewrite: Step by Step
With the framework, templates, and language patterns in hand, here is the complete 60-minute process for writing your client-magnet About section from scratch.
Minutes 1-15: Answer the five foundation questions
Open a blank document and write answers to these questions in full sentences, not bullet points, not notes:
Who specifically is my ideal client? Name their role, their company stage or size, and the specific situation that makes them ready for what I offer.
What is the specific problem they have when they find me? Not the solution I offer the feeling, frustration, or failure state they are experiencing before they know what I do.
What specific outcome do my best clients achieve? Name a number wherever possible. 'Better results' is not an outcome. 'Cut their sales cycle from 90 days to 35 days' is an outcome.
What is the personal experience that makes me specifically qualified for this? Not my credentials, the moment or journey that gave me the knowledge I now apply to clients.
What one action do I most want a ready visitor to take right now? Book a call, send a DM, subscribe to my newsletter, follow me, or visit a specific page?
Minutes 16-45: Draft using the five-part framework
Using your answers above, write a first draft of each of the five sections. Do not edit as you write, speed matters here. Aim for one paragraph per section, using the structure and examples in Section 2 as guides. Total target: 200 to 300 words.
Section 1 Hook: Choose your hook type from Section 3 and write a two to three sentence opening that leads with your client's world, not yours.
Section 2 Origin: Write the specific moment or realisation that explains why you do what you do. One paragraph, first person, personal.
Section 3 What You Do: Name your client specifically, name the outcome specifically, name the condition under which they are the right fit.
Section 4 Content Signal: Write 'On LinkedIn, I post about:' followed by two to four specific topics. Name them precisely.
Section 5 CTA: Choose one CTA type from Section 7 and write it word for word. Be specific about the action, the keyword if using DM, and the thing they receive.
Minutes 46-60: Edit for clarity and conversion
Read your draft aloud. Every sentence that you would not say to a client in a direct conversation needs to be rewritten. Ask these three questions about each paragraph:
Does this sentence make the reader more likely to believe I understand their problem or does it make me feel good about my own credentials?
Is there a more specific word, number, or example I could use instead of the general phrase I have written?
If my ideal client read only this paragraph and nothing else, would they know whether to keep reading?
Your About Section Is Doing One of Two Things Right Now
Every LinkedIn About section is either attracting clients or doing nothing. There is no neutral. A section that is vague, credential-forward, and ends without a CTA is actively failing the visitors who were already interested enough to read past your headline.
The five-part framework: Hook, Origin, What You Do, Content Signal, Call to Action gives your About section a job to do and the tools to do it. Every component serves the reader's evaluation process, builds trust progressively, and ends by telling the reader exactly what happens next.
Set a timer for 60 minutes and write your first draft today. Use one of the six industry templates as your scaffold. Fill in the specifics: the real numbers, the real story, the real frustration your clients arrive with. Do not wait for a perfect draft. A specific, honest first draft will outperform a polished, generic About section every time.
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FAQ: Writing a Client-Magnet LinkedIn About Section
How long should my LinkedIn About section be?
The optimal length for a client-magnet About section is 200 to 300 words, approximately 1,200 to 1,800 characters, well within LinkedIn's 2,600 character limit. This is long enough to move through all five framework components, short enough to be read in under two minutes, and tight enough that every sentence earns its place. About sections shorter than 150 words typically lack the origin story and content signal components that build trust and drive follows. Sections longer than 400 words often lose the reader before the CTA. In the range of 200 to 300 words, you have exactly enough space to earn the conversion without asking for too much reading time.
Should I write my About section in first or third person?
Always first person. Third-person About sections create immediate psychological distance between the writer and the reader, they feel like a press release or a speaker bio, not a direct conversation. The first-person voice is more human, more direct, and more credible. Potential clients who encounter a third-person About section often wonder whether the founder actually wrote it, which undermines the authenticity that makes the About section convert. The sole exception is if your LinkedIn profile functions as a company page rather than a personal one, but for founders building a personal brand, first person is non-negotiable.
How often should I update my LinkedIn About section?
Review it quarterly and update it whenever one of three things changes: your primary audience, your primary business goal, or the specific outcome your best clients achieve. The most common prompt for an update is when your CTA is no longer driving the conversions you most need. for example, if you were focused on lead generation six months ago but are now primarily focused on fundraising, your About section's CTA should reflect the current priority. Beyond these trigger-based updates, a full rewrite once per year ensures your About section reflects your current company stage and positioning rather than where you were when you first wrote it.
Can I use the same About section on LinkedIn and elsewhere?
The five-part framework works well as a foundation for About sections on other professional platforms, speaker bios, and website copy, but direct copy-pasting usually underperforms. Each platform has different character limits, different reader expectations, and different conversion goals. Your LinkedIn About section is optimised for a professional audience who found you through search or were referred to your profile, it is designed for trust-building and conversion. A website About page, a podcast bio, or an event speaker bio serves a different reader in a different context and should be adapted accordingly. Use the framework as your structural foundation; write platform-specific copy on top of it.
What if I serve multiple different types of clients?
Focus on your primary audience. Attempting to write an About section that addresses three different audience types simultaneously results in content that resonates weakly with all of them rather than strongly with any one. Identify which client type represents your highest-value, most-preferred work and write your About section entirely for them. If you genuinely serve two very different audiences with very different problems, consider maintaining two separate LinkedIn profiles (with different positioning) or rotating your About section quarterly to emphasise different audiences at different times based on your current business development priorities.
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