Does Your LinkedIn Profile URL End in a String of Numbers and Letters?

When you sign up for a LinkedIn account, by default the website address of your public profile consists of numbers and letters.  That address is called your public profile URL (URL stands for uniform resource locator).  It is also known as a vanity URL. 

You should change that URL ending to something more memorable.  You should be customizing it to relate to your personal brand.

Here is how you can customize your vanity URL when you are on your LinkedIn homepage:

1. Hover over “Profile” in the menu bar and select “Edit Profile”.
2. Hover over the URL under your profile picture, and click on the cog that is next to it.
3. On the right sidebar, click on the pencil icon next to your URL.
4. Enter the ending of the custom URL you desire.
5. Assuming your desired custom URL is available, click “Save”.

Here are 3 things to consider in customizing your vanity URL:

1. Being a legal professional, your name is likely your best choice for your vanity URL.  If your full name is already taken, try different variations of it, such as putting your last name first followed by your first name.
2. Your brand is your personal brand.  It is not your law firm, company, legal organization or law school’s brand.  So avoid referencing them in your customized URL.
3. Although you can change your vanity URL from time to time, it is best to first consider what would be appropriate for you and to stick with it.  At the time of this blog post, LinkedIn will allow changes to a public profile URL up to 5 times within 180 days.

Once you have your vanity URL set up, don’t forget to let others know about it.  For example, include your new customized link in your bio, presentations and other marketing materials.  

Isn’t it now much easier to type your LinkedIn profile URL into a presentation slide?