A LinkedIn profile URL, also known as a public profile URL, is the web address that leads directly to your LinkedIn profile page. Your profile URL is what you can share with others so they can view your LinkedIn profile.
For example, my LinkedIn profile URL is:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/claude-ai/
When people enter this URL into their browser, it will take them directly to my public LinkedIn profile page.
Your LinkedIn profile URL is unique to your specific account and profile. It always starts with “linkedin.com/in/” followed by your personalized name or username.
Knowing how to find and share your LinkedIn profile URL is important for networking, job searching, and establishing your professional online presence. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain what a LinkedIn profile URL is, how to find your profile URL, tips for customizing it, and how to share it effectively.
How to Find Your LinkedIn Profile URL
Finding your LinkedIn profile URL is easy! Here are the steps:
1. Log into your LinkedIn account on the desktop site (not the mobile app).
2. Click on your profile image at the top right of your screen.
3. In the dropdown menu, select “View profile”. This will open your public profile page.
4. Copy the URL from your browser address bar. This is your profile URL that you can share with others.
For example, my profile URL copied from my browser address bar is:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/claude-ai/
And there you have it – that’s your unique LinkedIn profile URL! You can double check by logging out of LinkedIn and pasting that URL into your browser – it should take you right back to your public profile page.
Some key things to keep in mind about your profile URL:
– It will always start with linkedin.com/in/
– It includes your personalized account name or username after the “/in/” portion
– This is the permanent URL leading to your profile – even if you change your name or username, the URL will redirect to your updated profile
– The profile URL won’t change unless you manually change your public name/username in your LinkedIn account settings
How to Customize Your LinkedIn Profile URL
By default, LinkedIn automatically assigns you a profile URL using your name and some numbers, like linkedin.com/in/john-smith-374829158.
While this works, it’s often long and confusing. That’s why it’s recommended to customize your profile URL on LinkedIn to be shorter and contain your name or other keywords.
Here are steps to customize your LinkedIn profile URL:
1. Go to your LinkedIn Account settings. Click on the “Profile” tab.
2. Under “Profile URL”, click the pencil icon to edit.
3. Type in your desired custom URL – this will create a more clean profile link, like linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
4. Click “Set Custom URL”.
Your new customized profile URL will now appear on your profile!
Tips for customizing a good LinkedIn profile URL:
– Use your first and last name like linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
– Include your industry or job title like linkedin.com/in/johnsmithsocialmedia
– Make it simple and easy to remember
– Use dashes (-) instead of spaces
– Keep it under 100 characters
– Add relevant keywords like your niche or expertise
– Check availability – you may not get your first choice if taken
– Capitalize properly – capital letters don’t matter
Your customized LinkedIn profile URL is the perfect way to establish your professional brand and make it easy for people to find and remember your profile.
How to Share Your LinkedIn Profile URL
Now that you know how to find and customize your profile URL, it’s time to share it! Here are some great ways to get your LinkedIn profile URL out there:
– Include it in your email signature for a professional touch. This allows anyone who receives an email from you to click and view your profile.
– Add it to your business cards. Again this gives people an easy way to connect with you on LinkedIn.
– Share it when networking online and in-person. Don’t just connect on LinkedIn – share your actual profile URL too.
– Post it on your website or blog in your bio or contact page.
– Share it on other social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. Paste your profile link to drive people to your LinkedIn profile.
– Add it to your resume, cover letters or online professional profiles. Hiring managers may want to view your full LinkedIn profile.
– Share during interviews when asked about your LinkedIn presence. Send a follow up email with your profile link.
– Include it in professional email signatures when contacting people, like when messaging recruiters.
– Share it if you are a freelancer, consultant or have an online business. Clients will want to connect.
In general, share your profile URL anytime you want someone to view your full LinkedIn presence. Whether during job search, networking, or business opportunities, your profile link gives people direct access to your professional brand.
Examples of Good LinkedIn Profile URLs
To give you an idea of what makes a good, customized LinkedIn profile URL, here are some examples:
– linkedin.com/in/john-smith
– Simple and clean, using first and last name. Easy to remember.
– linkedin.com/in/mary-johnson-marketing
– Incorporates name and industry keyword. Describes expertise.
– linkedin.com/in/samuel-lee-data-analytics
– Another great example using name and niche keywords.
– linkedin.com/in/sarah-marie-white
– First name, middle name, last name format. No numbers or extras.
– linkedin.com/in/jeff-williams-freelance-writer
– For freelancers or consultants, include your title/role.
– linkedin.com/in/tom-hanks-social-media
– Use industry keywords people may search for.
– linkedin.com/in/robin-williams-comedian
– Specifies occupation or niche if common name.
