Five ways to update your LinkedIn so you stand out as a professional in the media
Being on LinkedIn is imperative for you to grow as a professional in the media. It might feel like an ‘unmedia’ type of platform, but more and more media professionals are turning to LinkedIn not only to find work but also to find case studies or experts for their articles and content, as well as showcasing what they can do.
As a professional in the media such as a journalist, editor, designer or photographer, you might feel like LinkedIn isn’t the place for you. However, you’ll find that there are numerous benefits in being active on the platform, whether you’re looking for work, clients, connection or to stand out in a crowded market.
How to begin when you are unsure how to begin on LinkedIn as a media professional
When you’ve been inactive or dormant on LinkedIn, it can feel daunting to suddenly start being active and posting. If you are unsure how to begin, the first step is to open up the app or on your desktop and have a browse around to re-familiarise yourself with the sections and the feed.
You may think of LinkedIn as a job hunting platform - and it is. But it is also important for networking, finding new opportunities and making new connections that can lead to paid work for you as a media professional, especially if you are a freelancer working in the media.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to think about updating your profile so it’s clear and stand out. That way, if someone comes to look at your page, you’ll feel proud rather than nervous.
There are five key things you can do to stand out as a media professional on LinkedIn:
1: Make sure your profile picture is clear and recent. This is imperative because you want to make sure people can find you if they are searching for you. You want to be the person that the potential new client or expert will see on-screen when you do meet for an interview or meeting.
2: Add a banner. This can be a photograph of something related to your work, or a banner made in Canva. The banner area is a piece of prime real estate and it’s important you use it! One thing you can do if you’re freelance is add your website onto a template in Canva, so that the person looking at your profile has that resource available to them to find out more.
3: Have a clear bio/headline. This is the bit underneath your name. Make sure it is clear and concise. Think about an elevator pitch of the ‘headline of you’.
4: Your about section. Ideally this will be in the first person, and outline not only what you do now but your work history, your background and your expertise.
5: Recommendations. These are a huge confidence boost and also back up what you are saying about yourself. Ask former colleagues, freelance friends or other freelancers you’ve worked with, for example on shifts or if they’ve commisioned you. You can also ask experts that you’ve worked with on articles or content.
If you want to get serious about your LinkedIn as a media professional, come and join our The Freelance Media Network where we run regular LinkedIn confidence workshops.
You can also use promo codes to get a discounted first month or year’s membership. FMNFOUNDERMONTHLY and FMNFOUNDERANNUAL are the codes to use before the end of September 2026.
