How to Add an Industry in LinkedIn

Adding your industry on LinkedIn is a small change with a surprisingly big impact on your profile's visibility and professional network. While it might seem like a minor detail in your profile setup, this one field quietly powers how recruiters find you, how the algorithm serves you content, and how potential clients and connections understand what you do at a glance. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add or change your industry, the strategy behind choosing the right one, and why this simple step is a foundational part of building your brand on the platform.

Why Your LinkedIn Industry Matters More Than You Think

Before jumping into the details, it's worth understanding why this field is so important. It's not just a box to check off, it's a powerful tool that influences your entire LinkedIn experience. When you correctly define your industry, you are tapping into LinkedIn's classification system to your advantage.

• Boosts Your Search and Discoverability: This is arguably the most significant benefit. Recruiters, sales professionals, and potential collaborators constantly use LinkedIn's search filters to narrow down candidates, and "Industry" is one of the primary filters. If your industry is blank or incorrect, you're simply not showing up in thousands of high-intent searches. Setting it correctly is like turning on a light so the right people can find you.
• Improves Your Algorithmic Relevance: LinkedIn's algorithm wants to show you content, jobs, and networking suggestions it thinks you'll find valuable. Your selected industry is a major signal it uses to do this. A well-defined industry leads to a more curated news feed, better job recommendations in the "Jobs" tab, and more relevant "People You May Know" suggestions.
• Provides Instant Professional Context: When someone lands on your profile, they make a snap judgment. Your name, photo, headline, and industry form their first impression. Seeing "Information Technology and Services" or "Marketing and Advertising" instantly frames your entire professional story. It gives visitors a high-level understanding of your professional world before they even read your job descriptions.
• Unlocks Targeted Networking: Your industry affects which LinkedIn Groups, events, and newsletters are recommended to you. This helps you connect with peers, find relevant discussions, and stay on top of trends in your specific sector, turning LinkedIn from a simple resume site into a living, breathing professional community aligned with your career.

How to Add or Change Your Industry on Your Personal LinkedIn Profile

Updating your industry is a straightforward process that only takes a minute, whether you're on a desktop computer or using the mobile app. Here's a breakdown for both.

On a Desktop Browser: A Step-by-Step Guide

Editing your profile on a desktop gives you the most screen real estate and makes navigating the fields easy. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Go to your Profile: Log in to LinkedIn and click the "Me" icon in the top right corner of the navigation bar, then select "View Profile" from the dropdown menu.
2. Open the "Edit Intro" Window: On your profile page, right below your background banner image, you'll find your professional "intro" card (with your name, headline, location, etc.). Click the pencil icon on the right side of this card to open the editing window.
3. Scroll to the Industry Field: A pop-up window titled "Edit intro" will appear. Scroll down a bit past your name and headline. You will see a section for "Positions", and just below that is the "Industry" field.
4. Select Your Industry: Click inside the "Industry" field. It will function as a dropdown menu with a search bar. Start typing the name of your industry (e.g., "Software," "Healthcare," "Marketing"). LinkedIn uses a predefined list, so you'll need to choose one of their official options. You cannot create a custom industry.
5. Save Your Changes: Once you've selected the industry that best represents your work, scroll to the bottom of the pop-up window and click the blue "Save" button. Your profile will instantly update.

That's it! Your profile is now categorized correctly, making you more visible to the right people.

On the LinkedIn Mobile App (iOS and Android)

Updating on the go is just as simple. The layout is a little different, but the core steps are the same.

1. Navigate to Your Profile: Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile picture in the top left corner of the screen. In the menu that slides out, tap "View Profile".
2. Tap the Pencil Icon: Just like on desktop, you will see a pencil icon on your intro card, located to the right of your name and headline. Tap it to start editing.
3. Find and Tap the Industry Field: On the "Edit intro" screen, scroll down. The "Industry" field will be listed below your education and location details. Tap on it.
4. Search and Select Your Industry: A new screen will appear with a search bar and a list of industries. Start typing to find your field, tap to select the best option, and then tap the "Save" button in the top right corner.

