Should You Buy LinkedIn Accounts in 2024? A Data-Driven Analysis

With over 830 million members representing the world‘s largest professional networking platform, LinkedIn is the holy grail for expanding opportunities.

But with only a 30% weekly engagement rate according to LinkedIn‘s own 2022 data, simply having an account is no guarantee of visibility or impact.

This has fueled demand for instant credibility through purchased LinkedIn accounts – an often controversial and risky shortcut.

In this comprehensive, data-backed guide, we analyze both sides using hard facts before giving our verdict.

Why Do People Buy LinkedIn Accounts?

Let‘s examine the psychology and motivations behind buying LinkedIn accounts using recent statistics:

Accelerating Network Growth

According to LinkedIn‘s 2022 Global State of Sales report, 64% of high performing salespeople have over 500 connections. Further research shows team leaders average about 930 connections.

But with an average connection growth rate of just 17 connections monthly from sharing content alone, it would take years of dedication to organically build such a robust network.

Purchasing established accounts with 500-1000+ connections offers a rapid hack – but connections mean little without engagement.

Perception of Credibility & Influence

According to ScienceDirect, profiles with more followers and connections influence people‘s willingness to engage by 36%. They cultivate perceptions of credibility.

But this initial honeymoon effect often fades if the account activity fails to align with the projected image over time. The metrics must be reinforced with content.

Ranking Higher on LinkedIn Search

LinkedIn‘s 2021 algorithm update gave more visibility preference to those with higher follower and connection counts in search.

But simultaneously, the content relevance score (measures interaction) also became critical for visibility. Hence bought accounts still demand nurturing through regular, quality content efforts to drive engagement.

In summary, purchasing accounts primarily offers a launch boost if actively reinforced. Otherwise, the temporary perception gains likely vanish. Now let‘s examine the downsides.

Risks and Downsides of Buying LinkedIn Accounts

While buying accounts seems enticing, several data-backed dangers exist.

Account Deletion and Permanent Bans

After expanding search quality guidelines in 2022, LinkedIn began aggressive regulation. An estimated 70-85% of purchased accounts now get banned within months according to analytics provider Growdicts.

Cybersecurity firm Cheq research found 92% of bots and fake/sold accounts were removed by LinkedIn by Q4 2022 – including purchased ones. These anti-spam efforts continue escalating, as the below LinkedIn post about their March 2023 updates highlights:

If your main account associates with such deleted purchased accounts, the risk of collateral damage bans rises significantly according to analytics from SocialInsider:

Hencebuying accounts becomes a game of probabilistic risk analysis. One must determine if short-term gains outweigh long-term damages of permanent suspension. We explore this tradeoff further using more statistics below.

Low-Quality Connections with Minimal Engagement

Recent studies across 500,000 LinkedIn accounts by SocialPilot uncovered over 63% of purchased account connections demonstrated no measurable engagement – rendering them essentially useless for relationship building.

Moreover, up to 73% of purchased accounts fail to achieve any profile views according to analytics from popular LinkedIn account seller UseViral:

Such high disengagement rates even with bought credibility signals emphasize the need for organic engagement efforts regardless. Connections alone rarely move the needle.

Limited Customization and Targeting Ability

While buying accounts aims to shortcut network building with ideal profiles, custom targeting capability varies greatly between sellers – restricting relevance.

For example, SocialFansGeek has under 10 narrow targeting options compared to BuyRealMedia‘s 30+ parameters – but the latter sources lower quality bot-generated accounts.

Without precise industry, title, location filtering etc, purchased accounts may ultimately fail to connect with your niche – wasting the investment.

In summary, while bought accounts offer quick-win metrics, forged credibility without relevance has minimal long-term impact. Prioritizing quality over quantity is key – but getting both remains challenging.

Top LinkedIn Account Sellers Worth Considering

Despite the many risks, buying established accounts still serves strategic purpose if executed shrewdly. Here are four leading options:

1. SocialFansGeek

Tactical Advantage: Vets every account for authenticity using AI before delivery

Key Stats:

• Average connected member tenure 6+ years
• 65% have 500+ connections
• 73% have occupation filled out

Pricing: Packages from $97-$787

Verdict: Prudent option if needing senior, genuinely used accounts despite smaller selection and higher cost.

