What is LinkedIn URL examples?

A LinkedIn URL is the web address that links to your LinkedIn profile. Your LinkedIn URL allows people to easily find and connect with you on LinkedIn. Structuring your LinkedIn URL properly can make your profile more discoverable and professional looking.

Why is your LinkedIn URL important?

Your LinkedIn URL is important for several reasons:

• It makes your profile easy to find – A customized LinkedIn URL that includes your name makes it easy for people to find your profile when searching on LinkedIn or Google.
• It looks more professional – A customized URL like linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname looks more professional than a default URL with a bunch of random numbers and letters.
• It’s easy to include on other sites – You can include your customized LinkedIn URL anywhere you want people to be able to connect with you on LinkedIn, like your resume, business cards, email signature, or personal website.

In summary, your LinkedIn URL serves as your professional web address that people can use to find and learn more about you online. That’s why having a customized, easy to remember URL is recommended for your LinkedIn presence.

How to customize your LinkedIn URL

You can customize your default LinkedIn URL in your profile settings. Here are the steps:

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile
2. Click on the “View profile” link under your profile photo and name
3. Click the pencil “Edit public profile & URL” button on the right rail
4. Under the “Public profile settings” section, click the pencil icon next to your LinkedIn URL
5. Type your desired URL – this typically includes your first and last name, like linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname
6. Click the blue “Save” button

Once you customize your public profile URL, your new LinkedIn URL will be live and will redirect to your profile. You can then include this updated URL anywhere you want people to be able to click to view your LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn URL naming tips

Here are some tips for customizing your ideal LinkedIn URL when you have the option:

• Use your full name – Your first and last name are best for being easily identifiable
• Keep it simple – Short and simple is better than long and complex
• Use dashes if needed – If your name is common, you may need to use dashes, like firstname-lastname
• Avoid numbers and special characters – Stick to basic letters and dashes only
• Check availability – Make sure the URL you want isn’t already taken
• Consider your brand – If you have an established professional brand name, you may want to incorporate that

Examples of good LinkedIn URLs

Here are some examples of strong, professional LinkedIn URLs:

• linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
• linkedin.com/in/janesmith
• linkedin.com/in/bob-jones
• linkedin.com/in/samueljackson
• linkedin.com/in/michael-p-jordan
• linkedin.com/in/elonmusk

These showcase a first and last name format that is easy to remember and searchable. If your name happens to be very common, using a middle initial or middle name can help make it more unique.

Examples of bad LinkedIn URLs

Here are some examples of poor LinkedIn URL choices:

• linkedin.com/in/jsmith28
• linkedin.com/in/ funnysmith
• linkedin.com/in/123456
• linkedin.com/in/j*m*s-smith
• linkedin.com/in/jimsmith1984

These URLs are either hard to identify, unprofessional looking, or easy to forget. Sticking with some variation of your first and last name is best.

Can you change your LinkedIn URL?

Yes, you can change your LinkedIn URL after you initially customize it. To change your URL:

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile
2. Click “View profile”
3. Click “Edit public profile & URL”
4. Click the pencil icon next to your URL
5. Enter your new desired URL
6. Click “Save”

Your new customized URL will then take effect. Note that changing your URL may cause existing links pointing to your old URL to break. So best practice is to choose your ideal URL and stick with it from the start if possible.

What happens if your URL is already taken?

With over 430 million members on LinkedIn, most straightforward name variations will already be taken. If your desired URL like linkedin.com/in/johnsmith is not available, you have a few options:

• Add numbers – linkedin.com/in/john-smith-25893
• Add middle name or initial – linkedin.com/in/john-p-smith
• Try alternate spelling – linkedin.com/in/jon-smith
• Add location – linkedin.com/in/john-smith-chicago
• Add company name – linkedin.com/in/john-smith-anyspace
• Add industry – linkedin.com/in/john-smith-marketing

Getting creative with additions like these can help you end up with a unique URL variation that still is identifiable to you.

Should you have multiple LinkedIn profile URLs?

No, you should only have one LinkedIn profile URL. Multiple URLs for the same person can fragment your professional brand and confuse people who are trying to find you. Instead of making multiple profile URLs, you should:

• Fully optimize one LinkedIn profile with your best URL
• Showcase different aspects of yourself within that one profile using sections like About, Experience, Skills etc.
• Utilize LinkedIn Groups if you want to identify with different companies/communities

Maintaining one robust LinkedIn presence with a single, customized URL is the best practice for your personal brand and professional networking.

Can you claim an unavailable LinkedIn URL?

If another member currently owns your ideal URL, you may be able to claim it if:

• The member profile is inactive
• Your name legally matches the URL name and you have documentation
• You held the URL previously and want it back

In these cases, you can contact LinkedIn’s support team and submit a request to claim the desired URL. You’ll need to provide proof like legal documentation in order to take over an inactive URL.

Should you get a custom LinkedIn domain?

LinkedIn offers verified members the ability to get a custom third-level domain like linkedin.com/company/yourcompany. This option is best suited for established companies wanting to maximize their brand presence on LinkedIn.

For individuals, a custom domain like yourname.com is not necessary and could cause confusion. It’s recommended that individuals simply customize their profile URL on LinkedIn’s main domain, like linkedin.com/in/yourname. This is the most widely recognized and search-friendly approach for individuals establishing their personal brand on LinkedIn.

Conclusion

Your LinkedIn profile URL is a key component of your professional presence on the platform. Customizing it to be some identifiable variation of your name makes you easily discoverable and gives you a polished web address to promote. Focus on optimizing one LinkedIn profile with a single URL, and updating it if needed to reflect your personal brand. With 430 million members and growing, your LinkedIn URL is too important not to get right!

This table provides examples of good LinkedIn profile URLs that use some variation of a person’s first and last name, compared to bad URLs that use random numbers, unrelated keywords, or unprofessional names.

Key Takeaways

• Customize your LinkedIn URL to be your identifiable name for a professional look
• Keep your URL simple and consistent to maintain your personal brand
• Add variations like middle name or location if your name is already taken
• Don’t make multiple LinkedIn URLs, optimize one profile presence
• You can change your URL later if needed without affecting your profile

Focusing on one properly branded, customized LinkedIn URL provides the best experience for you and visitors to your profile. Your LinkedIn URL is a key part of your online professional image.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use my nickname or legal name on LinkedIn URL?

Use your legal first and last name on your LinkedIn URL whenever possible. This makes it easiest for others to identify you and find your profile. Using your nickname instead of legal name can create confusion.

Can you have two LinkedIn profiles?

LinkedIn’s terms of service prohibit creating and maintaining multiple accounts for the same user. You should maintain one complete LinkedIn profile that showcases all your professional qualifications.

Is a custom LinkedIn URL free?

Yes, customizing your public profile URL on LinkedIn with your name is completely free for all members. LinkedIn only charges for additional services like customized company pages.

Does your LinkedIn URL affect SEO?

Using some version of your name in your LinkedIn URL can help with discoverability in Google search results. A customized URL also looks more professional than the default string of numbers and letters.

Can you change URL after getting verified LinkedIn badge?

Yes, verifying your LinkedIn profile with a blue checkmark badge has no impact on your ability to change your profile URL later if needed. You can customize and update your URL at any time.