Having an invalid LinkedIn URL can be frustrating. Your custom URL is an important part of your professional brand on LinkedIn. When your URL doesn’t work, it can make you seem unprofessional and make it harder for people to find and connect with you.
What causes an invalid LinkedIn URL?
There are a few common reasons why your LinkedIn URL may stop working:
You changed your LinkedIn username
LinkedIn generates your profile URL based on your username. If you change your username, it will break the custom URL you had set up previously.
For example, if your URL was www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith and you changed your username to johnasmith, your old URL would no longer work.
Your LinkedIn account was closed
If you close your LinkedIn account, your profile URL will automatically become invalid. LinkedIn removes closed accounts from their directory, so your custom URL will lead to an error page.
You updated your profile to a premium account
Upgrading to a premium LinkedIn account gives you the option to customize your public profile URL. This replaces the URL LinkedIn automatically generated based on your username.
If you had a public profile URL before upgrading, it will no longer work after you change it. You’ll need to update anywhere you have the old URL posted.
LinkedIn changed their URL structure
Very rarely, LinkedIn may change the fundamental structure of their profile URLs site-wide. If this happens, custom URLs using the old format would cease to function properly.
The last significant URL structure change happened in 2013. LinkedIn migrated from using username IDs to vanity URLs with name formats.
How do I fix my invalid LinkedIn URL?
Here are some steps to troubleshoot and correct an invalid LinkedIn URL:
- Try logging into your LinkedIn account. If it was temporarily disabled or flagged for unusual activity, logging in may reset your public profile and URL.
- Go to your LinkedIn settings and make sure your username is up to date. Your URL uses your current username, so it needs to match or your custom URL will break.
- If your account was closed, you’ll need to either reopen it or create a brand new LinkedIn account. Inactive accounts cannot be recovered after 30 days.
- For premium accounts, check that the custom URL you set is saved properly in your profile settings. LinkedIn should redirect your old URL after you change it, but inconsistencies can happen.
- Use LinkedIn’s Profile Troubleshooter for help diagnosing URL issues. They can provide specific help based on the problems with your profile.
- Manually reset your public profile URL using LinkedIn’s profile editor tool. This will generate a new default URL you can customize.
Fixing your LinkedIn URL is important for maintaining your professional branding and presence. A broken URL looks unprofessional and will prevent people from accessing your profile. Address it as soon as possible to get your profile back up and running.
Best practices for setting your LinkedIn URL
Once you fix your invalid LinkedIn URL, follow these best practices to prevent issues in the future:
Pick a username that won’t change
Avoid changing your LinkedIn username once you have an established profile URL. Your custom URL will break any time your username does not match it exactly.
Stay consistent with name spelling and formats
LinkedIn profile URLs are based on your first and last name. Any inconsistencies in spelling or formatting may cause access issues. Use the same name format across networks.
Claim a unique LinkedIn URL
Add your full name to your profile URL if possible, like www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith. This prevents confusion with other people that share your name.
Cross-promote your URL
List your LinkedIn profile URL anywhere that you mention your name online – websites, resumes, business cards, email signatures, etc. This spreads awareness of your personal brand URL.
Use social linking
Interlink your LinkedIn profile URL with your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media accounts. This helps establish it as your primary online presence.
Refresh old links you shared
If you shared your old LinkedIn URL anywhere online, update those instances with your new working URL. This ensures people can access your latest profile.
What to do if your custom LinkedIn URL is taken
With over 500 million members on LinkedIn, most custom URLs using your name are likely taken. Here are some tips if someone else is already using the LinkedIn URL you want:
Try different name formats
Play around with switching name order, adding middle initials, or using maiden names. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-r-smith
- www.linkedin.com/in/johnrsmith
- www.linkedin.com/in/smith-john
Add your geographic location
Including your city, state or country can help differentiate you from other people with a similar name. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-cleveland
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-ohio
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-usa
Use your company name or industry
Adding your company or industry to your URL creates a unique branded link. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-google
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-tech
Include numbers or special characters
LinkedIn allows URLs with numbers, dashes and underscores. These symbols can help differentiate common names. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-2
- www.linkedin.com/in/john_smith
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-cle
Add your middle name initial
Using your middle initial is one of the easiest ways to get a unique URL, especially if you have a common first and last name. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/john-r-smith
Be creative
If you still can’t find an available URL with your name, get creative with nicknames or simplified names. The focus should be on finding something memorable. For example:
- www.linkedin.com/in/jjsmith
- www.linkedin.com/in/smithjohn
- www.linkedin.com/in/johncle
How to redirect your old LinkedIn URL
If you change your LinkedIn username or URL, your old custom URL will no longer work. Redirecting the old URL is crucial for avoiding broken links and driving traffic to your new profile.
Here are some ways to redirect your old LinkedIn URL:
Use LinkedIn’s profile editor
LinkedIn’s profile editing tool lets you generate a new profile URL at any time. It should automatically redirect your old URL to the new one.
Change URLs through social account linking
Linking your LinkedIn profile to Twitter or Facebook allows you to change your URL through those platforms’ username settings.
Use a link shortener or redirect service
Tools like Bitly or Rebrandly let you set up redirects when you share shortened profile URLs. You can forward your old link to the new one.
Update links on your website & other pages
Manually change any links pointing to your old LinkedIn URL on your website, resume, business cards, etc. to redirect to the new profile URL.
Contact LinkedIn support
If other redirect methods don’t work, you can contact LinkedIn’s help center. They can troubleshoot why your URL redirect is failing.
Conclusion
A broken LinkedIn URL can negatively impact your professional brand and prevent networking opportunities. By troubleshooting the root causes, implementing URL best practices, and properly redirecting outdated links, you can get your LinkedIn profile back on track.
Focus on creating a unique, customized LinkedIn URL and cross-promoting it widely to establish your professional presence on the platform. With a properly optimized LinkedIn profile URL, you can showcase your brand to new connections and advance your career.