Setting your location accurately on LinkedIn is important for improving your visibility and connecting with the right people and opportunities. Here are some tips to help narrow down your location effectively:
Be Specific with City and Region
Don’t just list the country or state/province that you live in. Include the city and region (if applicable) to make your location more precise. For example: New York, NY or San Francisco Bay Area. This helps you come up in searches from people and businesses nearby.
Use Different Formats for Large Metro Areas
For major metropolitan areas, you can use variations in your location to cover the entire region:
- New York City, NY
- New York Metro Area
- NYC
- Manhattan, NY
- Brooklyn, NY
This helps expand your visibility across a large city where people network and search in different ways.
Be More Precise with Smaller Cities
For smaller cities and towns, pinpointing your neighborhood or part of town can help, for example:
- Downtown Austin
- Miami Beach, FL
- Springfield, IL – Downtown
This gives a better sense of where you’re located in a smaller location.
List Surrounding Areas for Context
For suburbs or areas outside major cities, include the nearest metro area for context, like:
- Hoboken, NJ – New York City Metro Area
- Palo Alto, CA – San Francisco Bay Area
- Bethesda, MD – Washington D.C. Metro Area
This helps connect you with the broader region that you likely network and do business in.
Use Multiple Locations If Applicable
If you live and work between two locations, list both to widen your reach:
- New York, NY and Miami, FL
- San Francisco Bay Area and London, UK
This is especially useful for remote workers, frequent travelers, or those with homes/offices in different cities.
Customize Locations for Different Audiences
You can further customize your location visibility in your profile settings by adding different locations to display for your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree networks. This allows you to show different locations to different audiences.
For example, you can show:
- New York City to 1st degree connections
- New York State to 2nd degree connections
- East Coast to 3rd degree connections
This helps ensure each audience sees the most relevant location for connecting with you.
Keep Your Location Updated
Don’t forget to update your location when you move or take on a new role in a different city. Keeping it current ensures you appear in relevant searches and opportunities near your new location.
Use Other Profile Fields Too
Your headline, current company, and past positions can also indicate location. Include city and region names in these fields as well for additional visibility and context.
Highlight Relocation Willingness
If you’re willing to relocate for the right job, indicate this in your headline or summary section to open up your options. For example: “Willing to relocate to New York City”.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn location serves many purposes – driving local connections, opportunities, and visibility. By optimizing it using these tips, you can narrow down your location effectively to achieve your professional goals on the platform.
Precisely indicate your city, region, and metro area. Customize for different audiences and keep it updated. And complement it with other location cues across your profile. This multi-prong strategy will help you connect with the right people in the right places.
So be strategic with your location settings and get ready to expand your professional network locally and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is LinkedIn location important?
Your LinkedIn location is important for several reasons:
- It helps you appear in searches from people and businesses nearby who are looking to network or hire.
- It allows you to connect with and follow companies in your local area.
- It gives your connections a sense of where you are based and operating.
- It shows up on your profile when people view it, indicating where you live/work.
How do I change my LinkedIn location?
To change your default LinkedIn location that appears on your profile:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Click ‘View profile’ to edit it
- In the ‘Contact Info’ section, click the ‘Edit’ icon next to your location
- Type in your new location (city, region, country, etc.)
- Click ‘Save’ to update your location
Should I put my entire address on LinkedIn?
No, you should not put your full street address on your LinkedIn profile. Just listing your city and state/country is sufficient. Including your exact street address raises privacy concerns and is not necessary for networking purposes.
Can I show different locations to different audiences?
Yes, you can customize your location visibility in your LinkedIn settings. You can enter a primary location that displays to your 1st degree connections on your profile. Then enter different locations that will show for your 2nd and 3rd degree audiences when they view your profile.
What if I live in one place but work in another?
If you commute or work between two locations, you can include both your home and work locations on your LinkedIn profile. The best place to do this is in the ‘Experience’ section, by listing the city and state for each company you work or have worked for.
How often should I update my LinkedIn location?
You should update your LinkedIn location whenever you move or take on a new job in a different city. As a best practice, do a quick review of your location once a year to make sure it is still accurate and up to date.
Key Takeaways
- Be specific with your city and region – don’t just list a country or state.
- Use variations for major metro areas like NYC, Manhattan, etc.
- Pinpoint neighborhoods for smaller cities.
- List surrounding metro for context if located outside a major city.
- Use multiple locations if you live/work in two places.
- Customize visibility for different audiences.
- Keep it updated when you move or change jobs.