LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows users to connect with other professionals, search for jobs, follow companies, and more. Many of LinkedIn’s core features are available for free user accounts, with additional features unlocked through premium subscriptions.
Profile and Connections
One of the main features offered by LinkedIn for free accounts is the ability to create a detailed professional profile. Users can provide information about their work history, education, skills, accomplishments, interests, and more. They can also connect with other LinkedIn members by sending connection requests.
With a free account, users can build up their professional network by connecting with colleagues, classmates, clients, and other contacts. There is no limit on the number of connections a free user can have. Building up one’s network allows members to tap into new professional opportunities and get introduced to contacts through mutual connections.
Search Jobs
LinkedIn’s job board is another useful feature available to free users. Members can search through millions of job listings by title, company, location, and other criteria. They can narrow down options using filters and set up job alerts to get notified when new matching listings are posted.
While free users can’t directly apply to jobs on LinkedIn, they can still discover relevant opportunities and click through to the company site to submit their application. The job search feature lets users explore openings at a wide range of companies and industries.
Company Pages and Industry News
LinkedIn free accounts allow users to follow Company Pages to get news and updates. By following companies they are interested in or have worked for, members can keep up with new products, initiatives, hiring opportunities, and more.
In addition, LinkedIn surfaces relevant industry news in users’ feeds. Staying on top of the latest news and trends can help professionals research industries they are interested in joining and keep their skills and knowledge up to date.
Groups
Joining Groups on LinkedIn is a free way for users to connect with like-minded professionals, share advice and ideas, find answers to questions, and participate in discussions. Groups exist for a huge range of professional interests, industries, alumni networks, and more.
Participating in Groups allows members to showcase their expertise, get noticed by potential contacts and employers, and tap into crowdsourced knowledge from professionals worldwide.
Learning and Publishing Articles
LinkedIn Learning offers free access to select courses and videos covering business, creative, and technology topics. Free users can explore the platform and sample some of the 10,000+ expert-led courses.
Additionally, any LinkedIn user can publish long-form articles and posts to share insights, promote their work and build an audience. Articles can cover topics relevant to your industry, career advice, tips, insights from projects, and more. Publishing is a free way to establish your brand as a thought leader.
Messaging
LinkedIn’s messaging capabilities let all members send direct messages to connect with their first-degree connections. This facilitates networking, following up after meeting someone, and sharing professional updates or opportunities. While InMail messages require a premium account, regular messaging is available for free users.
Search Members and Companies
Free accounts on LinkedIn can access LinkedIn’s powerful search functionality. Members can search for other members by name, company, job title, location, skills, school attended, and other criteria. This allows users to connect with peers, alumni, potential clients or partners, and subject matter experts.
In addition, users can search and follow any company on LinkedIn to keep up with their updates. Discovering new companies and decision makers is free through LinkedIn’s extensive database.
Who’s Viewed Your Profile
LinkedIn shows free members a limited list of who has viewed their profile recently. This allows users to see which recruiters, peers, and decision makers from companies have been looking at their profile. However, only the last 5 profile viewers are displayed for free accounts.
Ads and Sponsored Content
Like many social platforms, LinkedIn does display ads and sponsored content in free accounts. These unobtrusive ads are generally relevant to users based on their industry, job title, profile information, and activity. Members may find some sponsored content useful, such as training opportunities and company updates. However, ads and sponsored posts can be avoided by upgrading to a premium account.
Limited Profile Badges
LinkedIn offers verified profile badges to highlight expertise and certifications. On free accounts, members can showcase some of these badges such as their education, non-profit volunteer work, and skills. Premium accounts unlock more profile badges, such as verifying current employment at a company.
Mobile App and Desktop Site
LinkedIn’s core features are fully accessible through both their mobile app and desktop site for free members. Users can build their profile, connect, search jobs, network, share content, and more on the go from LinkedIn’s iOS and Android apps. Or they can access LinkedIn from any desktop web browser.
Downsides of Free Account
While LinkedIn’s free account grants access to their essential networking and career-building features, there are some downsides and restrictions to be aware of:
- Limited profile views – Can only see last 5 profile viewers
- Can’t message outside of network – Requires premium for InMail
- No resume builder and limited profile badges
- No access to full LinkedIn Learning library
- No ability to post jobs or make job referrals
- More ads and sponsored content in feed
Premium Features
For enhanced LinkedIn features, users can upgrade to premium accounts. Here are some of the key benefits unlocked with LinkedIn Premium subscriptions:
- Unlimited profile views so you can see everyone who’s looked at your profile
- InMail messages to contact anyone, even outside your network
- Resume builder with pre-filled LinkedIn profile data
- Full access to LinkedIn Learning video library
- Ability to post jobs and make job referrals
- All profile badges unlocked to highlight expertise
- Ad-free newsfeed so posts are purely professional content
- Premium support via phone and chat
Useful Free Features
While upgrading has its perks, LinkedIn’s free account is still very useful for:
- Creating a detailed professional profile
- Connecting with colleagues, clients, classmates, etc
- Searching millions of jobs and getting alerts for new listings
- Following Company Pages and industry news
- Joining Groups to find answers and get noticed
- Publishing long-form posts and articles
- Previewing LinkedIn Learning courses
- Searching for networking contacts and companies
Conclusion
LinkedIn offers an impressive set of features for free users focused on networking, career advancement, and staying in the know. While premium unlocks extras like unlimited profile views and message outreach, a free account still empowers professionals with tools to build their brand, connect with others, develop skills, and pursue opportunities.
The core social network and career-building functions make LinkedIn highly valuable even without a paid subscription. For those seeking to maximize their professional presence and tap into the platform’s vast resources, LinkedIn’s free offering delivers substantial value.