What Happens When You Merge LinkedIn Accounts: Can I Have Two Profiles?
You may have heard that you can´t have two LinkedIn profiles. But is this really true, especially when dealing with duplicate LinkedIn accounts?
And if it is, how can you merge your Linkedin accounts so that you only have one profile?
In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of having two LinkedIn accounts, discuss how to create multiple LinkedIn accounts to bypass restrictions, and provide instructions on how to do your account management.
Understanding Multiple LinkedIn Accounts
Having multiple LinkedIn accounts can be a common issue for many professionals, especially those who have changed careers, companies, or email addresses over time. However, it’s essential to understand LinkedIn’s policy on multiple accounts and the potential risks associated with duplicate accounts. Managing multiple LinkedIn accounts can be challenging and may lead to confusion among your connections, diluting your professional online presence.
Why you might need multiple LinkedIn accounts
There are several reasons why you might feel the need to create multiple LinkedIn accounts. For instance, you may have multiple careers or businesses that require separate professional profiles. Perhaps you’re an entrepreneur managing different ventures, or a freelancer juggling various projects. Alternatively, you may have created multiple accounts for different purposes, such as personal branding, lead generation, or agency purposes. However, it’s crucial to note that LinkedIn’s policy prohibits creating multiple accounts for the same person. While the idea of managing multiple LinkedIn accounts might seem beneficial, it often leads to more complications than advantages.
LinkedIn’s policy on multiple accounts
LinkedIn’s User Agreement clearly states that each user is allowed to have only one account. Creating multiple accounts for the same person is a violation of LinkedIn’s terms and can result in account suspension or termination. LinkedIn’s policy is in place to ensure that users maintain a single, unified professional profile that accurately represents their identity and expertise. This policy helps maintain the integrity of the platform and ensures that connections and professional interactions are streamlined and authentic. Therefore, it’s essential to adhere to these guidelines to avoid any potential issues with your LinkedIn account.
Should I be managing multiple LinkedIn accounts?
Well, the short answer is: No.
Managing multiple accounts on LinkedIn can be challenging and may lead to confusion among your connections, diluting your professional online presence. It’s a good idea to create many versions of your resume if you’re interested in pursuing job prospects in distinct industries.
While it may appear to be a smart idea to have two LinkedIn profiles if you’re thinking of pursuing two very different career paths, the rules are a bit more stringent on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s platform was created to help professionals from all over the world interact with one another, share valuable knowledge, discover new job possibilities, and more.
However, your LinkedIn profile’s true value comes from the size of your network.
The more people you connect with on LinkedIn, the simpler it will be to discover and interact with individuals who can assist you in achieving your professional or job-search objectives.
If you have different LinkedIn accounts and divide your connections between them, you’re weakening the strength of your LinkedIn network. In addition, maintaining, publishing new content, and managing your LinkedIn profile requires time and effort. Finding a new job is already a full-time task — do you want to add another half onto your LinkedIn burden?
To make matters worse, it is against LinkedIn’s User Agreement to have multiple LinkedIn profiles. You can provide your profile in as many languages as you want, but creating more than one account for the same person is prohibited. If one of your connections discovers you have multiple accounts and reports you, LinkedIn has the option to permanently remove all of your profiles without notice.
If you have two jobs, you must choose which career will take the forefront on your LinkedIn profile. You may post information that supports either career, but one of them will have to take a back seat on LinkedIn.
Creating a single Linkedin Account out of your many skills
Make a narrative for your LinkedIn profile that combines both of your professional backstories into one cohesive story.
Consider why you’re pursuing both of these employment options while generating the content for this portion of your LinkedIn account.
Do you have anything in common with both fields? Are there certain similarities between them that you find fascinating? Do they demand the use of any similar soft or hard skills?
You’ll come up with a powerful, but only one primary personal LinkedIn account after following these instructions. Make sure to navigate to your account preferences to manage your settings and ensure your profile reflects your combined skills.
