LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used primarily for professional networking and career development. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn allows professionals to connect with each other, find jobs, follow companies, and share content.
One of LinkedIn’s newer features is the ability to send voice messages directly within the LinkedIn messaging platform. This can be a quick and convenient way to communicate with your professional connections.
But how exactly do you send a voice message on LinkedIn? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process for recording and sending voice messages on both desktop and mobile. We’ll also provide tips for using voice messages effectively on LinkedIn.
Prerequisites for Sending Voice Messages
Before you can start sending voice messages on LinkedIn, there are a couple of prerequisites:
– You need to have a LinkedIn account. If you don’t have one yet, you can sign up for free at linkedin.com.
– You need to have an established connection with the person you want to send a voice message to. You can only send voice messages to 1st-degree connections on LinkedIn.
– The LinkedIn mobile app is required for sending voice messages on mobile. The desktop website does not support voice messaging.
– Your connection must have voice messaging enabled. They can control this from their account settings.
As long as you meet those requirements, you’re ready to start sending voice messages!
Sending Voice Messages on Desktop
Unfortunately, LinkedIn’s voice messaging feature is currently only available on mobile devices. It cannot be accessed on the desktop website.
However, you can still send an audio file as an attachment through LinkedIn messaging on desktop. Here’s how:
1. Go to the LinkedIn website and log into your account.
2. Find the connection you want to send the voice message to and open your message thread with them. You can do this by clicking the “Messages” icon in the top toolbar.
3. In the message window, click the paperclip attachment icon.
4. Select “Upload file”. This will open your computer’s file explorer.
5. Find and select the audio file you want to send. Supported formats include MP3, WAV, M4A, and more.
6. Add any text you want to include with the audio file.
7. Click send.
The attached audio file will be sent to the recipient like any other file attachment. While this method doesn’t provide the same quick voice recording feature, it allows you to send pre-recorded audio files through LinkedIn messaging on desktop.
Sending Voice Messages on Mobile
The LinkedIn mobile app provides the full voice messaging experience. Here are the steps for sending a voice message on mobile:
1. Download the LinkedIn mobile app if you don’t already have it. Open the app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Tap the “My Network” icon on the bottom toolbar. This will show your connections.
3. Find the connection you want to send a voice message to and tap on their name to open your message thread.
4. At the bottom of the message window, tap and hold the mic icon.
5. The voice message recorder will open. Tap the round red button when you’re ready to start recording your message.
6. Speak your message. You have up to 1 minute to record.
7. Once finished, release the red button. You can tap the trash icon to delete and re-record if needed.
8. Optionally add any text you want to include with the voice message.
9. Tap the send arrow to deliver your voice message.
That’s all there is to it! The voice message will be sent as an audio clip that the recipient can play directly within the LinkedIn messaging window.
Tips for Effective Voice Messaging
Here are some tips to use voice messaging effectively on LinkedIn:
– Keep it short and concise – voice messages work best for quick, impromptu communication. Get right to the point within 30-60 seconds.
– Speak clearly and avoid background noise if possible. Make sure you can be heard clearly by the recipient.
– Confirm details that may be ambiguous over text, such as times, addresses, and names. Voice can clarify miscommunications.
– Use an upbeat, friendly tone as you would with any other professional interaction.
– Avoid long-winded speeches. If you need more time, use a separate audio file. The 1-minute limit ensures brevity.
– Follow up over text if needed to recap important action items or takeaways.
– Respect the recipient’s preferences – don’t overuse voice messages if your connection rarely uses them.
Conclusion
Sending voice messages through LinkedIn messaging can add a more personal, conversational touch compared to written communication. While the feature is still relatively new, it provides a quick and easy option for engaging with your professional network more naturally.
With the mobile app, you can record and send short voice messages on the go. On desktop, audio files can be sent as attachments. Use voice messaging periodically when you feel it adds value, without overdoing it. Follow best practices to ensure your messages come across clearly and effectively.
With the ability to communicate by voice, LinkedIn continues to evolve as a social platform, providing more diverse options for members to connect and interact.