"We found some invalid LinkedIn profile URLs in your spreadsheet" means your Phantom ran but skipped one or more rows it couldn't read as a valid LinkedIn profile URL - those contacts weren't processed. Your Phantom kept going without crashing, but you'll need to fix the invalid entries and relaunch if you want them included. The most common cause is a column mismatch: if your URLs aren't in the first column of your spreadsheet, the Phantom won't find them.
Why you're seeing this
- By default, the Phantom looks for URLs in the first column of your input spreadsheet.
- If your LinkedIn profile URLs are stored in another column (like Column B or Column C), the Phantom won't find them and will flag them as invalid.
Other things that can trigger this message:
- The URL column contains non-profile URLs - company pages (/company/), search pages (/search/), or post URLs
- URLs are malformed: typos, missing http://, wrong format
- Profiles have been deleted or deactivated since the URL was collected
- (API only) The column name was cleared after setup: the Phantom fell back to Column A, which contains non-URL data. Fix is the same as below: duplicate or reinstall and reset the column mapping.
How to fix it
You'll need to tell the Phantom which column contains your LinkedIn URLs. Because the input column mapping is locked after first setup, you'll need a fresh copy of the Phantom. Choose one of the two options below.
If your column is already set correctly but URLs are still being flagged, the issue is in the spreadsheet itself. Check that all entries follow the format https://www.linkedin.com/in/[username], remove any company pages, search URLs, or post links, and delete or replace any profiles that no longer exist.
Option 1: Duplicate the Phantom
- In your PhantomBuster Dashboard, click the three dots next to the Phantom and select Duplicate.
- Open your new duplicated Phantom and go to the Profiles to invite step.
- Expand Spreadsheet settings, then under Name of the column containing the URL, select the correct column name from the dropdown.
- Save and relaunch the Phantom.
Option 2: Reinstall the Phantom
- Delete the current Phantom from your PhantomBuster Dashboard.
- Create a new Phantom from scratch and go to the Profiles to invite step.
- Expand Spreadsheet settings.
- Under Name of the column containing the URL, select the correct column name from the dropdown.
- Save and relaunch the Phantom.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Phantom flagging valid URLs as invalid?
By default, the Phantom reads URLs from the first column of your spreadsheet. If your LinkedIn URLs are in Column B, C, or elsewhere, the Phantom won't find them and will flag them as invalid, even when they're perfectly formatted.
My Phantom ran but some contacts are missing, is this why?
Possibly. This message is informational: it doesn't stop your Phantom, but it does mean those rows were skipped. If contacts are missing from your results, check your output file for entries that weren't processed and trace them back to invalid URLs in your input spreadsheet.
How do I change which column my Phantom reads URLs from?
Open the Profiles to invite step of your Phantom's setup, expand Spreadsheet settings, and select the correct column under Name of the column containing the URL.
Why do I need to duplicate or reinstall the Phantom to fix this?
Some Phantoms lock the input column after first setup. Duplicating or reinstalling gives you a fresh setup where you can map the column correctly before launching.
What does a valid LinkedIn profile URL look like?
A valid URL starts with https://www.linkedin.com/in/ followed by the profile identifier (e.g., https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-smith).
Can empty rows in my spreadsheet cause this error?
Yes. Empty rows or extra formatting in the URL column can trigger the error. Clean up your spreadsheet before relaunching.
If the error keeps showing up
Double-check that:
- All links are valid LinkedIn profile URLs (they should start with http://www.linkedin.com/in/).
- There are no empty rows or extra formatting in the column.
If the error persists, get in touch with our Customer Care Team.