Many clients have asked me: Is it worth it to have a paid account on LinkedIn?

For many users, especially those relatively new to using LinkedIn, I generally discourage them from paying for LinkedIn. There’s plenty you can do with a basic (free) account.

That said, there are some terrific features available to you when you have a paid account.

*At the June 10 meeting of my Simplify Your Social Media Meetup Group, Rosemary O’Shaughnessy (pictured above), a LinkedIn Trainer and Speaker, will present “How LinkedIn Premium Helps Attract and Find Leads Faster.”

This free event is held through Meetup from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Here’s the link to RSVP.*

 

What You Get with a Basic Account

You can create your profile, company pages, groups, and events. Similar to other sites, you can share posts, engage with others, send messages to connections, get notifications and more.

Additionally, with a basic account you can:

  • Find and reconnect with colleagues
  • Search for and view profiles of other LinkedIn members
  • Request and provide recommendations
  • Endorse connections for specific skills
  • Receive unlimited InMail messages
  • Save up to three searches and get weekly alerts on those searches.

 

Different Types of Premium Accounts

LinkedIn offers different types of premium accounts that members can select based on their needs. You can pay annually, which provides about a 25% discount, or you can pay monthly.

These types include:

  • Premium Career ($39.99 per month) – helps you get hired.
  • Premium Business ($69.99 per month) – helps you get detailed business insights and further expand your business.
  • Sales Navigator ($99.99 per month) – helps you generate leads and build your clientele.

For all options, you can see who has viewed your profile over the past 90 days. If you are a job seeker, it could be useful to know if hiring authorities or recruiters are viewing your profile. If you are a business owner, you might want someone viewing your profile to become a client or a referral partner. Or if past clients or referral partners view your profile, that provides you a good reason to reconnect with them. This feature is the main reason that I choose to pay for a premium account.

For all options, you also get to send a certain number of what LinkedIn calls InMails each month. These are messages you send to people on LinkedIn to whom you are not connected. The more money you pay, the more Inmails you can send. There are other features specific to each level.

Another benefit of having a paid account on LinkedIn is that you are not limited in the number of notes you can send with an invite to connect. Otherwise, you are limited to sending personal notes no more than five times a month.

If you are interested in a premium account, each option has a free 30-day trial. Learn more about the differences between basic and premium LinkedIn accounts at https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a545596

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 55 and up, become more effective social media users, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.