Your LinkedIn Profile Is Broken: Here's How to Fix It in 2026

Welcome back to LinkedIn Heroes.

Last issue, we decoded the algorithm. Now let's fix the foundation: your profile.

Here's an uncomfortable truth:

Your LinkedIn profile is probably working against you.

80% of profiles have broken or empty Featured sections. Most headlines just state a job title. About sections read like resumes from 2015.

And the data shows exactly what this costs you:

• • Profiles with optimized About sections get 3.9x more views
• • Candidates with comprehensive profiles are 71% more likely to land interviews
• • Adding 5+ skills makes you 3x more likely to receive connection requests

Your profile isn't a digital resume. It's a 24/7 salesperson. And right now, yours is probably asleep.

Today, I'm breaking down every section of your LinkedIn profile - what matters, what doesn't, and the exact changes that drive results.

The Profile Framework

Think of your profile as a funnel with one job: convert visitors into connections, clients, or opportunities.

Every element serves this goal:

1. Photo & Banner → First impression (do they stay or scroll?)
2. Headline → Value proposition (why should they care?)
3. About → Your story (can they trust you?)
4. Featured → Proof (do you deliver results?)
5. Experience → Credibility (have you done this before?)
6. Skills → Searchability (can recruiters find you?)

Let's optimize each one.

1. Profile Photo: The 60% Rule

Your photo is the first thing people see. Get it wrong, and nothing else matters.

The technical requirements:

• • Minimum: 400 x 400 pixels
• • Your face should fill 60% of the frame
• • Update every 2-3 years

What actually works:

• • Natural lighting (near a window, not harsh overhead)
• • Neutral or simple background
• • Clothes you'd wear to work
• • Genuine expression - a slight smile outperforms "serious professional"

What kills credibility:

• • Cropped group photos
• • Vacation or party shots
• • Photos from 10 years ago
• • Sunglasses or hats hiding your face

LinkedIn's own data confirms this: "profiles with professional photos get significantly more engagement." This isn't vanity - it's visibility.

2. Banner: Your Billboard

The banner is prime real estate that 80% of users waste with LinkedIn's default blue gradient.

Optimal dimensions: 1584 x 396 pixels

What to include:

• • Your value proposition or tagline
• • Brand colors and logo (if applicable)
• • Contact info or call-to-action
• • Visual that represents your work

Design principles:

• • Simplicity wins - don't overcrowd
• • High contrast for readability
• • Test on mobile (important elements get cropped)
• • Keep text in the right 2/3 (your photo covers the left)

Think of your banner as a billboard. You have 3 seconds. What's the one thing you want someone to know?

3. Headline: 220 Characters to Win or Lose

Your headline appears everywhere - search results, comments, connection requests, feed posts. It's the most-seen element of your profile.

The problem: Most people just write their job title.

"Marketing Manager at Company X" tells me nothing about the value you provide.

The formula that works:

Examples:

Key principles:

• • Lead with value, not title
• • Be specific about who you help
• • Include keywords recruiters search for
• • Use all 220 characters - don't waste them

4. About Section: Your Story in 275 Characters

Here's what most people miss: only the first 265-275 characters display before "see more."

That opening line is everything.

The 7-step structure:

1. Hook - A bold statement or question that demands attention
2. Your role - What you do and who you help
3. Achievements - Specific numbers that prove your impact
4. Value proposition - The problem you solve
5. Personality - Something human that differentiates you
6. Specialties - Keywords for search visibility
7. Call-to-action - What should they do next?

Length: 200-300 words (1,000-1,500 characters)

Tone: Write in first person. "I help..." not "John is a professional who..."

What to avoid:

• • "Passionate thought leader" (everyone says this)
• • Buzzwords without substance
• • Third-person corporate speak
• • Wall of text with no formatting

The About section with the highest conversion rates read like a conversation, not a CV.

5. Featured Section: Your Proof

Profiles with Featured content get 30% longer viewing time. Strategic Featured sections can triple inbound messages within weeks.

Yet 80% of users leave it empty.

What you can feature:

• • Posts and articles
• • External links
• • PDFs, presentations, videos

What to feature based on your goal:

Best practices:

• • Custom thumbnails (1200 x 627 px)
• • Benefit-driven titles, not generic descriptions
• • Audit quarterly - keep it fresh
• • Quality over quantity (3 strong items > 10 weak ones)

6. Experience: Impact, Not Tasks

Your experience section shouldn't read like a job description. It should tell the story of your impact.

The shift:

How to write it:

• • Start with action verbs: Led, Built, Increased, Delivered
• • Include specific metrics whenever possible
• • Add media: presentations, links, project screenshots
• • List top 3-5 relevant skills for each role

Pro tip: LinkedIn now lets you group consecutive positions at the same company. Use this to show career progression without cluttering your profile.

7. Skills & Endorsements: Your Search Ranking

LinkedIn allows up to 50 skills. Most people add 5 and forget about them.

Here's why this matters: LinkedIn uses skills to rank profiles in search. More relevant skills (with endorsements) = higher visibility to recruiters.

The strategy:

• • Add skills that appear in job descriptions you want
• • Pin your top 3 most important skills
• • Each skill needs at least 1 endorsement to count in search
• • Request endorsements from colleagues, managers, mentors

Top skills that matter in 2026:

• • AI Literacy
• • Data Analysis
• • Project Management
• • Strategic Thinking
• • Communication

But don't just copy this list. Analyze job postings in your target field. Add the skills that appear most frequently.

8. Custom URL: The Small Detail That Matters

Default LinkedIn URLs look like this:

linkedin.com/in/john-smith-123abc456

Professional URLs look like this:

linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

Why it matters:

• • Looks more credible and professional
• • Easier to share verbally and on business cards
• • Better SEO - helps you rank in Google searches

How to do it:

1. Go to your profile
2. Click "Edit public profile & URL"
3. Customize to your name (or close variation)

If your name is taken, try: firstname-lastname, firstnamelastname, or add a middle initial.

9. Recommendations: Social Proof That Converts

Recommendations are underutilized testimonials that build instant credibility.

Who to ask:

• • Former managers
• • Colleagues who saw your work directly
• • Clients you delivered results for
• • Mentors who know your growth

How to ask:

1. Email or call first — don't use LinkedIn's generic request
2. Be specific: "Would you be willing to write a recommendation about [specific project/skill]?"
3. Make it easy: offer to draft bullet points they can use
4. Reciprocate when appropriate

Pro tip: Give recommendations first. People naturally want to return the favor.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Here it is: most profiles fail because they're written for the person who owns them, not for the person reading them.

Your profile isn't about you. It's about what you can do for others.

Every section should answer one question: "Why should I care?"

When you shift from "look at my credentials" to "here's how I can help you" - everything changes.

What's Next

In the next issue of LinkedIn Heroes, we'll break down how to write posts that actually get engagement - the exact structures, hooks, and formats that perform best in 2026.

Until then, treat your profile like a product. Keep improving it.

— LinkedIn Heroes Team

P.S. Found this valuable? Share it with someone who's struggling to get traction on LinkedIn. The best profiles are built together.