Your LinkedIn About Section Is Losing You Deals

Most LinkedIn About sections are either blank, or they read like the opening paragraph of a company brochure from 2009. Third-person voice. A list of past roles. The word "passionate" used at least twice. A closing line about being "results-driven."

Buyers scroll past all of it in two seconds.

The LinkedIn About section for B2B sellers is not a biography. It is a sales asset. Used correctly, it is the moment a buyer who has just received your connection request, or clicked through from a comment you left, decides whether you are worth their time. Used incorrectly — or left blank — it actively costs you conversations.

Here is how to rewrite it, section by section, in under an hour.

The About Section Nobody Reads (and Why)

There are two types of LinkedIn About sections that get ignored.

The first is the empty one. A surprising number of founders and senior sales people leave it completely blank — either because they set up their profile years ago and never touched it, or because they do not know what to put there. From a buyer's perspective, a blank About section reads as a person who does not take LinkedIn seriously, which creates low confidence before any conversation has started.

The second is the CV About section. It lists previous companies, describes responsibilities, perhaps includes a sentence about being committed to delivering value for clients. It is written about the person, not for the buyer. The buyer reading it finds nothing useful to them and moves on.

Both types share the same problem: they are written from the inside out. The buyer is thinking about themselves — their problems, their goals, their hesitations. The gap between those two perspectives is where the About section fails.

What Your LinkedIn About Section Should Actually Do

For a B2B seller or founder, the About section has a single commercial purpose: give the right prospect a reason to accept your connection request, reply to your message, or reach out directly.

It does this not by impressing the buyer with credentials but by making them feel immediately understood. The best About sections make the reader think: "This person works with people like me, on problems like mine. I should find out more."

Everything else — the career history, the awards, the logos of past employers — is secondary to that. If it does not help the buyer feel understood and confident, it does not belong in the About section.

The 5-Part LinkedIn About Section Framework

Part 1: The Hook (The First Two Lines Before "See More")

LinkedIn collapses the About section after the first 220 characters. Everything below that fold is only seen if the buyer clicks "see more." Which means the first two lines are the only guaranteed read.

The hook must do one thing: make the right buyer want to click to read more, while letting everyone else scroll past.

A strong hook names the buyer and names the problem. It does not start with "I" or "We." It does not open with a job title or a company name.

Examples:
- "Most Sales Managers I work with come to me with the same problem: their team knows LinkedIn matters, but nobody has a system that actually sticks."
- "If you run a B2B sales team and LinkedIn feels like a lot of effort for not much pipeline, this profile is probably worth two minutes of your time."
- "Founders building B2B sales teams: I help you turn LinkedIn from a brand channel into a pipeline channel. Here is what that looks like."

Each one names the buyer, names the situation, and creates a reason to read on.

Part 2: The Problem You Solve

In two to three sentences, describe the problem your buyer has before they work with you. Not your solution — the problem. In their language, from their perspective.

Less effective: "I help B2B companies build their LinkedIn presence through strategic content and profile optimisation."

More effective: "Most sales teams post on LinkedIn for three weeks and then go quiet. The reps lose momentum, the manager loses visibility, and the channel that was supposed to generate pipeline produces nothing."

The second version describes what the buyer already knows and feels. It demonstrates that you understand the situation before you offer a solution.

Part 3: Who You Help

Be specific. Not "B2B companies" or "sales professionals." Name the exact person, the company type, the stage, the situation.

"I work with Sales Managers at mid-market B2B SaaS companies, typically managing teams of five to fifteen reps, who are trying to make LinkedIn a consistent part of their sales process."

Specificity does two things. It makes the right buyer feel directly addressed. It also signals credibility — vague positioning suggests you will work with anyone, which means you probably have not solved this specific problem many times before.

💡 The more specific your "who I help" statement, the more the right buyer feels you are speaking directly to them. Narrowing your stated audience widens your actual reach.

Part 4: Proof (One Concrete Result)

One result. Specific numbers if possible. Not a list of logos or a summary of your experience — one story or one outcome that the buyer can hold onto.

"Over the last two years, the sales teams I have worked with have moved from an average LinkedIn connection acceptance rate of 12% to 41%. The reps did not change. The system did."

