All social media platforms have their list of rules.
Be honest, do you read them?
Like any other platform, LinkedIn® has its own User Agreement.
Here are 7 rules you may not know.
#1 – You can maintain only one account at a time.
If your account started out as a personal one and you now want to use it as a better representation of your business, don’t create a new account. Revise the one you have.
This rule also has a tie-in to the next one.
#2 – Your user profile must be for a “natural person.”
Somehow, I don’t think this refers to Carol King’s Natural Woman.
Do not create a profile under your business name. Use the Company Page for that. And tying into #1, do not create two profiles – personal and business.
#3 – Do not use a cartoon, drawing or non-photo for your profile.
There is more than one profile I’ve seen that breaks this rule. The User Agreement specifies you must use “a head-shot photograph of yourself.”
No word on if it needs to be a good one.
#4 – Do not abuse, harass or harm another LinkedIn® member.
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Did you know that also includes sending “unwelcomed communication to others using LinkedIn®?”
That opens a new can of worms – a.k.a. 4 million invitations to the latest webinar.
#5 – Do not invite people you don’t know to your network.
I imagine the definition of “know” is pretty loose, e.g., in the same group – even if you never communicated directly. But, I wonder how many LinkedIn® stalkers know this rule.
#6 – Cannot send any unsolicited advertising or promotions.
Recently, more contacts are sending invitations to webinars through direct messages in LinkedIn®. That didn’t happen in the past.
I miss the good old days.
#7 – You cannot share non-user information without their consent.
No sharing email addresses, phone numbers or the first born of non-users of LinkedIn®.
Here’s a bonus rule – you cannot share information of a user either without his or her consent.
LinkedIn® describes its platform as a professional networking site. Purists consider the rules sacred. If you intend to use this site, it pays to play by the rules.
What do you think about the rules? Overkill?
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I actually get most of my work through LinkedIn, so it is a platform that I love (and as a bonus it’s free and takes very little time investment because you just set up your profile and you are ready to go).
I will admit that I have never read the user agreement, though. Some of the rules seem extremely logical, such as maintaining only 1 account – if you use it professionally, it would only make sense (last time I checked, most of us just have 1 body, heh). I also agree with not sending unsolicited promotions and advertisements (I’ve actually received a few, too …spammers!).
Here is the one that I disagree with, though and I wonder what LinkedIn thinks people are doing in there: Do not invite people you don’t know to your network. I’ve had people search for my background and then approach me for projects: sometimes they ask to “linkin” and sometimes they don’t. I do confirm that they are looking for projects and not sending my updates of their latest fulltime job of the week, but if I didn’t link …I guarantee that I would have lost some work along the way. I also do occasionally email people questions in discussion groups and ask for additional information. Why is that wrong?
I’m sure that new rules will be added over time, it is continually changing. My newest pet peeve in there is people putting up their 200 blog posts and tweets. Then again, maybe that’s just me.
Hi Susan: Thanks for stopping by. I also love LinkedIn. Recently, I calculated that 60% of my clients started with LinkedIn, some through re-connecting with former colleagues or clients.
Yeah, #5 puzzled me a bit, too. Like I said, I’m sure they define the term “know” pretty loosely. I would bet that they consider that initial contact as “knowing” the person.
You know how when you send a request, you have to choose from a drop-down list of how you know them (e.g., colleague, Group, etc.)? If none of those applied and you pick one (like we worked together) and it wasn’t true, LI would consider that a violation of the Agreement.
I admit I’m not crazy about members who choose to send a direct communication to me about some webinar, particularly when that is the only connection I have to the person. I think that is violating the Agreement, but then try to enforce it.
Thanks for sharing your view, Susan.
If I’m being honest, then no. I don’t read any of them. I don’t think what you listed is overkill though because I understand the intention behind them, which is to make LinkedIn a usable platform that people want to be a part of.
That being said, I’m not convinced these rules are truly enforced. I encounter MANY people with multiple profiles, and I receive a fair amount of borderline spam.
Also, I don’t even understand #7. Am I missing something? How can you share non-user info? And how can you not share user info? With who and how? Does this mean I can’t share your info (user) with my dad (non-user) and vice versa? How would anyone even know? Can you explain that one further? I’m intrigued.
