It’s a question I find myself asking every week when LinkedIn sends me another nudge to upgrade: “Martin, you’re a valued member!” (Sure I am—with my one visit a week and occasional comment.)
And with that comes the relentless offer: “Get a free month of LinkedIn Premium and unlock features you can’t live without!” But do I really need it? Let’s break it down—and have some fun while we’re at it.
1. Custom Button
LinkedIn’s version of a “Press Here for Awesomeness” button.
- Use it to direct profile visitors to… your website, a webinar, or perhaps just a picture of your dog.
- Guaranteed to make your profile 5% shinier while making 95% of viewers wonder, “Why is there a random button here?”
2. InMail
The VIP way to cold-email strangers!
- Now you can message anyone on LinkedIn, even if they’re four degrees removed or actively avoiding you.
- Want to pitch a revolutionary idea or an unsolicited partnership? Go ahead – LinkedIn will even give you 15 free “chances to be ignored” per month!
3. Who’s Viewed Your Profile
For the sleuths and the curious at heart.
- Bonus: Overthink why your ex-colleague viewed your profile but didn’t connect. Are they spying? Hiring? Just bored?
- Discover who scrolled past your profile at 2 a.m. without liking anything.
4. LinkedIn Learning
Because binge-watching cat videos on YouTube wasn’t ambitious enough.
- From “Leadership in the Age of Distraction” to “How to Handle Emails Like a Pro”, there’s something for everyone
- Access over 22,000 expert-led courses to “hone your skills”. Or at least add certificates to your profile no one will read.
5. Company Insights
The ultimate gossip column for professionals.
- Spoiler: It won’t tell you anything you couldn’t deduce from Googling “[company name] news.”
- Find out how your competitors are doing – because if you’re not obsessed with their revenue and hiring trends, are you even LinkedIn-ing?
6. Premium Badge
This one’s my favourite. A tiny gold badge!
Because nothing says “I paid for this” like a tiny gold label.
- Flaunt your premium status with a badge that tells everyone, “I take LinkedIn way too seriously.”
- Warning: Side effects include an increase in irrelevant messages and unsolicited pitches from salespeople.
7. Open Profile
Roll out the red carpet for random messages!
- Allow anyone to message you for free! Because who doesn’t want a flood of connection requests from bots and MLM enthusiasts?
- Think of it as the digital version of “My DMs are open.”
So, Is LinkedIn Premium Worth Having?
It depends. If you’re in sales, recruitment, or live and breathe networking, maybe it’s worth a shot. But for the rest of us, it’s like buying a gym membership for the sake of the free water bottles.
LinkedIn, I appreciate the offer, but my weekly visit to your social brag-fest is premium enough. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be here pretending not to care about who viewed my profile.
But, £29.99 to £119.99 a month?
For the bargain price of £29.99 a month, LinkedIn Premium offers you a front-row seat to features you’ll probably use once, then forget exist. Unless you thrive on professional FOMO or enjoy paying to be ghosted, maybe stick with the free version.
FAQ: LinkedIn Premium
What is LinkedIn Premium?
LinkedIn Premium is a subscription service offering additional features like sending messages to non-connections (InMail), seeing who viewed your profile, accessing LinkedIn Learning courses, and adding a custom call-to-action button to your profile.
Is LinkedIn Premium worth the cost?
It depends on your goals. If you’re in sales, recruitment, or heavily focused on networking, the tools might be useful. For casual users or those who only occasionally engage with LinkedIn, the free version likely offers everything you need.
What’s the best feature of LinkedIn Premium?
Most people find value in LinkedIn Learning, which offers 22,000+ courses to improve professional skills. However, many alternatives are available for free or at lower costs.
Do I need LinkedIn Premium to see who viewed my profile?
With the free version, you can see a limited number of recent profile viewers. Premium lets you see the entire list from the past 365 days. Whether that’s useful depends on how much you care about who’s been checking out your profile.
Can I try LinkedIn Premium for free?
Yes, LinkedIn often offers a one-month free trial of Premium. It’s a good way to test the features and decide if they’re worth the subscription price.
What’s the cost of LinkedIn Premium?
Pricing varies depending on the plan (Career, Business, Sales, or Hiring), but it starts at around £29.99 per month for most users.
What are the alternatives to LinkedIn Premium?
You can often achieve similar results with free tools like Google for research, YouTube or Coursera for learning, and email or social platforms for outreach – without paying for Premium.
Did You Have a Giggle?
That was the plan… But what do you think?
Do you think LinkedIn Premium is worth it? Or are you sticking to the free ride?
