LinkedIn Premium: Keep it or Cancel?

Reasons to Keep LinkedIn Premium

1. Credibility: For some odd reason, the little gold LinkedIn logo at the top of my profile had top voices not only reacting to my content and accepting my connection requests, but they seemed to DM me with a 100% increase from never in my DM's prior to paying $69/ month. I'll be blunt, this is dumb. Like renting a Ferrari in hopes of having other Ferrari drivers complement your ride..... Unless the Ferrari drivers are your direct audience. Then rent away.
2. Job Hunters: You get more insights on position openings that match your profile best. But if your profile isn't tailored with fine details, this won't benefit you much, but neither will applying to jobs with a poor LinkedIn page.
3. Spot the Creepers ??: Not everyone is creeping, but actually interested in who you are, or naturally checking out your page after a connection request. We all do it, but now you can see who and what companies are taking a peek.

Why I Canceled my LinkedIn Premium

1. Cost: It costs too much for the value I am looking for in my LinkedIn presence. Even when LinkedIn offered 1/2 off months, the cost still wasn't worth it FOR ME.
2. Irrelevant Course Badges: The courses offered are a nice perk, and education is always good for developing skills, but skills for me are learned in action, not through a 10-question quiz. In my opinion, the courses on LinkedIn are like sprinkles, they don't change the cake, but they do make it look dressed up and pretty.
3. Direct Messaging: Or as LinkedIn calls it, "InMail", which is pretty much a glorified direct messaging option with fewer restrictions when sending cold call emails. Listen up everyone, to make a cold call a warm call, build a relationship. You don't expect strangers to come to your BBQ party with one invite. You first become acquaintances and possible friends, then extend the invite. Engage with their content, DM without an ask, engage some more, DM with some value, engage some more, then make the ask. If this is too many steps, then keep firing away. You may hit a whale that makes up for all of the effort and no's, or you may be eating BBQ alone.

These are all opinions, so do your own research and trial runs, and make decisions that fit you best. The value of paying will most likely be different for everyone, so listen to your gut, not my newsletter.

LinkedIn gives you a free 1-month trial, but you can also use a referral from me for a 2-month trial here ?? https://lnkd.in/ggZNfS3d

I get 1/2 off premium if you use my referral, which I won't use for my previous reasons, so this link is with no strings attached!

Written by

Sean Reed

Social Media Strategist