Hi, Jen. good to see you back here. I agree. Like so many rules, enforcing them is another story. They may have good intentions, but there is always unintended fallout.
I was stumped by #7, too. I understand not sharing your information as a LinkedIn member without letting you know-you know, like giving your email and phone # to some sales person.
I THINK what they mean by #7 is let’s say I have a person’s contact information and they are not a member of LinkedIn. If I go to one of my Groups and give out their information and say give them a call, then it’s violating the rule. Lame, I know.
The only reason I was reading the Agreement was for an article. I found some of the rules pretty funny. But, I did like the non-hard sell feel of LinkedIn. Unfortunately, I think more and more people are abusing that.
Thanks for sharing your view, Jen.
Thanks Cathy. Mostly I wanted reassurance that I’m not completely clueless. LOL And it is a lame rule. Your argument back would be that the person ASKED you to give out their info. In their defense though, a lot of this would be very difficult to enforce. And I agree, more and more people are abusing it. Too bad. Thanks for responding!
If you’re clueless, then I am right there with you, Jen. 😀
My biggest disappointment has been how much harder it is to find a good Group that isn’t just a home for page after page of sales pitches. A couple of times I’ve asked if the Group had discussions, only to be met by silence. Of course, the remedy is dropping that Group from my list.
Thanks, Jen.
Thanks for this article, Cathy. I have not read the “rules” at linkedin. I have an account there, but have not used it much.
As I’m continuing to launch my own business, I should probably put some additional, time and effort into LinkedIn to be more effective there.
Hi Steve: Thanks for stopping by. The only reason I read them was for an article I was researching. I’m considering creating an eBook on LinkedIn if there is enough of an interest.
Again, thanks for commenting, Steve.
Cathy,
If you are looking for groups that have actual discussions in LinkedIn, have you checked out the American Medical Writers Association discussion group in LinkedIn? I’m not sure if you write on health/medical topics or not, but 90% of the discussion are about medical writing work. One of the top discussions in there right now are “what are your favorite writing groups.” I rarely see posts in there devoted to sales pitches (and if someone does, other people usually call the person on it).
Hi Susan: Thank you for the info. I do write on health/medical topics, but not the technical aspect like a medical writer does for a scientific journal. A good number of my clients are health care companies, providers or insurance brokers (employee benefits).
If it’s not the scientific writers, I would love to check it out. Thanks for the suggestion, Susan.
You’re my LinkedIn go-to gal Cathy. Always learning good stuff about the service from you. You really should put together a LinkedIn marketing e-book or something. 🙂
As for the rules:
1. How would one go about the pen name issue if you can’t run multiple accounts? If I conduct my business under this name and have an account, but I publish books under another name (and am registered to legally be able to do business and therefore agree to contract terms like site terms under that pen name as a separate entity), why shouldn’t I? That rule seems a bit too stuffy personally. I get that they don’t want people using generic handles or running a bunch of accounts to spam links separately for every site they run. But there are legitimate reasons to use more than one account, even if they’re both business-related.
2. I agree with the commenter who doesn’t go for the rule about only inviting people you know. If that happened, I’d never grow my network. If they don’t want you reaching out to new people, you shouldn’t be able to see who your connections are also connected to. And they wouldn’t tell you who people also viewed after viewing another profile. You can’t push people to connect with related folks and then tell them they shouldn’t. It’s one way I meet readers of my blog who never comment — I don’t know them but they approach me via LinkedIn. I don’t mind that in the slightest.
Hi Jenn-actually I have been considering the eBook, if there’s enough interest.
Regarding #1, maybe setting one up as a Company Page and the other as a personal profile. I’m just getting into the Company Page so I’ll have to do some more research.
I agree (like I said in one of the comments) that some of the rules don’t make a whole lot of sense. I think it’s the classic throwing the baby out with the bath water. They are trying to stop the spammy marketing but the rules take away simple networking. Reality is (we know) they can’t enforce them. All you have to do is look at some of the Groups on LinkedIn. They break more rules than I can count.
I found them pretty funny which is why I posted these in particular. I do wish though it would stop those who use the direct inmail to contact me about their webinars. Post it on your profile or Company Page and let me decide if I want to attend.
I also don’t know the big deal about approaching people you don’t know. If they don’t want to connect all they have to do is ignore the request.
Thanks, Jenn, for stopping by.