Comments on: Is Your LinkedIn Account About to be Suspended?

By: Sean Nelson

Sean Nelson — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:20:20 +0000

Wes,

Thanks for taking the time to share your perspective. Everyone uses LinkedIn differently and for different purposes. My perspective is that each person determines what they hope to get out of it and the best means to achieve there goals.

I do disagree with LinkedIn that I should only use it to connect to those that I know.

Sean

By: Wes Mayer

Wes Mayer — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:06:06 +0000

Upon re-reading the many comments that were posted almost 2 years ago, it hit me how cynical many of the people were. Many seemed to think that the creators of LinkedIn were somehow trying to take advantage of them and didn’t really understand networking. What I have found is that most people do not really understand effective networking and that the reasonable rules imposed by LinkedIn are primarily to enhance the effectiveness and the value of LinkedIn for ALL users. Let’s take a look at the mission statement which is the very first paragraph in the LinkedIn Users Agreement:

“The mission of LinkedIn is to connect the world’s professionals to enable them to be more productive and successful. To achieve our Mission, we make services available through our website, mobile applications, and developer platform, to help you, your connections, and millions of other professionals meet, exchange ideas, learn, make deals, find opportunities or employees, work, and make decisions in a network of trusted relationships and groups.”

Please note the word “trusted” in front of relationships and groups. For LinkedIn to work for all of us, each of the connections must be based upon a trusted relationship. If not, we will not be able to get the quality introductions and referrals that we seek. I contend that the higher the quality of all connections of all users on LinkedIn, the higher the actual value of LinkedIn to each user. We should not disparage the rules that encourage quality relaitonships; to the contrary, we should promote them.

By: Wes Mayer

Wes Mayer — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:42:45 +0000

When LinkedIn was first explained to me by an avid user, he said to think of it as your Rolodex of people that you actually know (that is where the word Linked came in, I believe). I always thought of it as a way that I could meet others that I want to meet through people that I know who actually know them or know someone who knows them. So, for example, if I want to contact someone, I find who knows them by looking at LinkedIn. Then, I go to that person and ask them if they will introduce me to the person I want to meet. This is a great tool for getting connected, but it doesn’t work if people are connected to other people that they can’t call and make an introduction. So, I am a purist when it comes to LinkedIn. I believe to provide maximum value to its members, it is critical that they know the people they connect with. It is not about LinkedIn making more money; it is about the integrity of the system and providing maximum value to all.

When someone requests to connect with me, I review their profile, If they are someone I would like to meet, I send them a message saying that I would be happy to have a discussion with them to get to know them….preferably in person, but possibly on the phone. Once I feel that I know them well enough to be able to call them for an introduction or vice versa, then I will happily connect with them.

The minimum criterion for me is and always will be: Do we know each other at least well enough that we would take a call from the other person knowing pretty much who they are?

I have been “spammed” by some LinkedIn users who are sending requests to connect indiscriminately to almost anyone in the hopes that they will build this huge network. Well, that network is a house of cards because there are no real relationships holding it together. It is an abuse of an excellent tool provided by LinkedIn.

The more we stick together to improve the quality of the connections (instead of just quantity) the more we will all benefit from LinkedIn.

By: Frank Sonnenberg

Frank Sonnenberg — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:16:06 +0000

Great blog Sean. Thanks for the handy advice!

By: Software Tester

Software Tester — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:01:28 +0000

I too face this issue. Refer http://qualitypoint.blogspot.com/2010/05/think-...
Do you have any idea whether it will be restored?

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:41:42 +0000

LinkedIn’s entire valuation is not based on “revenue” because it doesn’t really generate the revenue required to cover it’s costs. The LinkedIn valuation is based on the number of “subscribers” and ie. a valuation of $200 per member on the LinkedIn site (or the cost to acquire that new member) would mean that LinkedIn’s current valuation would be $200/member X 4,000,000 = $8,000,000,000. Yes, it is a very big number considering valuation. Interestingly, however, before this valuation can be effectively done, they have to do a true count: 1. How many people who signed up and never returned. 2. How many people need to be eliminated due to violation of the guidelines which measures exposure and liability for LinkedIn, and finally, a true count percentage of 70% ~ 85% of the total based on growth.

These actions taken according to the posting only leads me to believe in one thing that is about to happen: This means LinkedIn is about to be ACQUIRED. (or going Public)

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:11:15 +0000

Sue,

You pick them up as you move along. I’ve violated some and on others was fortunate to find the info before doing so.

Sean

By: Sue Leonard

Sue Leonard — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:55:26 +0000

Thanks for this – it is very helpful. There were some “Rules” that I was not even aware of that
I will be mindful of from here on out.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:51:44 +0000

Thanks everyone for the comments. I usually try to respond to each person but its been busy and there have been a lot. Thanks for joining the conversation. Your comments make this a better discussion.

Sean

By: Natallia

Natallia — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:37:39 +0000

Great article, awesome comments.
I LOVE LinkedIn despite all the restrictions, which can be annoying at times (esp not being able to send invitation to a person you don’t know.) I have found my own ways to go around these rules (sending invites to group members, personalizing the invites, getting introduced through a person already in your network). From my experience I can state that personalizing your invites helps the most. Mention some things you have in common with the person you want to connect. Offer help, tip, advice, etc. – tell people WHY you want to connect with them and how YOU BOTH can benefit from it.

In general, the value and opportunities LinkedIn gives to its users are greater than all the downsides. So, go by the rules but make LinkedIn work for you and your business!