Why I Just Cancelled My LinkedIn Premium Subscription
I joined LinkedIn before it really had much traction. For me, it was a way of connecting with people and allowing them to connect with me. When I started my own business, it became a useful tool for exploring potential new clients and businesses that might be interesting to work with, as well as for messaging them directly. In the early days, this was a great way to build relationships and discover new opportunities.
But unless I’m extremely popular (which I doubt), if my experience is anything to go by, a lot of the messages I receive lately follow the same pattern: someone wants to connect, I look at what they do, and if their experience or field of expertise seems relevant, I accept. Then—BOOM—an automated message lands in my inbox. This is swiftly followed by a “just following up” message, then another, then emails, then… JUST STOP.
The Value Just Isn’t There Anymore
For sales professionals, recruiters, and job seekers, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool. The ability to send InMails, see who’s viewed your profile, and access premium insights can make all the difference when trying to land a deal or a new role. But for me, as a business owner in a specific niche, the return on investment has dwindled.
LinkedIn used to be a platform where thought leaders shared valuable insights, where discussions sparked meaningful exchanges, and where one could genuinely learn from industry peers. Now, however, my feed is flooded with repetitive sales pitches, irrelevant content, and people sharing opinions on political and social issues that have little to do with their professional expertise. What once provided tangible takeaways has now become more about garnering clicks and engagement rather than delivering real value.
Platform Dynamics
Social media platforms evolve, and LinkedIn is no exception. While it was once a hub for professional networking, it increasingly feels like a space for self-promotion, viral content, and noise. Adverts dominate the feed, and much of the content seems to be posted with the sole purpose of driving likes and shares rather than fostering meaningful discussions.
Of course, there are still great connections to be made and useful insights to be found. But when those meaningful interactions are buried under layers of sales-driven messaging and off-topic discussions, the effort to sift through the noise outweighs the benefits.
Talk to Your Audience Where They Are
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in business is that shouting into a crowded room where no one is listening is a waste of time. Instead, it’s far more effective to meet clients and your audience where they are—on the platforms they actively engage with, through direct conversations, and via personalized interactions.
While LinkedIn offers visibility, the question is: visibility to whom? If your ideal audience is being drowned out by content that doesn’t align with your goals, then your efforts are better spent elsewhere. For me, meaningful conversations with clients, picking up the phone, and meeting in person drive real results.
A Return to More Personal Networking
Instead of relying on LinkedIn, I’m choosing to go back to more traditional networking methods—picking up the phone, meeting clients face-to-face, and strengthening relationships through genuine, in-person interactions. For me, this is a far more effective way to maintain and grow business relationships than scrolling through a feed cluttered with content that doesn’t serve my needs.
I’m not leaving LinkedIn entirely—I’ll still use it and contribute to discussions where it makes sense. But I’m definitely no longer willing to contribute to its AI harvesting of expertise. Why should I provide my insights for free, feeding AI tools like Co-Pilot, when I’m actually paying to do so?
When you look at it from that angle, it’s hard to justify spending £30 a month. LinkedIn still has its uses, but for me, the premium subscription no longer makes sense. Instead, I’ll focus my energy on direct, meaningful engagement—where real business happens.
Finally, after I clicked the button the e-mail came…. Here is what you will be missing section pushed.
· Top applicant jobs: Not relevant to me.
· To choice jobs: Not relevant to me.
· Advanced search filters: Yes, that can be helpful especially when putting a project together or looking for a freelancer to support one.
· Ai Message Drafts : Not that I would use it as I am not looking for a job but if I was this would be a monumental FAIL, if you are using Ai to create message drafts to communicate with a recruiter…. Then you will be lost in a sea of cookie cutter content.
So out of the 4 elements meant to “keep me as a customer” 1 might be useful. But I cant see a £7.50 subscription option for that, so I will go back to whatever is offered for free.
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