This may seem obvious, but it bears stating: LinkedIn is a free, powerful tool. I know multiple people that don't use LinkedIn unless they are looking for a job. Or, they look at what their contacts post, but they don't click "like," leave a comment, or share any content. These are wasted opportunities! Don't sit on the sidelines or be a voyeur. And no, you don't "need" LinkedIn Premium -- I don't have it. 

Last year, I was lucky enough to secure speaking engagements from contacts who follow me on LinkedIn. They'd email me through my website or message me on LinkedIn and the rest is history. The thing is, I never had a clue that any of those people followed me on social media. They didn't like my posts or comment on them. It was a bit of a learning lesson for me: you really never know who's watching!