LinkedIn Takes Skills Endorsements Seriously for Search Results

LinkedIn Takes Skills Endorsements Seriously for Search Results Two weeks ago I wrote a post noting that using a keyword, say 116 times, in your LinkedIn profile can push you to the top of a first level connections search results for that keyword. But what about LinkedIn Skills Endorsements, do they help?LinkedIn SEO ResearchI tested skills keyword as follows:How many times the keyword appears on the profile.The number of endorsements the keyword has in the LinkedIn Skills section.The number of recommendations the person has received.The table below shows data for the profiles that came up in the top nine positions in search results for my test keyword.EndorsementsAs you can see, the person in the first position used my keyword 116 times in her profile.But look at the person who came up in position 6. He only used my keyword five times. Slacker. I wonder  how he made it to page one.Do you think it had anything to do with his 625 endorsements for my keyword? I do.First Level ConnectionsAll of my page one results were people who are first level co nnections. So, if you want to come up on an early page of someones search results, its good to be a first level connection.Keyword StuffingYou only had to stuff my keyword into your profile an average of 73 times to get to page one.BTW, I wrote this post in 2013. In my latest 2017 research, Ive found that keyword stuffing doesnt work nearly as well as it did in 2013.If you A/B test it, you will find that after you stuff a keyword so many times, you get diminishing marginal returns. Thank goodness!RecommendationsAnd recommendations, those more meaningful attestations of your awesomeness, it only took an average of 36 of those to get to page one.LinkedIn SEO is a Numbers  GameLike it or not, getting yourself to a prominent place in LinkedIn search results appears to be mostly a numbers game. I say mostly because positions 4 and 5 somehow made it onto page one without much in the way of numbers.If you want to drive traffic to your profile via your position in LinkedIn search results, i t looks as though its smart to grab every meaningful and meaningless endorsement you can.Note this argues for having a large network because people can only endorse you if theyre first level connections.As always, you have to know what you want to accomplish by being on social media to make good decisions about how you manage your social media presence.Let’s Connect on LinkedInPlease don’t hesitate to invite me to connect on LinkedIn  here:  Donna Svei, Executive Resume Writer. The more I know about my readers, the better I can make my blog.Image: Fotolia.com/gaudilab Updated June 2017 2013 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Toda y, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. LinkedIn â€" Skills (3 Posts) LinkedIn Takes Skills Endorsements Seriously for Search Results Two weeks ago I wrote a post noting that using a keyword, say 116 times, in your LinkedIn profile can push you to the top of a first level connections search results for that keyword. But what about LinkedIn Skills Endorsements, do they help?LinkedIn SEO ResearchI tested skills keyword as follows:How many times the keyword appears on the profile.The number of endorsements the keyword has in the LinkedIn Skills section.The number of recommendations the person has received.The table below shows data for the profiles that came up in the top nine positions in search results for my test keyword.EndorsementsAs you can see, the person in the first position used my keyword 116 times in her profile.But look at the person who came up in position 6. He only used my keyword five times. Slacker. I wonder  how he made it to page one.Do you think it had anything to do with his 625 endorsements for my keyword? I do.First Level ConnectionsAll of my page one results were people who are first level co nnections. So, if you want to come up on an early page of someones search results, its good to be a first level connection.Keyword StuffingYou only had to stuff my keyword into your profile an average of 73 times to get to page one.BTW, I wrote this post in 2013. In my latest 2017 research, Ive found that keyword stuffing doesnt work nearly as well as it did in 2013.If you A/B test it, you will find that after you stuff a keyword so many times, you get diminishing marginal returns. Thank goodness!RecommendationsAnd recommendations, those more meaningful attestations of your awesomeness, it only took an average of 36 of those to get to page one.LinkedIn SEO is a Numbers  GameLike it or not, getting yourself to a prominent place in LinkedIn search results appears to be mostly a numbers game. I say mostly because positions 4 and 5 somehow made it onto page one without much in the way of numbers.If you want to drive traffic to your profile via your position in LinkedIn search results, i t looks as though its smart to grab every meaningful and meaningless endorsement you can.Note this argues for having a large network because people can only endorse you if theyre first level connections.As always, you have to know what you want to accomplish by being on social media to make good decisions about how you manage your social media presence.Let’s Connect on LinkedInPlease don’t hesitate to invite me to connect on LinkedIn  here:  Donna Svei, Executive Resume Writer. The more I know about my readers, the better I can make my blog.Image: Fotolia.com/gaudilab Updated June 2017 2013 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Toda y, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. LinkedIn â€" Skills (3 Posts) LinkedIn Takes Skills Endorsements Seriously for Search Results Two weeks ago I wrote a post noting that using a keyword, say 116 times, in your LinkedIn profile can push you to the top of a first level connections search results for that keyword. But what about LinkedIn Skills Endorsements, do they help?LinkedIn SEO ResearchI tested skills keyword as follows:How many times the keyword appears on the profile.The number of endorsements the keyword has in the LinkedIn Skills section.The number of recommendations the person has received.The table below shows data for the profiles that came up in the top nine positions in search results for my test keyword.EndorsementsAs you can see, the person in the first position used my keyword 116 times in her profile.But look at the person who came up in position 6. He only used my keyword five times. Slacker. I wonder  how he made it to page one.Do you think it had anything to do with his 625 endorsements for my keyword? I do.First Level ConnectionsAll of my page one results were people who are first level co nnections. So, if you want to come up on an early page of someones search results, its good to be a first level connection.Keyword StuffingYou only had to stuff my keyword into your profile an average of 73 times to get to page one.BTW, I wrote this post in 2013. In my latest 2017 research, Ive found that keyword stuffing doesnt work nearly as well as it did in 2013.If you A/B test it, you will find that after you stuff a keyword so many times, you get diminishing marginal returns. Thank goodness!RecommendationsAnd recommendations, those more meaningful attestations of your awesomeness, it only took an average of 36 of those to get to page one.LinkedIn SEO is a Numbers  GameLike it or not, getting yourself to a prominent place in LinkedIn search results appears to be mostly a numbers game. I say mostly because positions 4 and 5 somehow made it onto page one without much in the way of numbers.If you want to drive traffic to your profile via your position in LinkedIn search results, i t looks as though its smart to grab every meaningful and meaningless endorsement you can.Note this argues for having a large network because people can only endorse you if theyre first level connections.As always, you have to know what you want to accomplish by being on social media to make good decisions about how you manage your social media presence.Let’s Connect on LinkedInPlease don’t hesitate to invite me to connect on LinkedIn  here:  Donna Svei, Executive Resume Writer. The more I know about my readers, the better I can make my blog.Image: Fotolia.com/gaudilab Updated June 2017 2013 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Toda y, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. LinkedIn â€" Skills (3 Posts)