LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 810 million members worldwide. It allows professionals to connect with each other, find jobs, follow companies, and share content. LinkedIn offers several premium paid subscription options that give users additional features and benefits beyond the free basic account. One of the key features of LinkedIn premium is the ability to send direct messages to other members, even if you are not connected to them. This opens up new opportunities for networking, prospecting, and targeted outreach. But can you actually message people on LinkedIn if you only have the free account? Let’s take a closer look.
Messaging capabilities on LinkedIn free accounts
On a free LinkedIn account, your messaging abilities are limited. Here is what you can do:
- Send messages to your 1st-degree connections – These are people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn.
- Receive messages from anyone – While you can only actively send messages to your connections, anyone on LinkedIn can send you a message.
- Participate in group conversations – You can actively communicate and message other members in LinkedIn groups you have joined.
So in summary, with a free account you can only send direct messages to people who are already connections in your network. You cannot actively reach out to new people by sending them messages.
Messaging with LinkedIn Premium accounts
Premium LinkedIn memberships lift most of the restrictions on messaging. Here are the key messaging benefits of premium:
- Send messages to anyone – This is the biggest benefit. You can send direct messages even to members who are not in your network.
- See full profile of non-connections – When messaging someone new, you can view their full profile to personalize your outreach.
- Know when your messages are read – You can see when your sent messages have been read by the recipients.
- Stand out in inbox – Your messages have a better chance of getting opened and standing out in the inbox.
In summary, LinkedIn Premium opens up your ability to send direct messages to any LinkedIn member without needing to connect first. This gives you a tremendous networking and prospecting advantage.
LinkedIn Premium account types
LinkedIn offers four premium membership options:
- Premium Career – Focused on job seeking
- Premium Business – For sales/business development
- Premium Hiring – For recruiters and hiring
- Premium Sales – For sales prospecting
All the premium account types include the expanded messaging abilities covered in this article. The other features differ depending on the focus of each product.
Compare messaging features by account type
| Feature | Free Account | Premium Account |
|---|---|---|
| Send messages to anyone | No | Yes |
| See full profile of non-connections | No | Yes |
| Know when messages are read | No | Yes |
| Improved inbox presence | No | Yes |
Use cases and examples
Here are some examples of how LinkedIn Premium members can utilize messaging to achieve their professional goals:
Networking
Premium members can directly message other professionals they are interested in connecting with. For example, an accountant in Chicago could search for CPAs in New York and send messages inviting them to connect.
Prospecting
Sales professionals can use messaging to prospect for new business. For instance, a B2B sales rep can identify key decision makers at target companies and send personalized messages pitching their solutions.
Job seeking
When applying for jobs, candidates can stand out by messaging recruiters or hiring managers for the companies they want to work for. This allows them to make critical connections during the job search process.
Subject matter experts
Consultants or freelancers can leverage messaging to connect with and offer their services to prospective clients who they are not already connected to.
Personalized invitations
Premium members can message customized invitations to non-connections, inviting them to connect on LinkedIn or view their profile.
Limitations and considerations
While LinkedIn Premium unlocks many messaging capabilities, there are some limitations to be aware of:
- Recipients can mark messages as spam – Unwanted messages run the risk of being marked as spam by recipients.
- Messaging non-connections has lower response rate – People are more likely to engage with messages from existing connections.
- Over-messaging can damage your reputation – Mass messaging without personalization can appear spammy.
- Subject to LinkedIn guidelines – Abusive or inappropriate messaging can result in account restrictions.
The key is to utilize messaging thoughtfully and selectively for the right purposes. Personalized, value-driven messaging is well received.
Conclusion
In summary, one of the most valuable features of LinkedIn Premium is the ability to send direct messages to any member without needing to connect first. This opens up new opportunities for networking, prospecting, job seeking, and targeted outreach. While free accounts can only message existing connections, premium accounts can message non-connections. Keep in mind there are still some limitations around spam, response rates, and messaging guidelines. Used strategically, messaging on premium can take your LinkedIn results to the next level.
