The profile you’ll have on LinkedIn is almost like an online resume. You’ll want it to be detailed and thorough so people can get to know more about you and how you can help them.

Here are some tips to create a compelling read for those checking our your LinkedIn presence:

LinkedIn is a professional social network that is an important component in any job search or online marketing campaign. It’s a much more buttoned up version of Facebook with many features that you can use to promote yourself and / or your business.

In order to promote yourself properly you have to create a strong LinkedIn profile which includes:

* Headshot – Upload a professional headshot that showcases yourself in the manner you’d like presented to the world. You can take the shot yourself with your webcam but be very cognizant of the background and the focus which should be on your face. Alternatively, you can get a professional headshot at a studio or hire a student to do it.

* Headline – The headline shows up on LinkedIn beside your photo and under your name. Choose keywords that describe what you do rather than your current job title. It’s also a good idea to separate the keywords with the pipe “|” symbol. It looks better than a comma because it differentiates the words in an attractive way.

* Summary – This is created before your work history and after your headline. It’s a great place to fill with bulleted keywords that describe the things that you can do. Bulleted words are more effective than sentences because most people prefer to scan a profile than read it. Plus, using more search terms will help with search results.

* Video – On the profile there are two places where you can add in video. It’s a great place to put a video introduction of yourself or show case videos that you’ve created in the past. You can also add in PDFs and other documents and images that demonstrate your expertise. You can even include a link to a slide-show.

* Work History – On LinkedIn this area is more like a resume so be sure to have yours handy so that you can fill this area out completely. Pay close attention to details and be completely honest. There is no room for exaggerations on Linkedin.com. After all, someone with whom you’ve worked previously will see what you have said.

* Recommendations – Once you’ve filled out everything completely ask old colleagues and supervisors for recommendations. Don’t send a form letter; personalize each one, reminding them of what you accomplished with them. This will help them know what to write in your recommendation letter.

* Endorsements – Anyone can give you an endorsement but it’s important to only accept the ones that you’re comfortable with. You can use the settings to hide or show endorsements. List only skills that you want to emphasize. Listing skills that you no longer want to perform is counterproductive.

By following these tips you can create a strong and effective LinkedIn profile that works for you. You will be proud to use it to promote yourself and / or your business.