LS #67: The LinkedIn Profile Audit: 7 Things Killing Your Credibility
I helped a founder optimize his LinkedIn profile last week. We fixed 7 credibility killers in 30 minutes. He booked 2 demos in the next 7 days from profile visitors.
Hi there,
I break down LinkedIn’s best posts so you can write content that hits home.
In this issue, you’ll find:
The 3 high-performing LinkedIn posts this week
The LinkedIn profile audit: 7 things killing your credibility
The 3 high-performing posts this week
1. Your friend just launched a company. for $1,500 his first month
Why this post?
This post went viral, receiving 4.3k likes in 6 days. It received 8-36 times more engagement and views than Guillaume’s posts this week.
WHY THIS POST WENT VIRAL
This post made people realize they have simple, free ways to massively help their founder friends beyond just “good luck” messages.
BREAKDOWN
Relatable scenario: “Your friend just launched a company” - everyone knows someone starting a business
Empowerment hook: “You have the power to change their life forever - here’s how:” - makes people feel important
Three simple actions: Buy product, write review, make introductions - all easy and free
Impact reminder: “You have no idea how much impact you can have as a first supporter” - emotional appeal
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2. I’ve worked in consumer for two decades, and during that time marketing has completely changed.
Why this post?
Another post that went viral this week—it got 473 likes in a week and performed 6 times better than Anushka’s previous content.
WHY THIS POST WENT VIRAL
This post captured the pure joy of seeing your brand on a Times Square billboard - a dream moment that still matters despite all the digital marketing changes.
BREAKDOWN:
Experience credibility: “I’ve worked in consumer for two decades” - shows she’s seen it all
Change acknowledgment: “marketing has completely changed” - sets up industry shift context
Evolution list: “New channels, personalization, loss of personalization, crazy measurement models and now AI” - captures chaos
Timeless moment: “Regardless of all of these changes, seeing your brand come to life in a relevant way in the most trafficked part of NYC is beyond exciting”
Times Square photo: Selfie pointing at massive Nanit billboard - visual proof of the achievement
Team credit: “Kudos to the Nanit team for a really fun and relevant campaign”
3. Messy Career? Read this:
Why this post?
This post got 3.7-14 times more comments than Will’s other posts this week.
WHY THIS POST WENT VIRAL
This post gave permission to everyone feeling like a failure because their career path wasn’t a straight line.
BREAKDOWN:
Relatable hook: “Messy Career? Read this: 👇” - speaks directly to people feeling lost
LinkedIn reality check: “When we look at our LinkedIn feed, Everyone’s career looks perfect. A straight line to success.”
Hidden truth revealed: “But there is so much that we’re all hiding:“ followed by failures, U-turns, confusion
What we hide list: Failed projects, career changes, confusion - the real behind-the-scenes
Growth mindset bullets: “Every pivot adds to your toolkit. Every failure makes you stronger. Every ‘mess’ teaches you resilience”
Final reframe: “Your messy career isn’t a bug. It’s a feature. Own it.”
Personal example: “One of my craziest career decisions? Posting on LinkedIn”
Main topic
The LinkedIn profile audit: 7 things killing your credibility
I helped a founder optimize his LinkedIn profile last week.
He had 8,000 followers. Posted consistently. Got decent engagement.
But when prospects visited his profile, they left without reaching out.
We fixed 7 credibility killers in 30 minutes. He booked 2 demos in the next 7 days from profile visitors.
Here’s what was broken: Critical elements that make prospects think “not credible enough to work with.”
The Credibility Problem
What founders don’t realize:
Prospects judge you in 10 seconds
One credibility killer = lost opportunity
Your profile is being compared to competitors
The reality: You could be the best solution, but a weak profile makes prospects move on.
The 7 Credibility Killers
1. Headline Full of Buzzwords
The problem: “Innovative Thought Leader | Disrupting Industries | Passionate Entrepreneur | Transforming Businesses”
Why it kills credibility: Everyone says this. Means nothing. Shows no specificity.
The fix: “I help B2B SaaS founders reduce churn from 15% to 3% | Helped 200+ companies improve retention”
Formula: I help [specific who] [achieve specific outcome] | [proof point]
2. Generic or Missing Banner Image
The problem:
Still using LinkedIn’s blue default background
Random landscape photo or abstract design
No messaging about what you do
Zero indication of who you help or results you deliver
Why it kills credibility: First thing prospects see. Blank banner = missed opportunity to communicate value instantly.
The fix: Create a custom banner with 3 key elements:
Element 1: Clear positioning “LinkedIn Strategy for B2B SaaS Founders”
Element 2: Specific value proposition “I help SaaS companies generate 50+ qualified leads per month from LinkedIn”
Element 3: Social proof Client logos: [Company A] [Company B] [Company C] Or: “Trusted by 200+ B2B SaaS Companies”
Tools to create:
Canva (free templates)
Figma (more control)
Hire designer on Upwork ($50-100)
The rule: Your banner should answer “What do you do?” and “Why should I care?” in 3 seconds.
