After using it for a (successful) job search in early 2023, Kirsti decided to give LinkedIn Premium another try, this time from a creator's point of view.
Since joining Buffer, her objectives on LinkedIn have evolved to a focus on content creation and boosting audience engagement, which led her to the question: could LinkedIn Premium be beneficial in this new role, too?
Here's what she found.
What LinkedIn Premium offers
She explored various features of LinkedIn Premium: the profile badge, InMail credits, detailed profile views, various browsing modes, AI-assisted profile writing, AI-generated message drafts, comprehensive learning courses, and an open profile option.
Depending on the plan, the cost ranges from $20 to over $100 monthly. Kirsti went with the Business plan which was what LinkedIn recommended.
The sign-up experience
She found signing up for LinkedIn Premium a breeze. The process is user-friendly, with plenty of resources at hand. The system recommended a plan based on her needs, and she followed the prompts to complete the registration.
The overall experience with LinkedIn Premium as a creator
- Kirsti found the profile view insights particularly intriguing, illuminating who's engaging with her content.
- The InMail credits were a great asset for reaching out and collaborating with other creators.
- She also experimented with the customizable profile button to direct followers to her external content.
- The AI suggestions for her profile and messaging were a mixed bag – helpful but not groundbreaking. You can get the same results with ChatGPT or even Buffer's AI Assistant!
Drilling into content performance with Premium
LinkedIn promises 2.6X faster hiring and 4X more profile views — but not that content by Premium members will be favored by the LinkedIn algorithm.
Interestingly, her content performance metrics, like impressions and engagement, didn't change much with Premium.
However, she did notice a significant increase in profile views and, subsequently, followers, which hints at greater visibility in LinkedIn's search results.
Final thoughts: Is LinkedIn Premium worth it for creators?
Ultimately, Kirsti's not convinced LinkedIn Premium is a must-have for creators. While it offers some handy tools, many can be replicated through free features or external resources.
Instead, she found more value in LinkedIn's Creator Mode, which provides deeper insights and features like LinkedIn Live.