The Premium subscription plans for LinkedIn range from £24.98 as much as £79.99 per month. While that may be a drop in the ocean for big corporations, it can seem quite expensive for freelancers, sole traders, and SMEs.
Have you already optimized your profile to the point where you feel like you’ve hit a ceiling? If you haven’t, then it’s too early to get a Premium subscription. Make sure that you’ve taken maximum advantage of the free features LinkedIn offers first.
Here’s what to do before you spend any money:
- Upload a nice photo of yourself.
- Write a compelling profile description.
- Create a solid project portfolio.
- Ask for (and give out) recommendations.
- Post engaging content regularly.
- Reach out to relevant people in your network.
If you’ve already ticked all those boxes, then it might be time to upgrade. But before you do, ask yourself the following six questions to make sure you actually need the extra features.
1. Do you want to make new connections?
The LinkedIn Business Premium and Sales Navigator Professional subscriptions enable you to access more in-depth targeting and send 15 and 20 InMails per month, respectively. If you or your sales team can close a deal by contacting prospects in this way, then the cost of LinkedIn Premium can easily be worth it.
2. Do you want to see who viewed your profile?
LinkedIn Premium allows you to see who has viewed your profile, which can help you target your messaging more efficiently. If your profile has been viewed by a potential client, then you can use that as an ice-breaker.
3. Do you value appearances?
You’ll get a shiny badge on your profile with a LinkedIn Premium subscription. It adds a bit of prestige and shows people that you take you’re serious about networking. If your potential clients put a lot of stock into appearances, then the badge could make all the difference.
4. Do you perform a lot of searches?
Linkedin Premium Business removes the cap on how many searches you can perform and how many profiles you can view. The Sales Navigator Professional gives you access to tools like Advanced Search, which can help you and your team identify potential leads to contact.
5. Do you need educational resources?
LinkedIn Learning is a library of educational videos that can teach you about lead generation and marketing strategy. It’s a feature only available to Premium subscribers, so if you feel like the extra learning resources could benefit your business then it could make the cost worth it.
6. Do you conduct competitive analyses?
LinkedIn Salary is a tool that enables you to view granular data on other businesses. You can see the exact number of employees, their staff turnover, and which locations they expand to. If this information helps you to analyze your competition, then it could be worth your while.
Is LinkedIn Premium worth it?
If you’ve answered yes to some or all of these questions, then you should have a good idea of whether it’s worth your money or not. Keep in mind that you can get a free 30-day trial on any of the plans.
Not sure which plan to try out? Then head over to our guide Comparing LinkedIn Subscriptions: Free vs Premium Business vs Sales Navigator for a more detailed overview of each plan.