Before: Blue LinkedIn default or random mountain photo
After: Clear positioning + value prop + client proof = instant credibility
3. About Section That Starts With “I”
The problem: “I am a passionate entrepreneur with 10 years of experience. I love helping businesses grow. I founded my company in 2020 to revolutionize the industry...”
Why it kills credibility: Makes it about you, not their problems. Prospects think “so what?”
The fix: Start with their problem:
“Most B2B SaaS companies lose 15-25% of customers annually. The fix isn’t better customer success—it’s better product guidance.
I learned this scaling CS at [Previous Company]. We grew from 100 to 1,000 customers but our CS team was drowning.
Since then, I’ve helped 200+ SaaS companies:
Reduce support tickets 40-70%
Cut CS costs per customer in half
Improve activation rates 2-3x”
4. Vague Experience Descriptions
The problem: “CEO, TechCorp 2020 - Present. Building innovative solutions for modern businesses”
Why it kills credibility: No proof of impact. Could be anyone. Doesn’t show results.
The fix: “Founder & CEO, CustomerOS 2020 - Present
Built an intelligent product guidance platform for B2B SaaS companies.
Key results:
Helped 200+ companies reduce support costs 40-70%
Average customer sees ROI in 45 days
97% customer retention rate (industry avg: 80%)
Notable clients: [Company A], [Company B], [Company C]”
Formula: Role | What you built | Specific results with numbers | Client proof
5. Featured Section With Generic Content
The problem: Featured posts about:
Your morning routine and productivity tips
Motivational quotes and life lessons
Generic business advice
Company milestone announcements
Why it kills credibility: Doesn’t demonstrate problem-solving ability for their specific issues.
The fix: Feature only posts that show you solve problems:
Slot 1: “How we reduced [Company]’s support tickets from 400/week to 140/week in 60 days”
Slot 2: A call to action linking to his website
6. Activity Shows You’re Not Actually an Expert
The problem: Last 10 posts show:
Motivational content
Random business tips
Personal life updates
Posts about 5 different topics
Why it kills credibility: Prospects think: “Are they actually an expert in what I need, or just a content creator?”
The fix: Your last 10 posts should show:
8-9 posts about your core expertise
1-2 posts maximum on adjacent topics
Consistent depth on specific problem
Before (scattered):
Monday: Productivity tips
Tuesday: Customer success post
Thursday: Book recommendation
Friday: Team building advice
After (focused):
Monday: SaaS churn reduction tactics
Tuesday: Product activation strategies
Thursday: Customer onboarding case study
Friday: Support cost optimization
Rule: When prospects scroll your activity, they should immediately know your specific expertise.
7. No Clear Path to Engagement
The problem: No indication of:
Who you work with
What qualifies someone to work with you
How to start a conversation
What happens next
Why it kills credibility: Interested prospects don’t know if you’re right for them or how to engage.
The fix: Add these elements to your About section:
Who you work with: “I work with B2B SaaS companies ($1M-$50M ARR) struggling with:
→ High support ticket volume (200+ tickets/week)
→ Low product activation rates (<50%)
→ Scaling CS teams that don’t scale”
How to engage: “If you’re spending $200K+/year on customer support for repetitive questions, let’s talk. DM me ‘SUPPORT’ and I’ll send you our CS cost calculator.”
What makes you credible: “Ex-Head of CS at [Company], scaled from 100 to 1,000 customers without proportional CS team growth.”
The 10-Minute Credibility Audit
Run through this checklist:
Headline (2 min):
Specifies who you help
Mentions specific outcome
Includes proof point
No buzzwords
About Section (3 min):
Opens with prospect’s problem
Shows specific results
Clear who you work with
Has engagement CTA
Experience (2 min):
Current role shows numbers
Specific outcomes visible
Client names mentioned
Featured & Social Proof (3 min):
Featured shows problem-solving
3+ recent recommendations
Last 10 posts on core expertise
Score: All 12 checked = strong credibility. Missing 3+ = losing opportunities.
The Profile Credibility Formula
Specific Headline (who + outcome + proof) + Custom Banner (positioning + value + social proof) + Problem-First About Section (their pain, not your journey) + Results-Driven Experience (numbers beat claims) + Proof Throughout Profile (client names, metrics, outcomes) + Problem-Solving Featured Content (case studies, not motivation) + Focused Expertise (depth in one area beats variety) + Clear Engagement Path (who qualifies + how to start) = Profile that converts visitors to customers
Stop losing prospects to credibility gaps. Fix these 7 things.
That’s a wrap for today.
See you next week! If you want more LinkedIn tips, be sure to follow me on LinkedIn (link).
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Your compadre,
Anton “LinkedIn growth strategies” Cherkasov