Your headline is doing more work than you think.
Every time you comment on a post, show up in search results, send a connection request, or appear in someone's feed, your headline is right there next to your name. It's the first thing people read about you. Often, it's the only thing.
A good headline makes people click on your profile. A bad one makes them scroll past.
Most LinkedIn headlines are bad. Let's fix that.
Why most LinkedIn headlines don't work
The default LinkedIn headline is your job title and company name. Something like "Marketing Manager at Acme Corp" or "Software Engineer at StartupXYZ."
This tells people what you do. It doesn't tell them why they should care. It doesn't make them curious. It doesn't differentiate you from the thousands of other marketing managers or software engineers on the platform.
Other common mistakes:
Stuffing it with buzzwords. "Passionate, results-driven, innovative leader" says nothing. Everyone claims to be passionate and results-driven. These words have lost all meaning on LinkedIn.
Making it about you instead of them. "15 years of experience in digital marketing" is a fact about you. It doesn't answer the reader's question: "What can this person do for me?"
Using vague language. "Helping businesses grow" could mean anything. It's so broad that it means nothing to anyone specific.
The formula that works
A strong LinkedIn headline answers one question: "What do you do, and for whom?"
The formula is simple: I help [specific audience] [achieve specific result].
Examples:
"I help B2B SaaS companies reduce churn through better onboarding" is better than "Customer Success Manager."
"I help freelancers land their first $10K client through LinkedIn" is better than "Business Coach."
"I help e-commerce brands increase revenue with email marketing" is better than "Email Marketing Specialist."
Notice the pattern: each headline names a specific audience and a specific outcome. The reader instantly knows if this person is relevant to them.
How to write yours step by step
Step 1: Define your audience
Who are you trying to attract? Potential clients? Recruiters? Collaborators? Be specific. "Business owners" is too broad. "E-commerce founders doing $1M to $10M in revenue" is specific enough to grab attention.
Step 2: Define the outcome you deliver
What result do you help people achieve? Not what you do (your process), but what they get (the result). Nobody cares that you "develop marketing strategies." They care that you "increase qualified leads by 40%."
Step 3: Keep it under 120 characters
LinkedIn truncates headlines on mobile and in search results. The first 60 characters are the most visible. Put the most important information first.
Step 4: Test with the "stranger test"
Show your headline to someone who doesn't know you. Ask them: "Based on this headline alone, can you tell what I do and who I help?" If they can't answer both questions clearly, rewrite it.
Advanced tips
Add a credibility marker. If you have an impressive metric or credential, include it. "Helped 200+ startups raise their first round" or "$50M+ in managed ad spend" adds instant credibility.
Use the pipe character to separate ideas. "B2B Content Strategist | I help SaaS companies turn blog posts into revenue" uses the pipe to combine your title with your value proposition.
Include a keyword for search. Think about what someone would type into LinkedIn search to find someone like you. If you're a fractional CFO, make sure "fractional CFO" appears in your headline. This helps you show up in relevant searches.
Skip the emojis. A rocket emoji or a pointing finger doesn't make your headline better. It makes it look like every other headline trying too hard to stand out. Let your words do the work.
Examples by profession
Freelancer: "Freelance copywriter for B2B tech companies | Turning complex products into clear messaging"
Founder: "Building MyFeedIn | Custom LinkedIn feeds that replace the algorithm"
Sales professional: "Helping IT directors cut software costs by 30% | Enterprise SaaS sales"
Consultant: "Operations consultant for agencies doing $2M to $10M | I fix the systems so you can scale"
Job seeker: "Product designer specializing in fintech | Looking for my next challenge at a mission-driven company"
Each of these is specific, outcome-focused, and tells the reader exactly what to expect.
Your headline is just the start
A great headline gets people to click on your profile. But it only works if you're visible to the right people in the first place.
MyFeedIn helps you show up where it matters. By creating custom feeds of the people you want to build relationships with, you can engage with their content daily. They see your name. They see your headline. They click through. That's how you turn a good headline into real opportunities.
Write a headline that earns the click. Then make sure the right people see it.