The Risks of Duplicate Accounts
Duplicate accounts can pose several risks to your professional online presence and reputation. It’s essential to understand what constitutes a duplicate account and the potential consequences of having multiple accounts. Managing multiple LinkedIn accounts can lead to confusion among your connections, making it harder for them to know which profile to engage with. This can dilute your professional brand and make it challenging to build a strong, cohesive network.
What is a duplicate LinkedIn account?
A duplicate LinkedIn account is an account that is created for the same person, often with the same name, email address, or other identifying information. Duplicate accounts can be created intentionally or unintentionally, and they can cause confusion among your connections and dilute your professional online presence. Having duplicate accounts can also lead to account suspension or termination, as it violates LinkedIn’s User Agreement. By understanding the risks associated with duplicate accounts and LinkedIn’s policy on multiple accounts, you can take steps to manage your online presence effectively and maintain a single, unified professional profile. This will help you maximize your networking potential and ensure that your professional identity remains strong and credible.
How to merge two Linkedin accounts
Do you have a duplicate account on LinkedIn and need to manage multiple LinkedIn accounts? Merging LinkedIn accounts is the solution.
Whatever the cause, you may rest easy knowing that there is a simple technique to merge two LinkedIn accounts and go forward with one single LinkedIn profile.
You will be able to maintain the connections for both the primary account and the duplicate profile.
Here are the simple procedures to merge accounts:
- Log in to the primary account you wish to keep.
- In the top right, click on the “Me” button, then choose “Help Center” from the drop-down menu:
If you encounter any issues during the process, don't hesitate to contact LinkedIn support for assistance.
LinkedIn offers a few common solutions in the Help Center. One of them is “Merge Connections from Two LinkedIn Accounts”:
You should then type the email address and password of the second account in this field.
The connections from that account will be transferred to the one you’re logged into. The old account will then be closed after you’ve reviewed and authorized it.
The only disadvantage is that, because of the current merge process, connections from your closed account may be carried over to your new one, but not pending invites or any profile data such as recommendations, endorsements, work experience, or group memberships.
It’s best to keep the account with the most followers and up-to-date information, and then close the other accounts.
Alternatively, you can create and manage multiple LinkedIn company pages for different businesses, subsidiaries, or side hustles.
Why is it critical to keep your Linkedin account up to date?
LinkedIn has become the most popular destination for employers, recruiters, and job seekers.
Regularly updating your account preferences ensures that your profile remains current and relevant.
It’s the first stop for an employer after reading a CV from a potential applicant, and it’s an excellent tool for anybody seeking to get hired or network with important individuals in their field.
That is why don’t overlook your LinkedIn profile! If you have multiple LinkedIn accounts, you need to join account management and merge your duplicate accounts, keep your page up to date, and connect with the individuals you’re familiar with. Managing multiple LinkedIn accounts effectively is crucial to ensure you adhere to LinkedIn’s policies and maximize your networking potential. You may never know when it will come in useful.
Next Steps: How to Build Your Authority on Linkedin
Excellent! You’ve discovered how to merge two LinkedIn accounts, as well as the importance of concentrating efforts on one strong Linkedin profile and deleting your duplicate account.
If you need guidance on optimizing your profile, LinkedIn support can provide valuable assistance.
One effective strategy to build authority is to add multiple LinkedIn accounts, which allows you to manage and set up various profiles, assign proxies, and invite co-workers to manage LinkedIn accounts.
The next step is to demonstrate that you’re an industry expert to those who visit your Linkedin page. Or, that you are a reference for your network of contacts.
One of the most effective ways to build authority on Linkedin is to share content and get engagement.
If your post has a large number of likes and comments, it can get your visitor’s attention.
The best way to automate and consistently have more engaging posts is to use a tool like Linkboost.
With you can generate qualified engagement and increase up to 10x the usual reach of your publications on Linkedin.
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