Yes, it is possible to query LinkedIn to extract data and insights from the platform. LinkedIn provides an application programming interface (API) that enables developers to access public data from LinkedIn profiles and networks. The LinkedIn API uses search queries and structured data filters to locate and retrieve profile information, company details, group discussions, and more. With the proper authorizations, the LinkedIn API can be a valuable source of professional intelligence and business insights.
What is the LinkedIn API?
The LinkedIn API is a web service that enables software developers to interact with LinkedIn data and platform features. It uses representational state transfer (REST) architecture, meaning that developers can access resources on LinkedIn by crafting URL query strings. The LinkedIn API documentation provides guidance on constructing well-formed calls and handling the JSON-formatted responses. Authenticated applications can access more LinkedIn resources through the API compared to what is available to anonymous users.
Here are some examples of data that can be extracted via the LinkedIn API:
- Profile data – name, headline, experience, education, skills, interests, recommendations, connections, etc.
- Company data – name, description, industry, logo, followers, employee count, etc.
- Job data – title, description, company, location, posting date, salary, etc.
- Content data – user posts, comments, likes, shares, etc.
- Network data – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree connections, follower counts, groups, etc.
In addition to read access, the LinkedIn API also enables creating, updating, and deleting content through authorized applications. Overall, the API provides programmatic access to query data from across the LinkedIn platform.
What can you do with the LinkedIn API?
Here are some common uses of the LinkedIn API:
- Search for profiles matching certain keywords, titles, locations, skills, etc.
- Gather professional details about target companies and individuals
- Analyze employee demographics, skills, and turnover at a company
- Identify subject experts based on profile keywords and endorsements
- Discover connections between individuals and companies
- Monitor discussions happening in LinkedIn groups and posts
- Automate posting updates, articles, and links to Company Pages
- Integrate LinkedIn data with analytics, CRM, or HR systems
- Create customized searches to find talent, partners, or business leads
LinkedIn API usage requires registration as a LinkedIn partner. There are different partnership programs based on the goals, scale, and target customers for the API integration. The API key approval process also verifies whether the planned used case adheres to LinkedIn’s terms and aligns with member value.
What can you query with the LinkedIn API?
The LinkedIn API provides search query methods for the following common types of data:
| Data Type | Example Query Methods |
|---|---|
| Profiles | name, headline, location, industry, skills, schools, companies, job titles, etc. |
| Companies | name, description, employees, industry, stock ticker, etc. |
| Jobs | title, company, function, description, date posted, location, etc. |
| Content | updates, articles, posts, comments, likes, shares, etc. |
| Network | connections, followers, member groups, etc. |
The specific profile fields queryable through the API include standard information like name, headline, location, industry, interests, education, skills, certifications, volunteering, publications, patents, projects, honors, test scores, courses, organizations, and more.
For companies, queryable fields include name, description, industry, website URL, company size, founded year, specialties, and more. There are also endpoints for retrieving company followers, competitors, and aggregated employee statistics.
Overall, the breadth of professional profile and company information retrievable through the LinkedIn API creates opportunities for rich data analysis and intelligence.
How does querying the LinkedIn API work?
The LinkedIn API uses REST principles and JSON data format. Developers compose REST API calls by combining:
- Base API URL – api.linkedin.com
- API version – example: v2/
- Object type – example: search/companies
- Parameters – fields, filters, pagination, etc.
- Authentication – API key, OAuth token
For example, a call might look like:
https://api.linkedin.com/v2/search/companies?keywords=searchterms&start=0&count=10
This query searches for companies matching “searchterms”, starting from result 0, and returning 10 results.
The returned JSON response would include the matching companies, total search count, and pagination details:
{
"elements": [
{
"localizedName": "Apple Inc.",
"trackingId": "123456789",
},
{
"localizedName": "Microsoft Corporation",
"trackingId": "987654321",
}
],
"paging": {
"total": 100,
"start": 0,
"count": 10,
"links": []
}
}
This demonstrates the basic pattern of calling the API with query parameters and handling the JSON response.
What are some query examples?
Here are some example searches for common use cases:
Search for software developers in San Francisco
https://api.linkedin.com/v2/search/professionals?keywords=software%20developer&location=San%20Francisco&industry=Software
Look up employees of a company
https://api.linkedin.com/v2/organizationStatistics?organization=Microsoft
Find open marketing manager jobs
https://api.linkedin.com/v2/jobs/search?title=marketing%20manager&status=OPEN
Get latest posts for a company
https://api.linkedin.com/v2/organizationalEntityShareFeed?organization=Microsoft&q=authors
These demonstrate common patterns like keyword search, filters, and entity-specific queries. The API supports complex boolean queries across multiple query parameters.
