LinkedIn is a social media platform that allows users to create profiles and connect with other professionals. There are two main types of LinkedIn accounts – personal and business. While both serve the purpose of networking and making connections, there are some key differences between personal and business accounts.
What is a LinkedIn personal account?
A LinkedIn personal account represents an individual user. It allows the user to create their professional profile, connect with other professionals, join groups, follow companies, and more. The main purpose of a personal LinkedIn account is to build your professional network and brand.
With a personal account, you can:
- Create a profile highlighting your work experience, education, skills, accomplishments, etc.
- Connect with colleagues, classmates, clients, business contacts, etc.
- Join industry or interest-based groups.
- Follow companies to receive their job postings and updates.
- Discover professional development opportunities through LinkedIn Learning.
- Stay up to date on news and trends in your industry.
A personal LinkedIn account is free to create and use. It allows you to establish your professional presence and brand yourself to potential connections and opportunities.
What is a LinkedIn business account?
A LinkedIn business account represents a company or organization. It gives businesses a presence on LinkedIn to promote their products/services, recruit employees, connect with other businesses, and more. The main purpose of a business account is brand awareness and lead generation.
With a business account, you can:
- Create a Company Page to showcase your business to prospective customers/clients.
- Promote job openings to recruit quality candidates.
- Publish relevant content to establish thought leadership and authority.
- Run targeted ads to reach your ideal audience.
- Follow and connect with partners, vendors, affiliates, etc.
- Gain insights into your target demographics and industry through analytics.
There are three types of LinkedIn business accounts:
- Basic – Free, allows you to create a Company Page, share updates, follow companies, etc.
- Premium – Paid monthly subscription with additional features like advanced analytics, talent recruiting tools, lead generation, etc.
- Sales Navigator – Paid monthly subscription optimized for sales professionals to find/qualify leads.
Key Differences Between Personal & Business Accounts
While both personal and business accounts allow you to connect, network, and build relationships, there are some notable differences:
| Personal Account | Business Account |
|---|---|
| Represents an individual | Represents a company/organization |
| Free to create and use | Free Basic option available, Premium options paid |
| Used to build personal brand and connections | Used for corporate branding, lead generation, recruiting |
| Limit of 10,000 connections | No connection limit |
| Standard analytics and profile views | Advanced analytics and insights with Premium |
| Limited advertising capabilities | Robust advertising options available |
| For individual thought leadership | For corporate thought leadership |
The key distinction is that personal accounts represent individual users while business accounts represent entire organizations.
Should you have both accounts?
Many professionals find it beneficial to maintain both a personal LinkedIn account and a LinkedIn business account. Here are some of the advantages of having both:
- Your personal account allows you to build your own professional network and brand while your business account represents your company independently.
- You can use your personal account for networking and career development while leveraging your business account for corporate marketing and recruiting.
- Your business account gives you access to company insights while your personal account gives you control over your own activity and data.
- You can easily switch between accounts in the LinkedIn app and website to manage your personal and business functions.
- You get access to a wider range of features and analytics by utilizing both account types.
However, it’s not strictly necessary to have both accounts. Small business owners and freelancers, for example, often find a personal account sufficient.
How to create a LinkedIn business account
Creating a LinkedIn business account is simple and free. Here are the steps:
- Go to LinkedIn.com and click “Join now.”
- Enter your business email address and follow the prompts to create your account.
- Select “Company” when asked about account type.
- Enter your company details including name, industry, size, location, etc.
- Agree to LinkedIn’s terms of service.
- After your account is created, go to your Company Page to customize it further.
- Consider upgrading to a Premium account to access more features.
- Start connecting with potential customers, posting job listings, sharing business updates and more!
As the account administrator, you can also add other team members to your LinkedIn business account and assign different roles like recruiter, marketer, strategist, etc.
Converting a personal account to a business account
If you already have a personal LinkedIn account, you may want to convert it into a business account. Here’s how:
- Click “Me” at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and select “Settings & Privacy.”
- Under the “Account” section, click “Convert to a Company Page.”
- Select your new Company Page category, name, industry, etc.
- Confirm the conversion. LinkedIn will create a separate business account and transfer your connections.
- Customize your new Company Page with your business details, images, Showcase Pages, and more.
- Review the LinkedIn business account options and upgrade to a paid plan if desired.
Converting an established personal account allows you to retain your network while still getting access to business account features. However, you won’t be able to merge a business and personal account afterwards.
Best practices for using LinkedIn business accounts
To get the most out of your LinkedIn business account, keep these best practices in mind:
- Complete your Company Page – Include your description, mission, images, videos, Showcase Pages, etc. to tell your brand story.
- Share regular updates – Post articles, images, videos, job listings, and announcements regularly to remain active.
- Engage with your audience – Reply to comments, likes, shares, and messages promptly to build relationships.
- Use analytics – Review follower demographics, content analytics, job posting performance, and more.
- Promote your account – Share your LinkedIn URL and Company Page on your website, emails, other social channels, etc.
- Utilize advertising tools – Use LinkedIn Ads and Sponsored Content to reach your target audience.
- Integrate with other software – Connect your LinkedIn account to marketing, sales and recruiting tools.
- Assign admin roles – Give trusted team members access to publish updates, manage jobs and more.
Treating your business account like an online extension of your brand or storefront will help you maximize LinkedIn for networking, recruiting, and marketing.
Conclusion
In summary, while both serve a networking purpose, LinkedIn personal accounts represent individual users while business accounts represent entire companies or organizations. Personal accounts allow you to build connections and your brand as an individual while business accounts focus on corporate branding, thought leadership, lead generation, recruiting, and more. Maintaining both a personal and business account can provide the most benefits depending on your needs.
