I’m a fan of LinkedIn. I think the company provides a valuable service to its members, and I can honestly state that LinkedIn continues to introduce new features to improve the experience for its members. For example, LinkedIn is adding AI-powered ‘writing suggestions’ and job descriptions for premium subscribers. The purpose is to assist members in filling out their ‘About’ and ‘Headline’ sections near the top of each profile.
I’m also a critic of LinkedIn. I believe that Satya Nadella and Ryan Roslansky, should be furious that LinkedIn is the Internet’s version of a telemarketer spamming its members on a daily basis with useless offers and information. If neither CEO is furious, they aren’t doing their jobs.
No one joins LinkedIn to be bombarded with invitations to open a franchise, raise capital, build a website, increase sales leads, get in shape with a trainer, or receive endless requests to connect with someone for no other reason than to be solicited to buy a product or service. People join LinkedIn to make valuable career connections.
LinkedIn needs to put a stop to the unsolicited requests. Here’s a crazy idea – create a ‘Do Not Solicit’ message that blocks unwanted solicitations.
As for the future of LinkedIn, I hope the company thinks BIG. LinkedIn has 900M members. In my opinion, LinkedIn should become the go-to platform for all things business and news. I strongly recommend LinkedIn do the following:
1. Acquire CNBC, and integrate the media into LinkedIn’s platforms and the app. Note: Assess an acquisition of Hulu. Microsoft owns Linkedin; Microsoft can become a media empire.
2. Negotiate discounted subscriptions from Bloomberg, Financial Times,
The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Insider, and The Information for LinkedIn Premium subscribers. Make the content available on LinkedIn.
3. Create a service whereby PE, VCs, and financial institutions can view and review pitch decks from startups. Think of this as a cross between Zoom and Shark Tank.
4. LinkedIn Financial Services. 183 million Americans have a credit card. 172M Americans are Prime members. There are 900M LinkedIn members!!! Microsoft is worth $2.17T as I write this. I believe LinkedIn has an incredible opportunity to introduce their own credit card, or reimagine the use of credit cards via a new form of cryptocurrency or other financial instruments; retailers are looking for an alternative to credit cards. The Wild Card – acquire Block, owner of Square and CashApp.
5. Acquire Indeed.com, make it better, and integrate the service into LinkedIn.
LinkedIn must simplify the process for members to make valuable connections with individuals and companies of their choosing. Every unwanted solicitation minimizes the value of LinkedIn to a member.
Speaking of value, LinkedIn should change their pricing model to maximize the value of Linkedin to Microsoft, and increase investment into the platform.
