Is LinkedIn trying to be the new Line
For most of you who use LinkedIn for professional reasons, you might not have noticed a new featureāStickers and gifs.Ā
Actually it is not that new, LinkedIn's messaging feature went through a revamp last August. I only noticed it recently when I was chatting with an ex-colleague.Ā
It felt bizarre at first. Iāve only used the message function to touch base about potential work opportunities. Stickers and gifs seem too casual. If I were to have a casual conversation, it wouldnāt be via LinkedIn.Ā
But I do see how this could be useful, especially in the context of how I discovered it. It is a new alternative messaging platform for work connections you are friendly with, but not close enough to have their phone number or message them on Facebook. It takes away that seriousness from sending a work acquaintance a message to catch up. Ā
The original InMail is now solely payment based. In past, you only need to pay to send an InMail to someone who wasnāt a connection. I do wish they kept InMail and had the chat function as separate.Ā
It is a bit strange to send an instant message about a work opportunity, even though the other person is open to being contacted via LinkedIn.Ā