LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social networking platforms, with over 722 million users as of April 2022. With its focus on career networking and job searching, LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for professionals looking to connect with others in their industry, showcase their skills and experience, and explore new career opportunities.
The Basics of LinkedIn
At its core, LinkedIn allows users to create professional profiles that highlight their work history, education, skills, and accomplishments. Users can connect with others by sending connection requests, which allow you to view each other’s profiles and communicate. The platform also features job listings, the ability to follow companies, join groups, publish long-form posts, and more.
LinkedIn operates on a “freemium” business model. This means that anyone can sign up for and use a basic LinkedIn account for free. However, LinkedIn also offers premium paid subscriptions that unlock additional features.
Free LinkedIn Account Features
A free LinkedIn account allows you to:
- Create a profile highlighting your professional background
- Connect with other users
- Perform basic searches of LinkedIn members, jobs, companies, and groups
- View profiles of 3rd-degree connections
- Receive InMail messages
- Follow companies and influencers
- Join groups and participate in group discussions
- Publish articles on LinkedIn’s publishing platform
- See who’s viewed your profile
These core features make LinkedIn tremendously beneficial for networking, self-promotion, and career development at no cost.
LinkedIn Premium Subscriptions
While a free account offers ample functionality, LinkedIn does put some restrictions in place and reserves more advanced features for its paid subscription plans. LinkedIn Premium subscriptions unlock features like:
- Unlimited profile views
- See full profiles of all connections
- Advanced profile search filters
- Unlock full profiles of non-connections
- See who’s viewed your posts and activities
- Take online courses
- Enhanced data insights
LinkedIn offers three tiers of premium subscriptions: Premium Career, Premium Business, and Sales Navigator. Prices range from $29.99 to $99.99 per month depending on the plan.
Why LinkedIn Offers Free Accounts
There are several strategic reasons why LinkedIn maintains free accounts as part of its business model:
- Member acquisition – Free accounts help LinkedIn rapidly expand its member base. The larger the member base, the more value the platform provides.
- Advertising – Free members are still shown advertisements. More members means more potential customers for advertisers.
- Upselling – Some free users will see enough value in the platform that they’ll upgrade to a paid subscription.
- Talent pool – Millions of free user profiles attract employers and recruiters searching for candidates.
- Engagement – Even non-paying members foster engagement and content contributions on the platform.
Overall, free accounts help drive LinkedIn’s growth, stature, and value as the premier professional social network.
Limitations of Free LinkedIn Accounts
While free accounts grant access to core LinkedIn functionalities, there are some restrictions to be aware of:
- Limited profile views – You can only view full profiles of your 1st-degree connections.
- Restricted messaging – You can only message your 1st-degree connections.
- No advanced search filters – Search is limited compared to paid accounts.
- No access to online courses.
- Limited data insights – Less access to profile/content performance analytics.
- No resume builder service
- No ability to create taglines under your name
Heavy LinkedIn users may find the fuller capabilities and additional features of the paid memberships worthwhile. But for many, the free account performs satisfactorily.
Getting the Most from a Free Account
While free accounts do impose some limits, you can still get immense value out of LinkedIn without having to pay. Here are some tips:
- Completely fill out your profile – Treat it like an online resume and include all relevant work history, education, skills, certifications, etc.
- Gather connections – Build out your network by connecting with colleagues old and new.
- Engage meaningfully – Comment on posts, join groups, and publish your own content.
- Follow influencers/companies – Stay on top of your industry and gain insights.
- Utilize publishing – Share your expertise through posts and articles.
- Use search filters – Use the available basic filters to find the right jobs/people.
- Check notifications – Message alerts can lead to productive connections.
While paying subscribers unlock the full suite of features, a savvy user can still get a lot out of a free LinkedIn account.
Conclusion
In summary, yes – LinkedIn basic accounts are completely free to sign up for and use. While paid subscriptions open up more advanced functionality, a free account provides the core social networking, personal branding, and job search features that make LinkedIn so valuable. With over 722 million users, LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professional networking and career development. By thoughtfully using all a free account has to offer, you can benefit tremendously without having to pay anything.