How to Merge Two LinkedIn Accounts
You only require a single LinkedIn account for all purposes. If you have two LinkedIn accounts, it’s time you merge the two and focus your attention on one.
LinkedIn has been connecting professionals across the globe for a while now. Recruiters and job hunters can easily interact and create contracts directly on the platform.
Thankfully, you can merge two LinkedIn accounts, and the process is not that complicated. In this article, I’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to merge two LinkedIn accounts.
Let’s get into it now.
How to Merge Two LinkedIn Accounts?
Merging two LinkedIn accounts is simple. But, there is a catch. You can’t merge two LinkedIn accounts completely. This means the content of the two profiles/accounts, the pending invitations, work experience, and endorsements remain intact.
You can only transfer connections and email addresses of one account to another. And, that’s what we are mostly concerned about.
Let’s start with the step-by-step guide.
Log into your LinkedIn account that you want to keep using. Click on the “Me” icon at the top right corner of your screen.
Select “Settings and Privacy” from the drop-down menu.
Source: Linkedin.com
Select “Account Preferences” and then “Account Management”.
Source: Linkedin.com
Now, click on “Merge Accounts”.
Source: Linkedin.com
You’ll now be redirected to a page where you can enter your duplicate account’s login detail. After entering the email address and password of the account you want to remove, click “Submit”.
LinkedIn will now confirm by asking if you want to continue closing your account. Click “Continue”.
The last step would be to enter the password of your account. Click “Submit”.
That’s it!
LinkedIn will now merge your two accounts. You’ll receive a confirmation email on your primary account from LinkedIn.
If you have 2 LinkedIn accounts, you’d be juggling between the two, which would lead to inefficiency and frustration.
Having a single account keeps you focused. And, it’s easier to maintain one account than two.
Should I Have 2 LinkedIn Profiles?
Most of us have two different sides of our personalities. You need to maintain composure in a professional atmosphere while it’s completely fine to get a little childish around your family and loved ones.
But, how about when you have two separate professions?
Let’s say you are a freelance writer and running a business as an Amazon seller. Should you be promoting both of your professions with two different LinkedIn profiles?
The answer to the question “Should I have 2 LinkedIn profiles” is NO!
You don’t need to create a separate account just because you have two skills or two professions. LinkedIn is a platform where professionals and businesses connect and grow.
If you were to have two LinkedIn accounts, your connections will be split, which would make reaching out to them quite difficult.
LinkedIn also doesn’t allow its users to create more than one account. So, if you were to create 2 accounts, you’d be violating LinkedIn’s end-user agreement.
And, if someone reports your profiles, LinkedIn may remove both of your profiles.
So, what should you do? Have one LinkedIn account and focus on improving it.
And, if you have two different professions, it could be one of the times when you have to choose between the two options.
No matter how difficult it may seem, pick the one that’s more suitable for your LinkedIn connections. Which one has a better likelihood of success on a platform like LinkedIn?
If presenting both your professions is important, what you can do is write about it in the “About” section of your LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn provides 2000 characters in the “About” section. It would be enough to tell your profile visitors about yourself in detail.
Can I Have a Personal and Business LinkedIn Account?
While you can only create one LinkedIn account, the platform allows you to create a separate business page within your account.
So, yes, you can have a personal as well as business LinkedIn “Page”, within one profile (account).
As an entrepreneur or a business owner, you’d have a personal page on LinkedIn. You can use it to further your connections and network with other businesses.
If you want to take things to the next step, you can create a business page on LinkedIn as well. But, do you need a personal as well as business LinkedIn page? Yes!
Let’s see the differences between the two to understand why you need both.
Difference Between LinkedIn Personal and Business Pages
Source: linkedin.com
While there are quite a few differences between a personal and business page, the most prominent one is this:
A personal page showcases your skills, experience, and expertise as a person while a business LinkedIn page presents services and products of your business.
Another key difference is the way your posts would behave on LinkedIn. Posts shared through a personal page may not remain in the limelight for too long. They tend to get lost like thousands of other posts on the platform.
Whereas, posts from a LinkedIn business page tend to stick for a while longer. Sharing these posts with your personal account connections can boost their visibility.
Another prominent difference is the speed of interaction with new connections. When someone sends you a connection request on the personal profile, it needs your approval to get the communication going.
You may not want to accept hundreds of invitations as a busy businessperson. What you can do is, create a business page and let the connections follow you.
This way, your connections can not only connect with you right off the bat, but you build your business following as well.
Do You Need a LinkedIn Business Page?
A personal LinkedIn page establishes your credibility and allows you to connect with people in your industry.
You get an opportunity to interact with clients and customers quickly from a personal LinkedIn page.
A LinkedIn business page offers everything a personal page does, but for your business. It allows you to establish your business as a brand, set its tone, and identity.
Benefits of a LinkedIn Business Page
Personal and business LinkedIn pages have their own benefits. But, if you are a business, not having a business page would be a mistake.
Here are some of the benefits a LinkedIn business page offers.
Better Visibility of Your Business
A LinkedIn business page is by default public, keeping your content easier to access for the audience.
While your prospects can’t contact you directly on a personal profile, without connecting with you first, a business page doesn’t have that condition.
Anyone interested in our business can directly message you on a company/business page.
Moreover, as your content is publicly available on a business page, it gets an SEO boost as well. More people are able to see it irrespective of whether they are your followers or not.
The key is to use the relevant keywords in your content; keywords that people might be searching for.
A Business Page Offers Analytics
When you post content from a LinkedIn business page, the platform tells you how many times the users have seen it.
Not only that, but you also get to know the number of clicks and interactions a particular post generates.
This lets you understand what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to tweak your strategies for better results.
Can I Move Followers from one Account to Another?
Yes, you can move your followers/connections from one LinkedIn account to another while merging two accounts.
You’d have to follow the same procedure discussed above and merge two accounts to transfer your connections.
However, if you want to transfer your followers from one LinkedIn “page” to another, the procedure would be different.
The merger of two company pages is simple. Just go to the LinkedIn help page here and follow the steps. Type in your query. For instance, “how to merge two company pages” in our case.
If you don’t find what you are looking for, or want to talk to a customer support agent, you can scroll down and create a support ticket.
So, if you want to move your connections to another account, you’d have to merge two accounts, as discussed in the beginning.
You can also transfer your followers from one page to another. You can either follow the guide here or talk to the customer support team to get assistance.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to own two LinkedIn accounts even if you have two different professions. The best strategy would be to focus on one profession on the platform.
If you’re passionate about two professions, you can mention both of them in the “About” section of your account.
Moreover, the steps on how to merge two LinkedIn accounts are pretty simple. So, once you’ve decided on the one that you want to keep, you can do that in a few minutes.
As far as company pages are concerned, you can merge the two and transfer your followers from one page to another in no time.
