Most LinkedIn profile advice focuses on headlines, profile pictures and experience descriptions. While those sections are important, one of the most valuable parts of your profile often gets overlooked: the Featured section.
Think of it as your opportunity to guide visitors to the content and information that best represents you. Instead of hoping someone scrolls through your profile and finds the right article, presentation, website or post, you can put those resources front and center.
Whether you’re trying to attract clients, build credibility in your industry, showcase your expertise or drive traffic to a particular resource, the Featured section can play an important role. Yet many professionals either don’t use it at all or set it up once and forget about it. Here’s why it deserves more attention and how to use it strategically.
What is the LinkedIn Featured Section?
The LinkedIn Featured section is a dedicated space on your profile that allows you to highlight specific posts, links, media or documents. It’s a visually rich section that sits right below your About section, making it easy for anyone visiting your profile to quickly see what’s most important. Think of it as a dynamic portfolio where you can showcase your best work and key achievements.
Why the Featured Section Matters for Building Your Brand
Your LinkedIn profile is more than a digital resume – it’s a platform to build your professional reputation, share your expertise and market yourself effectively. The Featured section enables you to spotlight key projects, highlight accomplishments and showcase the unique value you bring to your industry. Here are some reasons why you should optimize your LinkedIn Featured section:
- Visibility: The Featured section is visually prominent on your profile, making it easy for people to see what you want to highlight.
- Credibility: Including media coverage, articles and key wins builds social proof, showing potential employers or clients that you’re a leader in your field.
- Conversion: It’s a great way to drive traffic to your website, email list or other resources.
How to Use the LinkedIn Featured Section to Stand Out
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make the most of the Featured section and create a LinkedIn profile that truly represents you.
1. Share News and Media Coverage
If you’ve been featured in a news article, interviewed on a podcast or had a big win recently, the Featured section is the perfect place to share it. Media coverage and industry recognition add credibility and show that others see you as an expert.
- Tip: Include a mix of media types, including articles, videos and images to make your profile visually engaging.
- Key Takeaway: Showcasing your media appearances helps position you as a thought leader in your industry.
How to Add Media Coverage: To add media coverage, go to your LinkedIn profile, scroll down to the Featured section and click the “+” button. Select “Link” and paste the URL of the article or video you want to feature. Add a short, catchy title and description to give context.
2. Include Links to Your Blog, Podcast or Email List
If you create regular content, such as blog posts or podcasts, use the Featured section to drive engagement. By adding links to your most popular content, you’re making it easy for visitors to dive deeper into your work.
- Tip: Use this space strategically by highlighting content that aligns with your professional brand and showcases your expertise.
- Key Takeaway: Make it easy for people to consume your content and stay connected with you.
How to Link Your Content: When adding a link to your blog or podcast, include a description that entices visitors to click through. For example, “Check out my latest blog post on mastering LinkedIn marketing” is much more engaging than just linking a generic blog page.
3. Spotlight Key Posts and Updates
Have an important announcement, new product or service launch or a LinkedIn post that got a lot of engagement? Add it to your Featured section. This not only increases the visibility of your content but also highlights what’s currently relevant in your professional life.
- Tip: Review and update your Featured section regularly to keep it aligned with your latest achievements.
- Key Takeaway: Keep the content fresh and relevant to maintain engagement.
4. Highlight Major Career Achievements
Whether it’s a big project you completed, a new certification or a successful deal, the Featured section is the ideal place to highlight career milestones. This is particularly useful if you’re looking to attract potential employers or clients.
- Tip: Include a brief description of each achievement to provide context on why it’s important.
- Key Takeaway: Focus on results and impact to show your value.
How to Feature Career Highlights: You can add a document, image or video that represents a major milestone. For example, if you received an industry award, upload a photo of the award with a description that explains its significance.
Best Practices for Your LinkedIn Featured Section
To make your Featured section as effective as possible, keep these best practices in mind:
- Prioritize Your Best Content: Only include your top-performing content or the pieces that align most closely with your personal brand.
- Use Eye-Catching Visuals: The Featured section is one of the few places on your LinkedIn profile where you can use images and videos, so make them count.
- Keep It Up-to-Date: Review your Featured section regularly and rotate content to keep it fresh and relevant.
Key Takeaways
- Use the Featured Section to Build Credibility: Highlight media mentions, industry awards and key wins to showcase your authority and expertise.
- Drive Engagement with Strategic Links: Add links to your blog, podcast, email list or other platforms to direct people where you want them to go.
- Make It Visually Appealing: Use a mix of images, videos and posts to keep your profile dynamic and engaging.
- Update Regularly: Keep your Featured section current to reflect your latest achievements and priorities.
Don’t Overlook This Powerful Tool
The Featured section may not get as much attention as your headline or About section, but it can play an important role in how people experience your profile.
Think about what someone sees when they visit your LinkedIn page. Are they immediately finding your best content, key accomplishments, recent media appearances, firm website or other resources you want them to explore? Or are they left scrolling through your profile hoping to find it on their own?
A well-curated Featured section helps answer that question. It gives you the ability to highlight the content and information that best represents your expertise and professional experience while making it easier for clients, referral sources, recruiters and colleagues to learn more about you.
Like the rest of your LinkedIn profile, it shouldn’t be treated as a set-it-and-forget-it feature. Revisit it periodically, update it as your priorities change and make sure it reflects the work, insights and accomplishments you want people to see first.
If you haven’t looked at your Featured section in a while, now is a good time to take another look. You may find that one of LinkedIn’s most overlooked features is also one of its most useful.
Connect with me on LinkedIn, X, Threads, YouTube, Instagram, sign up for my email list and follow my blog.