LinkedIn for AEC: How reputation and relationships are built today

Professional connections increasingly begin with a click rather than a handshake. The same holds true in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, where a strong online presence can enhance credibility and extend reach. Yet many professionals still rely on reputation alone, overlooking how digital visibility strengthens relationships and opens doors. The work may be technical, but the business is still personal. At the end of the day, clients choose teams they like and trust.

LinkedIn has become the primary digital space where that trust is built. When professionals take ownership of how they show up online, they expand their influence and that of the firms they represent. For executives, emerging professionals and firms alike, LinkedIn offers an opportunity to show leadership, build credibility and create momentum long before a business development conversation takes place.

For executives: Building influence alongside visibility

LinkedIn strategy for AEC executives should be about showing up consistently and purposefully. The most effective executive profiles function as an extension of the firm’s culture and long-term vision, while also serving as a platform for self-expression and commentary. When approached intentionally, LinkedIn can be a powerful leadership tool.

Our president, Julia Bonner, recently authored an article in the Nashville Business Journal that acknowledges something many executives feel but rarely say out loud: LinkedIn can seem mundane, repetitive and uncomfortable. While these thoughts are valid, Julia uncovers the important truth that your team, potential recruits and clients all exist in this space. Showing up matters! Her perspective shares practical ways to engage that feel genuine, manageable and aligned with each person’s authentic voice.

A strong personal brand on LinkedIn offers clear benefits:

• Visibility leads to opportunity. Staying active increases your chances of being seen by more partners and prospects.
• Thought leadership reinforces expertise. Sharing your perspective positions you as someone who understands where the industry is headed and is leading the conversation.
• Amplification strengthens your firm. Intentionally showing up online strengthens both personal credibility and organizational reputation, something corporate channels can’t always achieve on their own.

When we partner with AEC executives, we start with a comprehensive LinkedIn audit to understand how their current presence aligns with their leadership brand and their firm’s broader goals. From there, we create a cohesive visual and content approach that feels polished and professional while staying authentic. Content is grounded in what resonates most with AEC audiences, including team and culture highlights, leadership perspectives, community involvement, industry insights and client wins. The result is a presence that feels genuine and human while reinforcing credibility and trust.

Most recently, Pierce PR has elevated the LinkedIn presence of Jennifer Kinsey, general manager & commercial business unit leader at Reeves Young Nashville. Through weekly collaboration, we help her plan and refine content so it remains timely, relevant and true to her voice without becoming another item on her to-do list. We also provide analytics and performance insights to understand what is working and adjust strategy across LinkedIn and other channels as needed. This ensures that her visibility supports Reeves Young’s marketing efforts and positions her as a leader.

Curious what intentional personal branding can achieve for you? Explore our Master Plan™, a strategic framework that clarifies positioning, messaging and visibility, including how LinkedIn fits into the bigger picture. 

For emerging professionals: Building your brand for lasting impact

Personal branding isn’t about ego or self-promotion; it’s about building trust. Clients, collaborators and peers want to work with people they recognize as informed, reliable and engaged. A well-established LinkedIn presence signals commitment to the industry and a willingness to contribute to its future.

It also serves a very practical purpose: it’s often the first place a reporter or award judge will look to understand who you are, what you do and why you do it. And the numbers back this up – in Cision’s 2025 State of the Media report, they discovered that 59% of journalists and reporters use LinkedIn for professional purposes, making it the number one social platform for reporters globally. They’re on the platform researching and networking to write their next piece and sharing their work for expanded reach. 

As part of Pierce PR’s programs, we conduct LinkedIn audits for emerging professionals to ensure their profiles are complete and strategically positioned for visibility moments that matter. Whether preparing for an award submission, media inquiry or leadership opportunity, these audits help professionals show up with clarity and confidence early in their careers.

Your LinkedIn profile should be clear, polished and aligned with who you are professionally. A few key areas to focus on to get started:

• Keep an updated, high-quality profile photo and current position listed in your headline. 
• Add a high-quality background photo that includes the company name or logo. A high-quality team photo also works well.
• Customize your URL to make the link clean and shareable.
  • Navigate to Profile → Edit public profile & URL → Enter your custom URL. Remove extra numbers or characters so it includes only your name. 
• Add a first-person summary in the “About” Section to emphasize role responsibilities and provide an overview of professional experience.
  • This is where potential clients can learn exactly what you do so they can reach out. 
• Expand on job descriptions to include top role responsibilities in the “Experience” section.
  • Focus on impact, achievements and measurable results.
• Update the remaining sections to reflect your current and past involvement. This includes your education, certifications, organizations, skills, volunteer work and more. 

All of these additions help provide a fuller picture of your brand and create more opportunities to build connections within your industry and network. 

For firms: Creating a cohesive presence for growth

LinkedIn remains widely underutilized across the AEC industry. It’s always been relationship-driven, but the way those relationships form is evolving. Buyers, developers, municipal leaders and potential partners increasingly perform research online before reaching out or selecting a team. 

Investing time in LinkedIn matters because:

• It often acts as the first point of introduction to industry partners, reporters and prospective clients. 
• It provides a way to translate complex, multi-year projects – with their many stakeholders and moving parts – into clear, compelling narratives that highlight the expertise of leaders and the firm.
• Consistently sharing project insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives leads to posts and articles that spark real engagement and reinforce your credibility.
• Expanding this online network attracts new talent and opportunities before an RFP is even mentioned.

We’ve helped firms build and execute LinkedIn strategies that reflect who they are and where they are going. For Connico, a national aviation infrastructure consulting firm, this involves planning content around company culture and values, industry observances and major organizational wins to create a consistent and recognizable presence. We’ve worked alongside their firm for more than five years to translate internal milestones and expertise into clear, engaging narratives so the firm can showcase its people, projects and purpose.

We also helped maximize existing efforts by aligning LinkedIn content with blogs, media placements, podcasts and newsletters, ensuring each story reached further across channels. This cohesive approach strengthened messaging while reinforcing recruitment and growth strategies, allowing the firm to reach prospective clients and talent more effectively. With the expansion into executive LinkedIn support, their reach has grown through thoughtful reposting and engagement, amplifying visibility at both the firm and leadership levels.

Throughout the program, analytics have guided our approach to refine content and measure what resonated most with audiences. The result was increased engagement, stronger brand recognition and a more unified digital presence that supports business development and long-term growth.

Best practices for LinkedIn

Once your LinkedIn presence reflects your purpose and audience, engagement becomes the differentiator. Best practices to keep in mind are: 

• Consistency. Aim to be active weekly, liking, commenting or posting.
• Thoughtfulness. Add value when you comment. Extend the conversation instead of just reacting.
• Relationships. Highlight colleagues, celebrate others’ wins and acknowledge achievements within your network.
• Strategy. Follow clients, local business journals, associations and industry leaders you want to learn from or collaborate with.
• Authenticity. Your tone doesn’t always need to be formal or promotional. Just be yourself. 

The bottom line

Reputation is one of the most valuable assets in the AEC industry, and LinkedIn provides a strategic platform to intentionally shape perception. Whether you’re an executive setting vision, an emerging professional building credibility or a firm strengthening its market presence, small, consistent actions online can lead to meaningful long-term impact. Start by devoting time each week to engaging thoughtfully and sharing your perspective, and watch how you’re able to build trust and strengthen relationships.

Your expertise deserves to be seen. If you’re ready to share your work and build connections, connect with our team to start shaping a LinkedIn presence that reflects your credibility and positions you for success.