Published Date: November 10, 2021 . Last Updated November 16, 2022
An excited professional looking to grow in their career needs solid connections. LinkedIn is one of the most professional social media platforms in just about any industry. Professionals from various industries, expertise, and designation have created their profiles. White-collar job seekers and networking folks have a lot of potential for accounting firms.
Have you ever seen an accountant’s LinkedIn summary? You will discover their profile summary explaining their expertise and years of experience.
The future of accounting is moving forward i.e online. Accounting firms are becoming more relatable to their communities. It includes LinkedIn as well.
LinkedIn is a popular networking site. So accountants can do a lot more than just create a profile.
Some of the useful ways to benefit from LinkedIn include;
- Referrals – Accounting firms approach other businesses often. There’s a strong chance to interact with clients through post-sharing and messages on the platform. A business party in your connections is a potential client, and their network is also a potential for future aspects.
- Acquisition – LinkedIn has an in-built recruiting software that allows people to hunt for jobs and hire new recruits. It’s a great approach to get the talented pool right under your nose.
- Credibility – The more a user is active on LinkedIn the more social proof exists. It’s easy to check references and visit other social media accounts.
Good enough?
To use the LinkedIn profile for accountants to its full potential you need to improve the quality of the account.
Table of Contents
Key Elements to Use for a Quality Accountant LinkedIn Summary
At times, you need to follow a book-by-rule to gain the maximum advantage of using a social media account. LinkedIn despite being a social media platform, has a unique structure that differentiates it from Instagram or Facebook.
Consider it this way – LinkedIn is your online resume. Every profile is different. But there are some key elements that must be completed to create an authentic-looking profile that caters to your attention right away. CPAs can promote accounting services with the right tactics.
The following are the key elements an accountant must take care of;
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Headshot
A display picture is not about selfies (sorry guys!). It’s best to use a professional headshot that hardly costs $50 or so. However, only a few people do it.
Remember, the first impression is the last impression. Your headshot is the first thing any visitor will notice. You do not need to pose like Mona Lisa, but it still needs to be clear, bright and appealing to the eye.
Some of the Do’s to follow include;
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- Professional headshot
- Professional dress
- Smile (nothing creepy, but your facial expressions say it all!)
Likewise the Don’ts you need to avoid are;
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- No grainy pictures
- Showing lots of skin makes you look like an amateur
- No display picture at all (a big NO!)
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Headline
Little do users realize that the headline does not have to be the same as your job title. The easy way to tell users what you do is the job title, yes, but you can be creative about it.
A formatted headline is your door to getting more leads. The visitor is already on your page. So you need to avoid it by dragging the telltale “I am an accountant”.
Instead, the headline can go like “I Count your Numbers”.
That’s one way to go with it.
The key is to write 2 or 3 different headline samples to see which one is more catchy and yet conveys the right message to the visitor maximizing chances of conversion.
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Premium Account
Willing to pay some bucks for your LinkedIn profile? If not, try it now. It’s best to have a premium account for an accountant’s LinkedIn profile. Although it’s not necessary it’s good for branding.
A basic premium account version on LinkedIn will cost you $59 per month. It’s worth a shot.
Also, you will be able to identify the visitors on your profile so you will know what type of attention you are catering to on the platform. As a part of an accounting firm or even working as a freelancer you can send messages to other profilers who are not in your connections.
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Connections
The more connections you have on your LinkedIn profile the better it is. Linkedin is more than a decade old and title as the top professional network.
Imagine having as low as 100 connections. It raises questions in the mind of visitors like “Okay…maybe this is not the guy they are looking to handle their numbers”.
Your online presence does not look that appealing to someone who is looking for a credible accountant. It has nothing to do with the accounting services you offer.
To avoid this little road bump in getting clients, start sending requests to your colleagues or someone you find inspiring enough to connect with. Ask them to follow you back in return. It’s a mutual benefit for everyone.
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LinkedIn Board
Accountant LinkedIn summary better do justice to the headshot. Answer the questions that every visitor has in their mind when they see your profile summary. Tell them
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- What you believe in
- What you do
- How do you do it
- Who you serve
- Your background
- A classic CTA
It’s recommended to put a link to scheduling tools like ScheduleOnce.com so that prospects can book a consultation right away. Why waste time right?
Also, keep in mind that you must target the right audience. It’s easy to draw attention to the prospects outside your clientele circle. Focus on the accounting niche too. Whether you are a general accountant or a CPA offering a specific service etc.
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Skills
The easiest section to score is the skill section on the accountant’s LinkedIn profile. Your friends and colleagues can vouch for your skills too.
An endorsement is a handy tool here. Once you get endorsed by a connection, an email is received. You can even endorse right back! It helps to build a strong skill set.
Sometimes connections do it automatically while sometimes you have to ask them. Either way, it’s good for your skillet score.
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Experience
One of the most important sections in an accountant’s LinkedIn summary is their experience. The years or months of experience at a certain job title is your work summary.
You can showcase your accounting firm and brand by answering simple questions like
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- What kind of work player are you?
- What is your team like?
- Did you win any awards or get any certifications?
- Do you have any recommendations?
- How much time did you spend at a designated job? And so on.
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Cover Photo
You might be aware of this section (at the top of your LinkedIn profile) on your Facebook profile. You can choose a custom image of any kind like a cover photo.
You can use a cover photo to your advantage for a LinkedIn profile. Add a slogan or company logo. If working as a freelancer you can highlight the services you offer as an accountant. Keep it simple, short, and precise.
There are several online tools that allow you to create a professional cover photo for LinkedIn too. Try it.
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Recommendations
Try to get as many recommendations as possible from your connections. The best way to start is by reaching existing employers, clients, and colleagues. Reach out to one or two once a month to slowly but constantly build the social proof you need.
It all depends on your skill sets and clientele niche. Sometimes clients want to remain anonymous, which is completely fine.
Accumulating recommendations makes your profile and client’s experience more transparent for a prospect.
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Call to action
Include a call to action on your profile; it’s frequently forgotten. Examples include “make plans to meet me for coffee” and “call now for a free consultation.” Don’t forget to include your phone number and email address so that potential customers can reach you directly.
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Stay busy on LinkedIn
Under your featured content, LinkedIn keeps track of your most recent activities. Visitors to your profile will immediately know if you are active on LinkedIn if you do. You must engage if you want other people to do so. It’s a crucial procedure that will evaluate whether LinkedIn supports the internet presence of your company (or not).
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Add Featured Content
Although it is an optional component on LinkedIn, we highly advise using it. To demonstrate the breadth of your thinking and establish your authority in the accounting community, including videos, links to publications, podcasts, and other appearances where you have produced thought leadership content.
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Add Education
Filling out the education section is usually advised, especially for courses that are pertinent to your current position. This strengthens your credibility and integrity in the eyes of your target audience.
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Keep posting
By clicking the notification button, you can publish blog content on LinkedIn, which is then instantly shared with your connections. This can be a great way to distribute quality material to your network.
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Refine your “About” section
The “About” area of the text will provide readers with a brief introduction to you and is extendable, so you can add multiple concise paragraphs there. Your profile should have both a biography and a narrative in this section. When we compose these, we frequently include several key terms that define your capabilities as well as the individual’s career experience. This is a fantastic opportunity to elaborate on accomplishments, recognition, and credentials while also describing your present influence on your company, industry, and community.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile is the necessary advertisement you cannot skip. It speaks to your audience without even trying any extra effort on your part.
If you feel that your LinkedIn profile is not up to the mark, it’s time to rebuild it in a crafty way. Clear your head, do some research, and get it going!
