Free Messages to LinkedIn Group Members No More...

(starting Jan 13, 2014)

To clarify, my source is a phone call with a LI rep yesterday (which happened for a different reason - namely - my LIR account was charging to send InMails to group members back in November (which shouldn't have happened back then) - this is a long trace following up...it almost doesn't matter anymore but I would love the support to get better.

The rep said that:

1) InMails in LIR to group members are now becoming paid - starting Jan 13. He said that "frequent" users of those have been notified

2) He also said that free messaging on groups is going away for all. He was pretty clear on that. I would love this not to happen, of course! I am a fan and a frequent of group messaging for sourcing candidates (of course, making sure it's very targeted and personalized).

-Irina

Comment by Matt Charney on January 9, 2014 at 5:58pm: What is your source for this, Irina? And is this really such a bad thing?

Comment by Tim Spagnola on January 9, 2014 at 6:00pm: Even if it is your own group? Hmmmmmmm

Comment by Irina Shamaeva on January 9, 2014 at 6:03pm: In a group that you manage you can send a broadcast to all members once a week.

If you share a group with someone but are not directly connected you will not be able to send a message free any more. The only way you would be able to communicate is InMails. This is a major change.

Source: a phone conversation with a person from LI.

Comment by Matt Charney on January 9, 2014 at 6:10pm: Irina: Can you please specify further? I'm assuming that you didn't receive this news off the record.

Comment by Cathy Mannis on January 10, 2014 at 8:25am: LI is really making it impossible for professionals to have an exchange of ideas and, thereby, building professional relationships.

Comment by Cathy Mannis on January 10, 2014 at 8:45am: I would like to know why anyone would now join LI if one can no longer communicate with group members. I have made so many contacts through Irina's group and the exchange of knowledge via free messaging has been invaluable. So, groups will exist where no one can even message each other. I've contacted them to find out if this is true and made this very point. It will be interesting to see if they even reply.

Comment by Glen Cathey on January 10, 2014 at 8:48am: Also have received email communication directly from LinkedIn stating the same. However, this quote causes some confusion, "Messaging will be sent to individual users effected by this change but not those who have already been using it in a responsible manner and will likely not be effected."

Comment by Cathy Mannis on January 10, 2014 at 8:58am: Glenn - that is an interesting quote - PLEASE SHARE (which I know you will) if you find out more.

Comment by Craig Fisher on January 10, 2014 at 9:53am: This clearly won't be a big deal for users who are paying a bizillion dollars per year for Recruiter. Well played Linkedin. Geez.

Comment by Cathy Mannis on January 10, 2014 at 9:57am: Stacy Donovan Zapar just stated that the messaging capability is going away for those accounts as well.

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