(Hi awesome readers. This article is about customizing your LinkedIn URL. Even if you’ve already done this or I’ve done it for you, read this article to get some tips for how to use that customized URL!)
Is your next meeting running a little late? Are you in line at the BMV? Are you laying in bed trying really hard to be SUPER quiet because you REALLY don’t want to wake up the dog who will in turn wake up the cats who most definitely wake up the kids? (Sorry, that last one is my life.)
If you’ve found a 4-minute pocket of free time, you COULD spend it scrolling through social media. OR, you could make a quick change to your LinkedIn profile that will increase your visibility and improve your chances of meaningful connections.
How do you do this? It’s easy. Customize your LinkedIn URL.
What is a Custom URL?
LinkedIn automatically assigns its users a URL upon sign-up that includes some version of your name followed by a long string of letters and numbers.
So when I first signed up for LinkedIn, my URL looked something like this:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-morley-8a58249
After customization, my URL was a lot cleaner:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirandamorley/
Why Customize?
Obviously, URL #2 just looks a lot better than URL #1. However, your customized URL offers more than just a pretty face. With a customized URL, you will
- Stand out in LinkedIn search results – Even if you have a unique name, odds are you aren’t the only person with your name or one that sounds like it. When someone searches LinkedIn for you, you want them to find YOU and be sure they found YOU! When you customize your LinkedIn URL, you can be sure that happens by adding a middle initial or keyword. (Funny story – one time I messaged some information about a job to Jane R. Doe when I meant to message it to Jane L. Doe. Jane R. Doe got the job and it was a great fit! In this case, I think some positive energy was working for us, but still, you don’t want that to happen to you!)
- Direct connections to your profile on print materials – URLs with long strings of characters don’t look very nice on print materials, such as business cards, resumes, advertisements, or cover letters. Beyond that, print materials often have very specific character requirements, so longer URLs might not make the cut. Finally, it’s easy for someone to accidentally transpose an URL like #1 above and end up with a completely different person or error message. URL #2 is much easier to type into a search bar or an email.
- Optimize your SEO for Google Search Results – If you have a website, portfolio, or other social media presence that you would like employers to find, your customized URL can help Google searches find both. (If you don’t have any web presence other than LinkedIn, you might want to think about creating one. Feel free to reach out to talk about that!) For example, when you Google “Miranda Morley,” result #1 is my website. Result #2 is my LinkedIn profile. This is because I customized my URL. If you own a small business or are a coach, advisor, or another type of influencer/public figure, you might consider adding a keyword to your customized URL. (But that’s a topic for another article. Of course, feel free to reach out if you think it might help you.)
How Do You Customize?
Fortunately, it’s easy, and I’ve created a step-by-step video for you here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-E1128SZEd0?feature=share
Do you want to discuss what LinkedIn techniques might help you to stand out? Book a free call with me here: https://morleycareersolutions.com/contact/