How to write a killer LinkedIn bio

Not all bios are created equal. You write bios for many different reasons, such as for a media kit or as part of an award submission. When writing a bio for LinkedIn, especially as a healthcare tech professional, there are a few best practices that will showcase you as the thought leader you are. Be prepared for the influx of invitations to connect!

1. Open with a pithy hook 

   Your LinkedIn profile will show about 3-4 lines before asking people to click to “...see more.” Most visitors to your profile will only see that first bit, so it needs to pack a punch. Try to sum up your entire professional identity in a few words. How hard is that?! 

   Here are some examples of openers we like: 

   Healthcare equity crusader.

   I am driven by the need to innovate and the desire to improve the healthcare ecosystem.  

   Co-founder and CEO of [insert company name here].

   Making independent physicians even more independent.

   A personal experience with cancer made me vow to change the way the system works.

2. Don't use third person

   There are two generally accepted ways to write a LinkedIn bio, and neither of those include writing in the third person. You can either write in short fragments avoiding any personal pronouns or write in the first person. 

   Don’t:

   Beth Cooper has 20+ years of healthcare marketing experience.

   Do:

   20+ years of healthcare marketing experience.

   Do:

   I have 20+ years of healthcare marketing experience.

3. Pack in the keywords

   It is in your best interest for LinkedIn to be able to categorize your profile among your cohorts. People in the healthtech industry will be able to find you easily and LinkedIn will feed you relevant content. Be sure to include the topics that you’re professionally passionate about.

   Examples of keywords: 

   SDOH, med tech, life sciences, health equity, workflow efficiencies, early-stage tech, patient engagement, revenue cycle management, telehealth…you get the idea. 

   Example of working them into your bio:

   Lover of all things med tech. Strong believer in leveraging innovation to drive health equity.

4. Keep it short and sweet

   Technically, LinkedIn will let you fill the “About” field with 2,000 words. Do not do that. Not even your mom would read that much info about you on a social profile. Keep your bio to a few paragraphs or a couple of hundred words, max. 

5. Add a little something personal

   These days, it is common for people to share a little something personal about themselves in their LinkedIn About section. Don’t go overboard, but adding a detail or two about your life can help personalize your profile and make people feel like they know you better. Try mentioning hobbies, family, pets, or the sports team you root for.

   Examples:

   Avid hiker and biker.

   Into microbrews and knitting. 

   On the weekends, you can find me at the opera.

   Husband of Julie, dad to Abby and Mark.

   Go Eagles! 

   Currently reading: Scaling Up.

   Confirmed cat person. 

   My dog thinks I’m cool.

Want to learn more about LinkedIn? Check out our blog on the 5 best new features for healthcare marketers.