How do signup search suggestions and aliases work?
Signup search suggestions and aliases help you find the right description quickly. Here is how signup search suggestions and aliases work.
The signup selector can recognise alternate words and offer a standard profile description. Select that suggestion to confirm it.
Signup search suggestions: what you need to know
- Examples in the current catalogue: novelist maps to Author, bookshop maps to Bookstore, and vocalist maps to Singer.
- A search alias helps you find the right description; it does not create another account type, a new qualification or an extra permission.
- Review the actual suggested label before selecting it. Do not infer a classification just from a username or a word with a different meaning.
- For example, Sports Club / Team describes a club or team, not automatically an individual footballer. Choose Athlete / Sportsperson for an individual sportsperson when that is the fitting suggestion, or use Add your own.
- Some descriptions have restricted signup options. Use the available choice shown by the form rather than trying to bypass its validation.
Common questions about signup search suggestions
Why do the signup search suggestions show a different word from the one I typed?
Because the selector recognises everyday synonyms and maps them to the standard description other members search for. Typing novelist offers Author, bookshop offers Bookstore and vocalist offers Singer. Only the standard label you select is saved, never the word you typed.
Do signup search suggestions decide which account type I get?
No. Your account type comes from the signup option you chose first. The suggestions only set the public description. Read the suggested label before confirming it, because Sports Club / Team describes an organisation while an individual sportsperson should pick Athlete / Sportsperson.
What if the signup search suggestions show nothing useful?
Try a broader or more common word, then use Add your own if nothing fits. A custom description is accepted as a label but does not create a new category, account type or permission, and the Acceptable Use Policy rules on truthful self-description still apply.
Are signup search suggestions available in other languages?
The catalogue and its aliases are maintained in English, with the site itself available in several languages. If you type a word in another language and nothing appears, try the English equivalent, for example author for autor or bookshop for librairie, and the suggestion should appear. Add your own remains available when the catalogue has nothing suitable.
Related help
Further guidance: GOV.UK on setting up as self-employed.
