10 LinkedIn Profile Secrets Of The Top 10% (And How To Steal Them!)

Did you know that 10% of LinkedIn profiles receive 90% of the engagement? Because truthfully, it’s strategy that makes the difference, not luck.

Top LinkedIn users optimize every section to draw in opportunities, not just listing their jobs. Their profiles are expertly crafted career assets, with posts that increase engagement and headlines that are packed with keywords.

This guide will teach you:

• The precise components that distinguish the best profiles
• Useful advice for LinkedIn profiles that you can put into practice right now
• Examples from high-performing profiles in the real world
• Networking techniques to attract recruiters’ attention

Whether you’re looking for a job, developing your personal brand, or growing your network, this data-backed blueprint will help you replicate the success of the top 10% of LinkedIn users.

Let’s dive in.

10 LinkedIn Profile Secrets Of The Top 10%

1. Craft a Headline That Grabs Attention (Not Just a Job Title)

Most people write:

• “Marketing Manager at XYZ Company.”

Top 10% profiles write:

•  “Digital Marketing Strategist | Helping Brands 3X Leads with Data-Driven Campaigns | LinkedIn Top Voice 2024”

Why This Works:

• Fixes an issue (“Helping brands 3X leads”).
• Contains the keywords (“Digital Marketing Strategist.”)
• Adds legitimacy (“LinkedIn Top Voice”).

How to Steal This:

• Apply the following formula: [Credibility Booster] | [Value You Provide] | [Role]
• To help recruiters find you, include industry keywords like “SEO,” “AI,” and “B2B Sales.”

2. Write an About Section That Tells a Story (Not a Resume)

Weak example:

• “I’ve worked in sales for five years. I have a strong passion to help customers.”

Strong example:

• “In less than 12 months, I have assisted more than 50 SaaS companies in increasing their revenue by 200%. The secret I keep? a scalable sales process that converts cold leads into devoted clients. If you are sick of missing quotas, let’s connect.”

Why This Works:

• Quantifiable results (“200% revenue growth”)
• Clear audience (“SaaS companies”)
• Call to action (“Let’s connect”)

How to Steal This:

• Hook: Begin with your greatest accomplishment.
• Add metrics: such as “Generated $1M in sales” as evidence.
• Call To Action: End by extending an invitation, such as “DM me for a free strategy call.”

3. Use Keywords Strategically (For SEO & Recruiter Searches)

Top profiles sprinkle keywords naturally:

• Industry terms (e.g., “UX design,” “cloud computing”)
• Job titles (e.g., “Senior Product Manager”)
• Skills (e.g., “Python,” “Google Analytics”)

Where to place them:

Headline

To increase visibility, include job titles and industry terms in your headline.

Why this works: Using keywords makes you more visible to recruiters.

Example:

Weak: “Marketing Manager”

Strong: “Digital Marketing Strategist | SEO Expert”

About Section

Use keywords organically to convey your value and area of expertise.

Why this works: Keywords enhance searchability without interfering with readability.

Example:

Weak: “I’ve worked in marketing for five years.”

Strong: “Digital marketing strategist with over five years of experience in content marketing and SEO.”

Experience Descriptions

Use specific keywords to draw attention to your abilities and achievements.

Why this works: Keywords improve search visibility and show expertise.

Example:

Weak: “Oversaw a marketing group.”

Strong: “Oversaw SEO tactics, resulting in a 40% increase in organic traffic.”

Skills Section

To make your profile more searchable, list precise, pertinent skills.

Why this works: These abilities are sought after by recruiters, increasing the visibility of your profile.

Example:

Weak: “Skilled in digital marketing.”

Strong: “SEO,” “Content Marketing,” “Google Analytics”

4. Turn Your Experience Section Into a Results Showcase

Most profiles:

• “In charge of managing social media.”

Top 10% profile:

•  In just six months, I increased my LinkedIn following from 1,000 to 25,000 by using a viral content strategy (avg. 5% engagement rate).”

How to Steal This: Use the CAR method:

• Challenge (e.g., “Low social media engagement”)
• Action (e.g., “Launched data-driven content calendar”)
• Result (e.g., “Increased followers by 300%”)

5. Leverage Multimedia (Portfolios, Videos, Presentations)

Top profiles show rather than just tell:

• Case studies (PDFs of successful projects)
• Videos (e.g., conference talks, client testimonials)
• Links (e.g., personal website, published articles)

Example: An additional graphic designer adds:

• Pictures of the rebranded logos before and after
• An overview of their design process in video form

6. Get Skill Endorsements & Recommendations (The Right Way)

Instead of begging, the top 10% of profiles carefully select:

• Request specific recommendations from clients or coworkers (e.g., “Can you highlight my leadership during the X project?”).
• First, support others; they will frequently return the favor.

