LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking platforms, with over 800 million users worldwide. The LinkedIn mobile app allows users to access many of the same features as the desktop website, such as managing your profile, connecting with other professionals, searching for jobs, networking, and more.
But is the LinkedIn app actually good? Here we’ll examine the pros and cons of using the LinkedIn mobile app and look at whether it’s worth downloading.
Pros of the LinkedIn App
Here are some of the main benefits of using the LinkedIn mobile app:
Convenience
The LinkedIn app allows you to access core LinkedIn features on the go from your mobile device. This means you can stay up-to-date with your network, messages, notifications, jobs and more wherever you are. For busy professionals, being able to manage your LinkedIn presence on-the-go can be a huge time saver.
Messaging
The LinkedIn app makes it easy to message connections directly. You can start conversations with your connections, respond to messages, and continue conversations on any device. This facilitates networking and staying in touch while on the move.
Notifications
The app sends you notifications about activity on your account, such as new connection requests, messages, mentions, comments, reactions to your posts, and more. This allows you to stay on top of your LinkedIn activity.
Search
Searching for jobs, people, companies, groups, and content is straightforward with the app. Advanced filters allow you to refine your search so you can find exactly what you need while on your phone.
Publishing Posts & Articles
The LinkedIn app makes it easy to publish new posts and articles to your profile that will be shared with your network. This allows you to actively engage your connections and build your professional brand from your phone.
App-Exclusive Features
The app includes some unique features not available on the desktop site, such as LinkedIn Polls and LinkedIn Events. This provides additional ways to engage your network from your phone.
Cons of the LinkedIn App
However, there are also some downsides to relying on the LinkedIn mobile app:
Limited Functionality
The LinkedIn app doesn’t include all the same features and functions as the desktop website. Some more advanced LinkedIn features like Showcase Pages, lead generation forms, and advertising options are not available in the app.
Difficulty Managing Large Networks
The LinkedIn app can make it more difficult to manage and engage with a large network of 500+ connections. The desktop interface is better optimized for managing large networks.
Limitations of a Small Screen
Browsing long feeds and having multiple tabs open is more challenging on the smaller screen of a mobile device. The desktop site offers a larger screen that makes managing your home feed and activity easier.
Typing Long Messages & Posts
Writing long-form posts and messages can be trickier on a small touchscreen keyboard compared to a full desktop keyboard and mouse.
Can Be Distracting
Getting notifications and messages on your phone throughout the day could potentially impact your productivity or become distracting. The desktop site allows you to check in on LinkedIn when it’s most convenient for you.
Potential Overuse
Having the app on your phone means you may be tempted to check LinkedIn more frequently than necessary. This could become a distraction or even an addiction for some users.
Key Differences Between the App and Website
Here are some of the main differences between using LinkedIn on the mobile app vs the desktop website:
Features
As mentioned, the desktop site has more features and options, including Showcase Pages, forms, and advertising. The app offers exclusive features like Polls and Events.
Notifications & Messaging
Notifications and messaging are more prominent in the app. The desktop site focuses more on your feed and content.
Navigation
The app uses a bottom tab bar for quick navigation between sections. The desktop site relies on a top navbar and side rail for navigating the site.
Design
The app interfaces have been optimized for mobile screens. Design density is lower and fonts/buttons are bigger to aid usability.
Profiles
Profiles display the basic overview on the app, while desktop profiles show the full experience with detailed sections.
Feeds
The mobile feed prioritizes recent network activity. The desktop feed balances activity with curated content recommendations.
Use Cases for the App vs Website
Here are some examples of good use cases for the LinkedIn app vs accessing LinkedIn on your desktop:
Use the App For:
- Quickly checking notifications
- Messaging connections
- Scrolling the activity feed
- Commenting on posts
- Casual browsing while on-the-go
Use the Website For:
- Editing your profile in detail
- Engaging with your full network
- Reading long-form content
- Posting articles
- Focused job searching
- Managing advertising campaigns
Tips for Using the App Effectively
Here are some tips to use the LinkedIn app most effectively:
Enable Push Notifications
Turn on push notifications so you don’t miss important activity and messages. But disable notifications during work hours or when busy so you aren’t distracted.
Set Aside Specific Times to Check the App
Rather than aimlessly checking throughout the day, set specific times to check your LinkedIn feed and messages, like during your commute or morning coffee.
Use Search Filters
Leverage the advanced filters when searching for content, people, jobs, etc. This lets you find exactly what you need quickly.
Download Relevant Content for Offline Reading
Save and download posts, articles and other content you find valuable so you can read them later offline when convenient.
Connect with Contacts on the App
Use the mobile app to quickly send connection requests and messages to your contacts and keep growing your network.
Complete Your Profile
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete with a photo, headline, summary, and work experiences. This gives people the right impression when viewing your profile.
Conclusion
The LinkedIn app provides a convenient way to stay connected and manage your professional network on-the-go. While it lacks some of the more advanced features of the desktop site, the app excels at activities like messaging, notifications, and casual browsing.
The app is most useful for quick, mobile-friendly actions, while complex tasks are still better suited for the desktop interface. Using both the app and website strategically can allow busy professionals to maximize the value of LinkedIn throughout the day.
With smart usage, such as enabling key notifications while muting distraction, downloading content for offline reading, and leveraging the search filters, the LinkedIn app provides true mobility and convenience.
So is the LinkedIn app good? For the core activities of managing notifications, messaging, and accessing your network on-the-go, the answer is yes. The LinkedIn mobile app delivers on convenience and portability. For more advanced LinkedIn usage, the desktop site still reigns supreme.
By leveraging both the mobile app and website strategically according to their strengths, professionals can unlock the full potential of LinkedIn.