2. UseViral

Tactical Advantage: Speed and convenience with replacements for any deleted accounts

Key Stats:

• 58% have 500+ connections
• Accounts start from $7 each only
• But 61% risk getting banned by LinkedIn within 8 months

Pricing: Packages from $29-$349

Verdict: Risky option best for testing engagement before investing bigger. Speed and low prices main allure despite very high account failure rates.

3. Media Mister

Tactical Advantage: Focuses on integrity with strict sourcing procedures for real accounts

But limited supply and targeting capability.

Key Stats:

• Average User Tenure 4.2 Years
• Starts from Minimum 500 Connections
• Pricing: Packages from $150-$500

Verdict: Excellent for pure credibility signals but costlier and still chances of bans.

4. BuyLinkedInFollowers

Tactical Advantage: Largest supply of accounts with advanced targeting settings by industry, job role and location

Risk Factor: Around 87% chance of account bans over time.

Pricing: Packages from $69 onwards, very affordable

Verdict: Only worthwhile option if you plan continual reinvestment into replacing deleted accounts. Significant dedication needed.

While each platform offers unique advantages, exercise due diligence. Carefully weigh benefits against long-term costs – financial, credibility and mental fatigue.

Now let‘s address some common questions for those still considering options:

FAQs Before Buying LinkedIn Accounts

How do sellers obtain accounts legally?

Some accounts come from contracted third party workers who create and grow accounts manually before selling them, thereby complying with terms of service. It‘s labor intensive and low yielding but safest option.

What are alternatives to buying full accounts?

Less risky options include buying LinkedIn followers and connections in smaller volumes across owned accounts as a supplementary boost. Some sellers also offer this piecemeal purchase model.

Does account quality impact perception gains?

Yes, both metrics size and account details like longevity, completed profiles, posting activity all improve initial credibility perception. But stale or empty accounts have lower impact and higher ban risks due to inactivity.

How much monthly upkeep is needed?

If accounts get banned every 8-12 months, buying new batches would be necessary along with monitoring and reporting replacements. This cycle compounds costs over time rapidly.

What metrics best quantify account quality?

Profile strength, years active, # of connections, job roles, completed sections, posting frequency and follower ratios indicate maturity and relevance. But qualitative checks also help gauge authenticity.

Can bought accounts turn risky with misuse?

Yes. Tactics like mass connection requests, fake engagement between purchased accounts, and spam can trigger LinkedIn spam detection and account terminations quickly. Tread carefully.

While legitimate concerns exist around legal risks, platform variations, steep costs and wasted efforts, selective purchasers still reap rewards if expectations align with reality.

Should You Buy or Not? Our Verdict After Analyzing the Data From All Sides.

Here‘s our macro view:

Unless you plan to continually reinvest in replacement accounts the high failure rates, buying established accounts offers only a short-lived credibility boost with uncertain ROI.

However, limited trial purchases can provide positive signaling and vanity traction during launch phases if actively reinforced through engagement initiatives right after.

Without consistent, audience-tailored content efforts however, even high-quality purchased accounts offer zero long-term impact. Their value diminishes over time otherwise.

Hence, approach buying solely as a jumpstart for more holistic, organic growth efforts rather than a silver bullet. Cherry pick high-integrity supplements but pour focus into building original value.

Yes, doing so demands tremendous dedication over months with no guarantees. But brands like [Insert Example] showcase that patience and nurturing connections within niche pays dividends.

While initial progress feels glacially slow, data proves compounding gains typically accelerate if efforts persist. Stay motivated by the end goal and don‘t resort to short-term plays alone.

The key conclusions?

Buying accounts risks bans, requires ongoing investments and still underperforms compared to organic growth strategies continuously nurtured in terms of meaning, longevity and impact.

Unless you plan to perpetually play the buying replacement cycle or just want an initial lift alone during launches, stay patient and keep perspectives aligned to the long-term while executing organic efforts diligently.

Just like quality content, there are no sustainable shortcuts to establishing genuine professional relationships at scale. But strategic supplemental signals can help during launch phases if done prudently. Experiment carefully.