How to Write a LinkedIn About Section That Isn't Cringe

12 September 2026·4 min read

Quick answer: A LinkedIn About section that isn't cringe skips "passionate," "synergy" and "results-driven" and does five plain jobs instead: a hook line, what you actually do in normal words, who you help, one piece of proof, and how to get in touch. Below is the formula, three real examples, and the buzzwords worth deleting on sight. ✨

Nobody has ever read a LinkedIn About section and thought "wow, so passionate about delivering excellence." They've scrolled straight past it, the same way you do. The About section works when it reads like an actual person explaining what they do at a barbecue, not a press release about themselves. Here's how to write one that people actually finish reading. 💖

What most people get wrong

Opening with a job title instead of a hook — nobody keeps reading for a title, they keep reading for a reason.
Using "passionate," "synergy," "results-driven" — words that mean nothing and signal everyone's copying the same template.
Writing corporate third person about themselves ("Jane is a driven professional who...") on their own personal profile.
Never saying who they actually help, only what they generically "do."
Leaving off any way to actually get in touch, so an interested reader has nowhere to go.

The LinkedIn About formula

Five moves, in order — steal it and drop your details in:

[Hook line]. [What you actually do, in plain words]. [Who you help]. [One piece of proof]. [How to get in touch].

Avoid on sight: passionate, synergy, results-driven, thought leader, disruptor, guru. If a robot could write it about literally anyone in your industry, it's not doing any work — cut it and replace it with the one detail only your business could say.

Three real examples

Same formula, three very different personalities — none of them sound like a template.

A founder building a personal brand: “I spent six years agency-side before realising I liked the client work more than the client meetings, so I went out on my own. I help small business owners figure out what's actually worth spending on marketing, and what isn't. Grew one client's enquiries by 40% in four months without touching their ad spend. Message me if your marketing plan is currently a Post-it note.”

A consultant using LinkedIn for referrals: “I fix operations problems most businesses don't notice until they're expensive. Mostly I work with owners who've outgrown their systems but not their spreadsheets. Last year I helped a client cut order errors by half without hiring anyone new. Always happy to have a no-pressure chat if that sounds familiar.”

A business owner who hates self-promotion: “I'd rather talk about the work than myself, so here's the short version: I run a small team that builds websites for other small businesses — the kind that need to actually work, not just look nice. Most of our clients come from referrals, which tells you something. Happy to have a look at yours if you're curious.”

Why plain language works better than polish

Recruiters, referral partners and potential clients skim. Buzzwords blur together in a feed full of buzzwords, but a specific, plain sentence stands out precisely because it sounds like a person, not a template. Write it the way you'd explain your job to a friend outside the industry, then only tidy the grammar afterwards — don't "professionalise" it back into the same generic voice you started with.

💡 Delete any sentence that could describe your competitor word-for-word. If "passionate about delivering results for clients" fits literally any business on LinkedIn, it's not doing any work — replace it with the one detail only your business could say.

Mistakes to avoid

Writing it once when the profile was created and never updating it as the role or business changes.
Copying language straight from the website's About page without adjusting for a scrolling, skimming audience.
Using buzzwords because "everyone else's profile sounds like that" — that's the actual problem, not a reason to join in.
Making the proof line vague ("great results for clients") instead of a specific number or outcome.
Leaving out a clear next step, so an interested reader has nowhere to go.

Frequently asked questions

Should I write it in first or third person?

Honest trade-off: first person feels more natural for founders and reads better on a personal profile. Some larger organisations prefer third person for consistency across staff profiles — match whichever your company's other profiles already use.

How long should a LinkedIn About section actually be?

Long enough to cover the five moves in the formula, usually 80–150 words. The first two lines matter most, since that's all that shows before "see more" — put your hook there, not your job history.

Is it okay to use a bit of humour or personality?

Yes, in small doses — it's often what makes people remember the profile. Just don't let it replace the actual information about what you do and who you help.

How often should I update it?

Whenever your focus, role or offer changes meaningfully, and give it a proper look every six months even if nothing obvious has shifted — About sections quietly go stale faster than people expect.

Keep reading 🤍

Written by

Kate, founder of Chronically Online

I help Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses grow with branding, websites and marketing that actually works.

Work with me ✦