Choosing the Right Industry: Common Questions and Strategies

The "how" is easy, but the "what" can sometimes be tricky. People in niche fields, those in career transitions, or freelancers often wonder which option to choose. Here's a strategic approach to making the right call.

What if my exact industry isn't on the list?

This is a common frustration. LinkedIn's list of about 150 industries is standardized and cannot be customized. If your specific niche is missing, the goal is to select the closest possible match. Think one level higher. For instance:

• If you're a "UX Researcher" for a tech company, "Internet" or "Information Technology and Services" are strong choices.
• If you work in a specialized field like "Corporate Sustainability," you might choose "Management Consulting" if you advise companies, or the industry your company is in, such as "Renewables & Environment."
• If you're a "Growth Marketer," "Marketing and Advertising" is your best bet.

The key is to select the category that recruiters or clients would most likely search for when looking for someone with your skills.

Should my industry match my current job or my career goals?

This is a great strategic question, and the answer depends on your goals.

• For Established Professionals: If you are happy in your career path and want to build your network within your current field, your industry should align with your current company and role. This creates brand consistency and strengthens your positioning as an expert in that space.
• For Career Changers and Job Seekers: If you are planning a career pivot, set your industry to the one you want to enter. For example, a lawyer moving into the tech space should change their industry from "Law Practice" to "Internet" or "Computer Software." This move signals to recruiters in your target field that you are a serious candidate and makes you appear in their specific talent searches.

I'm a freelancer or consultant. What do I choose?

Freelancers and consultants often serve clients across many different industries. So, which do you pick?

1. Align with Your Ideal Client: The best strategy is to set your industry to match the industry of the clients you want to attract. If you are a freelance graphic designer who wants more work with fashion brands, set your industry to "Apparel & Fashion."
2. Focus on Your Service: If you serve a wide variety of clients and don't wish to specialize, you can choose an industry that reflects your service itself. Good options include "Marketing and Advertising," "Management Consulting," or "Professional Training & Coaching." This positions you based on your skill set rather than a specific market.

The Connection Between Your Personal and Company Page Industry

It's important to understand that your personal profile's industry and your company's official LinkedIn Page industry are two separate things. A company administrator sets the industry for a Company Page, and this also pulls from LinkedIn's standardized list.

It is perfectly normal - and correct - for them to be different. For example, a financial analyst working at a tech startup would have their personal industry set to "Financial Services" while their company's page is set to "Internet." This level of detail is accurate and helps both the individual and the business appear in the right searches.

Mistakes to Avoid When Setting Your LinkedIn Industry

Getting your industry right is easy, but a few simple mistakes can make you less visible. Be sure to avoid these common slip-ups:

• Leaving It Blank: This is the biggest error. A blank industry field effectively removes you from one of the most common and influential search filters on the entire platform.
• Not Updating After a Career Change: If you moved from retail into logistics a year ago but your profile still says "Retail," you're signaling to your network (and the algorithm) that you're still in your old field. A quick update keeps your profile relevant.
• Choosing Something Too Vague: If you're a leadership coach, "Professional Training & Coaching" is a much better choice than a generic option like "Professional Services." The more specific you can be within LinkedIn's available list, the better.

Final Thoughts

While it only takes a moment to update, setting your LinkedIn industry is a foundational step in your professional branding strategy. A correctly defined industry enhances your discoverability in searches, provides the algorithm with valuable context, and gives recruiters and connections an instant understanding of your professional world. Take a moment to check yours today and make certain it's working for you.

Keeping your professional brand sharp and consistent across all social platforms takes effort, from your LinkedIn industry to the content you publish daily. At Postbase, we designed our platform to remove the friction from this process. We give you a simple, modern way to manage your content across multiple social accounts with one beautiful visual calendar. By allowing you to plan, schedule, and analyze your content strategy in one place, Postbase helps you build your brand without getting lost in the chaos of constant platform switching.