One specific result is more persuasive than five vague ones. It tells the buyer what to expect, which lowers the risk of engaging with you.

Part 5: Call to Action

Tell the buyer exactly what to do next. Not an implicit "feel free to reach out" but a direct, frictionless instruction.

"If any of this sounds familiar, send me a connection request with a note about your team size and current LinkedIn setup. I reply to all of them."

The call to action removes the decision friction. The buyer does not have to figure out how to engage — you have told them.

Before and After: Full Example

Before (typical CV-style About section):
"Results-driven sales professional with 12 years of experience in B2B technology sales. Passionate about helping organisations achieve their growth targets through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships. Previously at Salesforce, HubSpot, and Oracle. Committed to delivering value and building long-term client relationships. Open to new opportunities."

After (using the five-part framework):

"Sales Managers building LinkedIn into a real pipeline channel: this is for you.

Most of the teams I work with come to me after the same experience: a push to get reps active on LinkedIn, two weeks of momentum, and then silence. Not because the reps lack effort — because the system is missing.

I work with Sales Managers at mid-market B2B companies, typically with teams of five to twenty reps, who want LinkedIn to produce consistent pipeline rather than occasional activity.

In the last 18 months, the teams I have worked with have increased their LinkedIn connection acceptance rates from an average of 11% to 44%. The platform did not change. The system did.

If you are dealing with the same problem, send me a connection request with a note about your team. I respond to all of them."

The after version is 145 words. It takes 40 seconds to read. The right buyer finishes it knowing exactly who this person works with, what problem they solve, what result to expect, and what to do next.

What to Avoid

Third-person voice. "Emily is a results-driven sales consultant who..." reads like a press release, not a person. Write in first person throughout.

CV language. "Proven track record." "Extensive experience." "Strong background in." These phrases appear in thousands of About sections and carry no meaning for the buyer.

Buzzwords without substance. "Passionate." "Innovative." "Disruptive." "Thought leader." Every word that cannot be verified or quantified weakens the credibility of the words around it.

A list of employers. That is what the Experience section is for. The About section is a direct address to a specific buyer, not a summary of your CV.

No call to action. Ending with "I look forward to connecting" leaves the buyer with no instruction. Tell them what to do.

**SocialSprint's Profile Analyser scores your LinkedIn About section and tells you exactly what to fix**.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a LinkedIn About section say for B2B sellers?
The LinkedIn About section for B2B sellers should address the buyer directly, not describe the seller's career. A strong About section has five components: a hook that names the buyer and their problem in the first two lines, a description of the problem in the buyer's language, a specific statement of who you help, one concrete result with numbers if possible, and a direct call to action. It should be written in first person and read as a direct address to the ideal buyer.

How long should a LinkedIn About section be for B2B sales?
Between 150 and 300 words is the ideal length. Long enough to include all five framework components, short enough that a buyer reads it in under two minutes. The first 220 characters are the most important — they appear before the "see more" fold and must contain a hook strong enough to make the right buyer click through.

What is the biggest mistake B2B sellers make with their LinkedIn About section?
Writing from the inside out — describing their own career, experience, and credentials rather than addressing the buyer's situation. Buyers visiting a seller's profile are asking "is this person relevant to my situation?" An About section that answers that question converts profile visits into conversations. One that only describes the seller's background does nothing commercially useful.

Should a LinkedIn About section be written in first or third person?
Always first person for B2B sellers. Third-person About sections read like press releases and create distance rather than connection. First-person voice is more direct, more human, and more likely to prompt a response from a buyer who recognises their situation in what you have written.

How do I write a LinkedIn About section hook that gets people to click "see more"?
The hook occupies the first 220 characters — roughly two sentences. It should name your buyer and their situation, not describe yourself. Starting with "I am" or a job title almost always loses the buyer. Starting with a direct address to the person you work with or a description of the problem they recognise creates enough recognition to earn the click.

How often should I update my LinkedIn About section?
Review it every six months, or whenever your ideal customer profile, core offer, or primary proof point changes significantly. The most important update trigger is when the "who I help" statement no longer describes your current clients, or when you have a newer and stronger proof point to feature. The About section should always reflect your current positioning — not where you were 18 months ago.