We live in an amazing age of artificial intelligence and digital wizardry that has made life easier than our ancestors could have ever imagined. It seems as if there’s a bot or a tool for, well, just about everything. Trust good old Linkedin to go and buck the trend, and prove they like to do some things the old-fashioned way.
When the business networking platform launched 18 years ago, a note in the User Agreement (which we all read, right?) warned against the use of automation, those seemingly handy plug-in tools that view profiles, make connection requests and send inbox messages, while we get on with the business of being in business.
Microsoft, which bought Linkedin in 2016, has started clamping down on the practice and banned more than 80 of the little blighters.
That could mean bad news for some businesses who bought Linkedin automation tools from a third-party company, despite the platform neither supporting nor approving such software.
In fact, some users could find their profiles have been temporarily closed because of some old software installed years ago and forgotten about.
Chrome extensions are currently the easiest to identify, but the more Linkedin users who try to cut corners and use these automation tools, the more likely they are to be found out and, in the worst case scenario, have their profiles banned.
We at 24 fingers are massive fans of technological innovation, but we also understand the value of making genuine connections, rather than flooding potential contacts with spam. If you want to get the best out of Linkedin, come and talk to us.
We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the 42 Club, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses and the Rotary Club of Brentwood à Becket. We help companies who are all fingers and thumbs with their social media grow their business and brand. Book your free strategy call here.
