Is it okay to solicit on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 722 million members. With access to such a large audience, it’s tempting for many businesses and salespeople to use LinkedIn as a channel for soliciting prospects and driving sales. However, LinkedIn has guidelines around solicitation and self-promotion to maintain the professional nature of the platform. So is it okay to solicit on LinkedIn? The answer depends on your approach.

What is considered solicitation on LinkedIn?

Solicitation refers to directly targeting other members with unsolicited commercial messages to generate sales. Here are some examples of solicitation on LinkedIn that go against their policies:

– Sending connection requests withsales pitches in the notes section

– Messaging members with product promotions without any previous engagement

– Posting content on LinkedIn that explicitly asks users to buy from you or sign up for a service

– Commenting on other’s posts with links or references to your offerings

– Using targeted ads to reach members with marketing messages

Essentially, anything perceived as self-promotion or pitching to other members who have not expressed interest is frowned upon. LinkedIn wants interactions to occur organically.

Why does LinkedIn prohibit direct solicitation?

LinkedIn restricts direct solicitation for a few key reasons:

Maintain trust in the community

Excessive self-promotion damages the member experience and makes the platform feel transactional rather than a professional network built on trust.

Prevent spam and irrelevant content

Solicitation often leads to spam-like behavior that clutters the content feed. LinkedIn wants posts and discussions to be meaningful.

Uphold professional conduct

Hard selling tactics can be perceived as aggressive or manipulative, contradicting the professional nature of the platform.

Allow organic relationship building

LinkedIn believes genuine connections are forged through value-driven engagement over time, not blind solicitation.

By limiting overt solicitation, LinkedIn aims to maintain the quality of its community. But that doesn’t mean you can’t promote your business at all.

Appropriate ways to market your business on LinkedIn

While directly soliciting is prohibited, LinkedIn offers lots of options to build awareness and promote your brand to the right audiences. Here are some recommended approaches:

Boost your company page

Leverage paid tools like page views and follower ads to get your company, products and content in front of target audiences without direct solicitation.

Engage in relevant groups

Participate in industry and niche groups by sharing insights and content. Position yourself as an expert.

Build relationships with content

Post valuable content consistently and authentically engage with others’ posts to establish credibility.

Utilize targeted ads

Run Sponsored Content and Sponsored InMail campaigns tailored to your ideal audience. Deliver value, not sales pitches.

Publish helpful articles

Use LinkedIn’s publishing platform to share educational and thought leadership content that builds awareness.

Partner with influencers

Collaborate with LinkedIn members with large followings to expand your reach through co-created content.

The key is to add value for others first without aggressive self-promotion. By doing so authentically, you can build relationships that eventually lead to sales conversations.

How to avoid being perceived as soliciting

It’s easy to cross the line from promotion to solicitation on LinkedIn if you’re not careful. Here are some tips to maintain professional conduct:

– Don’t send unsolicited DMs promoting your offerings. Establish a relationship first.

– Avoid targeting ads based on member demographics and contacts. Keep them broad and relevant.

– Don’t spam groups with promotional posts. Offer at least 10x more value than promotion.

– Don’t post overly promotional content on your profile. Mix in thought leadership and community building.

– Personalize connection requests to show you read their profile. Mass outreach comes off spammy.

– Comment on posts to give your perspective, not just mention your company or content.

– If someone engages with your post, great. But avoid explicitly telling them to buy from you.

The main takeaway is to make your interactions personal and value-driven. If your sole intent is to generate leads, members will likely disengage.

What happens if you violate LinkedIn’s policies?

If LinkedIn determines you are abusing their platform through excessive solicitation, here are some actions they may take:

– Remove individual posts, comments or messages in violation
– Temporarily limit your ability to post or interact
– Block you from using specific features like targeted ads
– Suspend your account either temporarily or indefinitely
– Revoke your Partnership Program status if applicable

The severity depends on the violation and whether it’s a repeat offense. But know that LinkedIn does enforce their policies, so soliciting could jeopardize your access.

Should you report solicitors on LinkedIn?

Members often wonder if they should report others who violate the solicitation policies. There are a few factors to consider:

– How severe and frequent is the solicitation? A one-off DM is different than spamming all your connections.

– Do they target multiple people or just you? Widespread abuse is harder to catch than reporting a specific incident.

– Are they open to feedback on their approach? You may try suggesting less promotional tactics.

– Are you comfortable engaging further or do you want to block them? Less engagement may be an easier solution.

– Do you believe they are intentionally circumventing the rules? Accidental slip-ups happen to everyone.

Essentially, evaluate each situation. If it’s a harmless mistake or one interaction you can avoid, blocking may suffice. But if someone is clearly spamming at scale, reporting them is appropriate.

Conclusion

While LinkedIn prohibits direct solicitation, you absolutely can leverage their platform to market your business in an organic, value-driven way. The key is to build relationships first. Provide value through your content, engagement and profile. Spend more time listening and educating than promoting. If your offerings align with someone’s needs down the road, you will be top of mind. But success requires patience and avoiding overt self-promotion.