Weak:

• “Can you endorse me?”

Strong:

• “Hello [Name], I would appreciate it if you could write a recommendation that highlights my [specific skill]. If you need one, I can write one for you too!”

7. Post Consistently (But Focus on Quality Over Quantity)

Instead of posting daily, top performers post high-value content:

• Industry insights (e.g., “3 AI trends changing marketing in 2024”)
• Personal narratives (e.g., “How I failed—and recovered—in my first startup”)
• Engaging questions (e.g., “What’s your biggest career challenge?”)

Example Post Structure:

• Hook: “Most resumes get ignored in 7 seconds. Here’s how to stand out.”
• Value: 3 actionable tips.
• Call To Action: “Which tip will you try first? Comment below!”

Read next: How  To Make A Resume That Gets You Noticed And Hired: A Step-By-Step Guide

8. Engage Like a Pro (Comments > Likes)

The top 10% of users contribute value rather than lurk:

• Leave enlightening comments on posts from prominent figures in the industry.
• Contribute your viewpoint to other people’s content. (e.g., “This report misses one key trend…”).

Weak:

• “Great post!”

Strong:

•  “This aligns with [trend]. I’ve seen [example]—what do you think about [question]?”

9. Optimize Your Profile for the “Open to Work” Algorithm

If job hunting:

•  Use “Open to Work” (but hide it from your current employer).
•  Add target job titles (e.g., “Seeking Senior Marketing Roles”).

Recruiters search for:

• Skills + “Open to Work”
• Job titles + Location

10. Audit Your Profile Monthly (And Update Relentlessly)

Top profiles aren’t static. They:

•  Add new achievements (e.g., certifications, projects).
•  Refresh keywords based on job trends.
•  Remove outdated buzzwords (e.g., “Synergy”).

Networking Strategies That Get You Noticed

One of the best strategies to get noticed on LinkedIn is to network. Put another way, the more people you interact with, the more likely it is that someone will interact with your profile and content. Getting involved with your network and beyond can lead to new contacts, collaborations, and opportunities.

Read next: Complete Guide to H1B Visas: Requirements, Process, and Cost

Here’s how to make a statement:

Connect with the Right People

Prioritize quality over quantity by getting in touch with:

• Professionals in the field in your desired positions
• Thought leaders who impart insightful information
• Hiring managers and recruiters at the companies of your dreams

More so than a broad network, strong connections have a direct impact on career advancement.

Send Personalized Connection Requests

Make a statement by sending customized requests rather than using the standard LinkedIn connection message. Here’s how to do it successfully:

• To hint at common interests, bring up past gatherings, clubs, or professional goals. “I noticed that we both attended the Marketing Leadership Summit last month and would love to connect and discuss emerging trends,” for instance.
• Give them credit for their work: Express sincere interest in them and give them credit for any articles or projects they have contributed to. For instance, “I’d love to connect with you after reading your recent article on AI in marketing. Your insights on data-driven campaigns really resonated with me.”
• Give something of value: Explain how a partnership could benefit both parties. For example, “I thought we could share insights as I’ve been working on a similar project,”

Making your requests unique increases the possibility that they will be approved and sets the stage for future conversations.

Engage with Their Content

A quick and easy method to build relationships and raise your profile is to interact with other people’s content. To strategically accomplish this:

• Rather than just liking posts, share and leave a comment. Make significant contributions by using insightful remarks to share your expertise or viewpoint on a subject. By doing this, you can create an impression and start a discussion.
• Tag people in relevant posts: Tag people you know who might find value in a post or article. This enhances your network and demonstrates your active involvement.
• Join industry-related LinkedIn groups to participate in group discussions. You will be seen as an active participant and your profile will be more visible.
• You can establish a connection with the poster and other readers by leaving thoughtful comments on posts that receive a lot of attention. It conveys the idea that you are a professional who is engaged and active in your field.

By employing these networking strategies, you’ll begin to build strong relationships on LinkedIn, enhancing your profile and creating new opportunities.

Read next: Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in 2025

Your Action Plan

It’s time to put the top 10% of LinkedIn users’ secrets into practice. Start by updating your headline by combining your credibility, role, and value in a tried-and-true way. Next, make your About section a compelling story with measurable results. 

Make strategic use of pertinent keywords throughout your profile to increase visibility. To highlight your experience, you can also include multimedia, such as case studies, films, or samples of your portfolio. Lastly, resolve to participate every day by devoting just ten minutes to leaving insightful comments on posts from the industry. Your profile will go from being unnoticed to being exceptional with these minor yet significant changes.

Are you prepared to stand out? Your initiative and application of these strategies will be appreciated by your future self.