What does Open Profile mean on Linkedin?
Open Profile is an account setting that enables any Linkedin member to send you a MESSAGE FOR FREE. It may only be enabled if you have a paid account, but allows free/paid members to do the sending at no cost. It works just like an InMail – except it’s free. Let’s talk about how to identify an Open Profile, how to enable it on your account, and some of the benefits that come along with the setting.
Identifying a Linkedin Open Profile
In Sales Navigator you’ll see a green box that says “OPEN.” It’s obvious.
If you have a Free/Premium Linkedin account the same information is available BUT it’s much more discrete. You’ll notice the ability to send a Message (instead of an InMail) to people who aren’t in your network. Even if you have a free account (which do not have InMail)
When you click “Message” you are notified that it’s a Free Message
Enabling Open Profile
You must have a paid account to enable this setting and it may be done in two places.
The first is on your profile page. Click the dropdown arrow next to the gold Linkedin icon and toggle Open Profile.
The second is in your Linkedin account settings in the Communications tab (go here for a shortcut).
What are the benefits of Open Profiles?
As the recipient of messages:
Open Profile enables any Linkedin member to directly contact you. That ease of communication can create more opportunities. Also, Open Profile is not a search option so it’s not abused by spammers.
As the sender of messages:
When someone on your lead list has an open profile you can send an InMail for free. It also creates another touchpoint during a campaign if that person has not accepted your connection request.
The down side of Open Profiles
It’s a short list:
- If someone is spamming you and you remove the connection they can still continue messaging you. You’ll have to block them or continue asking them to stop.
- If a message originates as an Open Profile message thread (which means you’re not connected), and you later connect, communication can be cumbersome/confusing with multiple inbox threads.
Leveraging open profiles during outreach
Here’s a pro tip: If you have Sales Navigator tag Open Profiles to easily find and message people you’ve invited to connect who haven’t accepted yet.
