Linkedin Limits 30,000 Connections
Are Open Networkers a Challenge for Linkedin
Steven Burda received the following message from Linkedin: "You cannot accept this invitation because you have reached the maximum connection limit of 30,000" No one can invite me and I cannot accept pending invites any more!
This action is unacceptable !! Where's the "relationship that matter" -- it's not their business who wants to be part of Steven Burda's trusted professional network! What's next -- the limit of how many recommendations people can give me? As of now, I have 1,116 recommendations and growing..."
As of this morning Steven Burda has 39,500 connections on Linkedin and over 100 people waiting to be "accepted" as a connection. Who is being punished by this 30,000 connection limit? Obviously the people waiting to be accepted as a Linkedin connection to Steve. Most of these people read about Steven in magazines like CIO or have been referred to Steven by connections he trusts. These business people have read that Steven is an Open Networker and now they would like to become connected to him. You have to wonder what they think, having requested to be Linkedin to Steven, they now receive no acceptance of a connection.
How did this all come about? In talking with Steven Burda, he explained that this is most likely the product of Linkedin deciding that Open Networkers like himself are costing the company to much in bandwidth cost. Open Networkers believe in accepting connections to any business person that ask for one. Linkedin only wants its members to become Linkedin to those they trust. Open Networkers like Steven Burda do not have trust issues and therefore trust almost everyone that ask with giving the only personal information that is asked, their email address.
While Steven understands that Linkedin is a business and is in business to make money he believes that Linkedin is not looking at the big picture. There are only a handful of Open Networkers that have connections in the tens of thousands. These Open Networkers are part of what makes Linkedin a viable business. Business Week, CIO and other magazines do not publish articles about Linkedin members that have a couple dozen connections. Business Magazines write and publish articles that talk about the "big boys." The free publicity that Linkedin gets from this exposure is priceless. Yet in their rush to make a quick buck, Linkedin is upsetting those that brought them fame and attention.
Personally, if I was on the board of Linkedin, instead of limiting the accounts of people like Steven Burda, I would be wringing all the PR I could out of the dynamics of this relationship. Think about it, what would make a better advertisement in Fortune or Business Week? Steven Burda built 40,000 business connections with Linkedin. or Joe Schmuck built 30 business connections with Linkedin. You decide!
Published by J. Michael Warner
I enjoy reading and writing about a variety of subjects, both non-fiction and fiction. I am interested in business, marketing, SEO, social media marketing, politics, history, economics, recycling, building... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentThe problem is that many of the groups are being bogged down with a constant barrage of "Join Open Networkers, or NU" or whatever group strives to create the equivalent of a database. Many of the groups have a goal of sharing ideas, and best business practices as a way to develop the online relationships the way they should be. Another problem is all of the property ads that agents are putting up. It is quickly ruining the Linkedin discussions. Also, dig deeper and you will find that at least two of the networking groups are selling additional services. Their motives are not what they seem.
Amazing the amount of different opinions this topic brings up.
I guess this means I'll have to take a breather when I get to 29,999. AND, I resent the notion that LinkedIn is strictly a social network. Personally, i am here for business as well as social connections. Since when did sales and business become a crime? I have 22,000 connections on Ecademy.com right now. The relationships are at many different levels, some closer, some are just volume. JIM
1) How does he keep track of them all? Access? SQL?
2) What does he do with them? Market to them?
3) Does he know many of them? Do they know him?
Personally, I think anyone who needs that many connections is using LinkedIn for the wrong reason. That's a sales network, not a social network and I resent that those people are eating up bandwidth and storage space that could be used to improve the service, and or speed up the delivery.
LinkedIn is the embodiment of SNAFU. When they go public, I'll buy their stock, then vote to oust their current management. The organization is run terribly, from a customer service perspective. They've built a decent sized network of good quality people, but miss the VISION of what social networking brings to the table. Maximizing interactions.
And LI wants to go public - I'd buy none of that stock with anyone's money, that's for sure!
They say there is a "fog of war" during battle - looks like LI is in the business version of that "fog". A sad state to be in drifting/floating along the wrong path with little consideration for their "prime" users.
Unreal how primitive LinkedIn Management is......they really should study how Google operates seriously and apply that to "business networking" (speed, give the users what they want effeciently with less "ad" bloat)....I sure wish there was a real competitor to LinkedIn like Google became to a bloated Yahoo....that's what is really needed. Who cares how many connections one has? Bandwidth an issue? My back side! LI is right down the street from me in Silicon Valley and we have BW Galore! Talk about stepping on and over dollars to pick up nickels and pennies. A ship of fools one day will crash!
This is what happens in Silicon Valley when you get the average C-Levels running things. Quack! Pity, but it will sooner or later inspire Victoria Blintser, Steve Burda or someone else to start thinking of how to make the Google version of LI. And when that "tire" hits the pavement and that web site membership soars, LI will be that boat crashing (yet still existing in a weakened state) menti
;-);-)
So what do you think? Is Steven right and Linkedin wrong? How will this effect the future of social networking?
and this:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/burda
http://burda.businesscard2.com/
and
http://www.retireat21.com/interview/Steven-Burda-Interview-with-a-super-networker