The goal is to make your profile URL human readable, brand appropriate, and optimized to direct people to your profile. Avoid overly long or convoluted URLs if possible.
Examples of Bad LinkedIn Profile URLs
Here are some examples of poorly customized LinkedIn profile URLs you’ll want to avoid:
– linkedin.com/in/jf293847502
– Random string of numbers is confusing
– linkedin.com/in/katie-m-media
– Too short and vague, keywords separated by dashes
– linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingguru
– Too keyword heavy, doesn’t include name
– linkedin.com/in/socialmediaexpertcalifornia
– Overly long and hard to remember
– linkedin.com/in/marketingninja
– Too informal and flashy
– linkedin.com/in/bestmarketer
– Arrogant sounding, lacks credentials
– linkedin.com/in/rubyhamiltonfullstackdeveloper
– Reads like gibberish when mashed together
Keep your profile URL simple and professional. Focus on your real name and niche keywords if appropriate.
What to Do If Your Desired URL Is Taken
With over 570 million LinkedIn members, the odds are your first choice of profile URL may already be taken. If someone else is using the customized URL you want, here are some options:
– Add your middle name or middle initial, like linkedin.com/in/sarah-jane-smith
– Add your graduation year, like linkedin.com/in/tim-lee-2022
– Add your city, like linkedin.com/in/sarah-davis-chicago
– Add your industry, like linkedin.com/in/david-jones-finance
– Add your company name, like linkedin.com/in/rob-johnson-acme-co
– Add a descriptive keyword, like linkedin.com/in/mary-social-media or linkedin.com/in/john-developer
– Try different separators like dashes or underscores
– Combine your name with numbers, like linkedin.com/in/timlee35
Get creative with variations on your name and keywords until you find an available URL. Having a customized profile link will give you a more professional appearance on LinkedIn.
Tips for a Strong LinkedIn Profile URL
To summarize, here are some top tips for your LinkedIn profile URL:
– Customize it to be simple and professional (name and/or keywords)
– Make it human readable and easy to remember
– Keep it under 100 characters if possible
– Include identifying details – name, industry, occupation etc.
– Use dashes (-) not underscores (_) to separate words
– Capitalize properly, capital letters don’t matter
– Add numbers, initials, city etc. if your first choice is taken
– Avoid random numbers and strings of gibberish
– Don’t use informal phrases or arrogant sounding language
– Redirects will still work if you change your URL later
– Share it proudly across professional sites and networks!
With your customized LinkedIn profile URL, you can establish credibility, improve discoverability, and project a polished image when networking and job seeking.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile URL is your professional web address that directs people to your profile. Knowing how to find it, customize it for your brand, and share it effectively can improve your LinkedIn presence.
Focus on making your profile URL clean, memorable, and optimized with your name and strategic keywords. This will allow you to get the most out of LinkedIn as an important career and networking platform. The personalized profile link shows you are thoughtful about managing your professional online presence.
So claim your unique LinkedIn profile today using these tips! Publish your profile URL proudly on sites and networks to help drive more connections and opportunities through your stellar LinkedIn presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I include in my LinkedIn URL?
Focus on including your full name and niche keywords like your industry or job title. Examples: linkedin.com/in/john-smith or linkedin.com/in/mary-johnson-marketing.
Does capitalization matter in a LinkedIn URL?
No, capital letters don’t matter in a LinkedIn profile URL. linkedin.com/in/JohnSmith will work the same as linkedin.com/in/johnsmith.
Can I change my LinkedIn profile URL later?
Yes, you can change and recustomize your LinkedIn profile URL at any time in your account settings. The original URL will redirect to your new profile link.
What should I do if my name is already taken?
Try adding additional name variations like your middle name or initial, graduation year, city, industry keywords, company name, or strategic numbers if needed.
How do I set a custom LinkedIn profile URL?
Go to your LinkedIn account settings > Profile > Custom URL. Type in your desired URL and click “Set Custom URL” to create your customized profile link.
Key Takeaways
– Your LinkedIn profile URL is the unique web address leading to your profile.
– Finding it is easy – just copy your browser address bar URL when viewing your profile.
– Customize your URL with your name and keywords to polish your brand.
– Share your profile link when networking and job seeking.
– Keep it simple, professional and optimized for best results.
Table Comparing Good and Bad LinkedIn Profile URLs
| Good LinkedIn Profile URLs | Bad LinkedIn Profile URLs |
|---|---|
| linkedin.com/in/john-smith | linkedin.com/in/jf293847502 |
| linkedin.com/in/mary-johnson-marketing | linkedin.com/in/katie-m-media |
| linkedin.com/in/jeff-williams-freelance-writer | linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingguru |
| linkedin.com/in/sarah-marie-white | linkedin.com/in/rubyhamiltonfullstackdeveloper |