What LinkedIn API limits exist?
The LinkedIn API has usage limits to ensure availability and prevent abuse. Key limitations include:
- Rate limits – controls on API calls per second/minute/hour
- Daily limits – controls on total API calls per day
- Search depth limits – maximum results per search
- User token refresh limits – for authentication
- Restricted user data fields – controls access to sensitive info
For example, the daily limit may be 100,000 calls globally. And search results max out at around 1000 hits. Limits depend on the API product and use case.
Exceeding the limits results in HTTP 429 “rate limited” errors. It’s important to throttle requests and avoid exceeding the boundaries when querying the API.
What LinkedIn API authorization is required?
To call the LinkedIn API, applications need API keys or access tokens:
- API keys – identify the calling application
- Access tokens – temporary tokens to call API on behalf of a user
For read-only public data access, API keys may suffice. But for user-specific data or write operations, OAuth access tokens are required. Tokens grant temporary access on behalf of a logged-in user.
Apps requesting access tokens must be approved through LinkedIn’s verification process. This involves steps like:
- Registering the app
- Setting up OAuth credentials
- Defining requested permissions
- Submitting for LinkedIn review
Overall, authorization is required for production API usage, either with keys or tokens based on the use case.
What LinkedIn data is publicly accessible?
Some LinkedIn data is available without any API authorization:
| Public LinkedIn Data | Example API Calls |
|---|---|
| Partial profile data | /v2/me |
| Share statistics | /v2/shares/{URN} |
| Public company pages | /v2/organizations/{ID} |
However, most profile data fields and options require authorization. The public API only reveals a small subset of information.
For example, the /v2/me call for the current viewer only returns limited fields like id, firstName, lastName, profilePicture, etc. But deeper profile details need authorized access.
What are some common use cases?
Here are some common use cases for querying LinkedIn data:
Recruiting and HR
- Source and qualify candidates for open positions
- Analyze candidate skills, interests, and career histories
- Research company culture, employees, and leaders
- Gain insights about industry talent availability
Sales prospecting
- Identify contacts at target companies
- Discover connections to warm introductions
- Segment and research accounts
- Qualify leads based on role, interests, and profile
Brand monitoring
- Listen for brand mentions in posts and articles
- Track engagement and sentiment for content
- Analyze followers, growth, and competition
- Monitor employee advocacy and sharing
Market research
- Identify industry leaders and experts
- Competitive analysis of companies
- Discover partnerships and potential hires
- Analyze trends based on content popularity
The ability to query professional profiles, content, and network connections enables various applications.
What tools integrate with LinkedIn API?
Many tools integrate with the LinkedIn API to enable querying LinkedIn data:
- CRM systems – Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, etc. integrate LinkedIn for lead enrichment and prospecting.
- HR software – Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, etc. use LinkedIn profiles in recruiting.
- Marketing tools – Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, etc. support LinkedIn for brand monitoring, ads, and organic posting.
- Data providers – Clearbit, Pipl, FullContact, etc. ingest LinkedIn data into their databases.
- Browser tools – LinkedHelper, Albert, etc. add LinkedIn functionality to web browsers.
- Other apps – Many niche tools tap the API for business intelligence, lead gen, marketing analytics, etc.
The availability of data through the API enables integration across the software ecosystem. Developers can build on top of the LinkedIn platform.
What are best practices for queries?
Here are some best practices when querying the LinkedIn API:
- Use specific parameters and filters to narrow search scope
- Implement pagination for large result sets
- Limit requests frequency to avoid throttling
- Handle errors and retry failed requests
- Follow LinkedIn’s terms and API guidelines
- Cache frequently used searches where appropriate
- Use robust authentication mechanisms for security
- Analyze API response times to optimize performance
- Minimize retrieved fields to required data only
Well structured queries and robust error handling are important when integrating with any API. Follow LinkedIn’s documentation and terms to build compliant and useful applications.
Conclusion
The LinkedIn API opens opportunities to extract value from LinkedIn’s professional data. It enables targeted searching of profiles, companies, jobs, content, and connections. With proper authorization, the API can be used to power recruiting, sales prospecting, market research, brand monitoring, and more. Robust error handling and compliance with LinkedIn’s guidelines are necessary. Overall, the LinkedIn Query API provides approved developers and partners a flexible interface to LinkedIn’s platform.