Your LinkedIn profile URL, also known as your public profile URL, is the web address that leads people to your LinkedIn profile. This is an important detail that deserves careful thought because it affects how easily people can find and connect with you on LinkedIn.
With over 200 million users on LinkedIn, you want your profile to stand out and be easy to find when recruiters, colleagues, and business contacts search for you. The ideal LinkedIn profile URL is simple, professional, and customized to you.
Why does your LinkedIn URL matter?
Your LinkedIn URL matters for the following reasons:
- It affects your discoverability and personal brand on LinkedIn
- It impacts whether people can easily find your profile and connect with you
- It should represent your professional identity
- It gives you control over your unique LinkedIn identity
In short, your LinkedIn profile URL is important because it’s often the first touchpoint for your professional connections and network on LinkedIn. You want it to make their experience finding you as seamless as possible.
What are the options for your LinkedIn profile URL?
When setting up your LinkedIn URL, you have a few options:
- Default URL with randomized numbers and letters
- Custom URL with your name
- Custom URL with your company name or branding
Let’s explore the pros and cons of each option:
Default LinkedIn URL
When you first create your LinkedIn profile, your profile URL will look something like this:
www.linkedin.com/in/c7f6b8a77
This default URL is generated automatically with a random string of letters and numbers.
Pros of the default LinkedIn URL
- Easy – No effort required to set it up
- Anonymous – Doesn’t reveal your real identity
Cons of the default LinkedIn URL
- Impersonal – Just a random string of characters
- Confusing – Hard for people to remember and share
- Not search-friendly – Difficult for people to find your profile as there are no keywords
For most professionals, the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to the default LinkedIn URL. An impersonal, randomized URL prevents your profile from standing out and makes it harder for the right people to find you.
Custom LinkedIn URL with your name
The ideal LinkedIn URL for many users includes some version of their name, like:
www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith
Pros of a name-based custom URL
- Professional – Includes your real name identity
- Memorable – Easy for people to remember and share
- Search-friendly – Your name helps people find your profile in searches
Cons of a name-based custom URL
- Less anonymous – Reveals your real identity
- May not stand out – Your name may be common
For most LinkedIn users, the pros outweigh the cons of using some form of their name in their profile URL. It clearly identifies who they are while helping the right people discover their profile.
Custom URL with your company name or branding
Some LinkedIn users prefer to customize their profile URL with their company name, brand, or other keywords like:
www.linkedin.com/in/smithsocialmediaconsulting
Pros of a company/brand custom URL
- Unique – Helps you stand out from people with similar names
- Memorable – Easy for people to remember and share if related to your work
- Search-friendly – Relevant keywords help people find your profile
Cons of a company/brand custom URL
- Impersonal – Doesn’t include your real name identity
- Self-promotional – May seem like keyword stuffing
- May not align with your current work if you change jobs
This type of custom URL can work well if the company or branding is closely aligned with your professional identity and career focus. But keywords should be used judiciously and paired with part of your name for best results.
How to get a custom LinkedIn profile URL
To create a custom LinkedIn profile URL that better suits your personal brand and goals, follow these steps:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Click on the ‘Edit public profile & URL’ button located under your profile photo and headline
- Click on the pencil icon to edit your LinkedIn URL
- Type your new custom URL – It can include letters, numbers, periods, underscores and dashes
- Click ‘Save’
It’s free to customize your public profile URL on LinkedIn. You can change it at any time but each customized URL must be unique.
Tips for your custom URL
Here are some tips when creating your custom LinkedIn profile URL:
- Use a version of your real name for a professional URL
- Keep it short and simple if possible
- Add relevant keywords like your industry or job title
- You can separate words with periods, dashes, or underscores
- Avoid special characters or unprofessional terms
- Double check for typos before saving
With over 200 million LinkedIn members, the right custom URL can give you a competitive edge and make it easier for the people that matter most to find and connect with you.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile URL is an important piece of your professional presence on the platform. Ideally, your URL should clearly convey your name and identity while helping the right audience discover your profile.
Consider updating your default LinkedIn URL to be some variation of your name, your name and company, or your name and keywords related to your profession. This makes it easier for recruiters, colleagues, and business contacts to find and connect with you.
Avoid overly self-promotional URLs, convoluted strings of keywords, or unprofessional terms in your URL. The goal is to create a LinkedIn profile URL that presents your personal brand in the best possible light. Measure the results and adjust your URL over time as needed.
With a thoughtful, customized LinkedIn profile URL, you can maximize your discoverability and opportunities on LinkedIn while projecting a professional image that aligns with your career goals. The right LinkedIn profile URL is well worth the effort to help shape how the world sees you on the world’s largest professional networking platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I get the exact custom URL I want?
LinkedIn requires each custom URL to be unique. So if your first name and last name combination is common, someone else may have already taken that exact URL. You may need to be creative by adding additional words, initials, your industry, locations, or other unique identifiers until you find a URL that is available.
Can I change my LinkedIn URL?
Yes, you can change your custom URL at any time by updating it in your profile settings. Just click on ‘Edit public profile & URL’ and then edit your custom URL with a new variation that is still available.
Does my LinkedIn URL affect my SEO?
Your LinkedIn profile URL can help with search engine optimization (SEO) because it appears on search engine results pages (SERPs). A URL with relevant keywords related to your name, location, and profession can improve how you rank for industry-related searches.
Should I pay to claim a premium LinkedIn URL?
LinkedIn does now offer the option to pay to claim and reserve a unique custom URL. However, most LinkedIn users will be fine with a free custom URL. Premium URLs are really only worth exploring if you’re having issues finding an available URL that adequately represents your brand and needs. Even then, be sure the investment is justified and cost-effective.
What’s the character limit for a LinkedIn URL?
LinkedIn allows URLs up to 100 characters. However, shorter URLs are recommended when possible for simplicity. The ideal LinkedIn URL uses your name and important keywords but avoids unnecessary length and complexity.
LinkedIn URL Options
URL Type | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|
Default URL | Easy to set up, anonymous | Impersonal, hard to find |
Name-based | Professional, memorable, search-friendly | May lack uniqueness |
Company/Brand-based | Unique, memorable for niche, keywords help with search | May not align with future work, too promotional |