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They have a gazillion other connections they'll put you in indirect contact with, making it easier to view their profiles, message them, etc. Unless you're trying to "inbox zero" LinkedIn or really care about curating your feed or are adding really infamous characters I can't see much downside to accepting requests.

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Sure, I guess they put you in contact with them, but why would that person talk to you? If they'll talk to random people on the internet, why not just email them or DM them on Twitter or use any other means beyond LinkedIn?

If, however, that person sees that they are connected to you via some other person they know and trust, I think they'll be more likely to take you serious.

How do I know their personal Twitter, if they even have one? LinkedIn is specifically professional, so if I have a professional query for a stranger it seems like a much better venue then tracking down the person on Facebook or Twitter (assuming I even know who, specifically, I'm looking for, and can find them, on these other sites).

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