LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used by over 722 million professionals worldwide. On LinkedIn, users can connect with colleagues, find jobs, share content, and exchange messages. With so many users, there may be times when you send a message to a connection and wonder – did they read it?
While LinkedIn doesn’t have a direct way to know if someone read your message, there are a few signs you can look for to get a good idea. In this article, we’ll explore different indicators that can help determine if your LinkedIn message has been viewed.
Looking for the “Seen” receipt
On platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, you can see when a message has been delivered and read. LinkedIn doesn’t have this exact feature, but some visual cues can give you an idea of whether your message was seen.
When you send a message on LinkedIn, a small checkmark will appear next to it. This lets you know the message was successfully sent from your end. However, it doesn’t confirm the recipient has seen it yet.
If your connection opens the message, the checkmark will change to “Seen.” This means they’ve opened the LinkedIn messaging window, though they may not have specifically read your particular message.
If you don’t see the “Seen” indicator, it likely means your connection hasn’t opened LinkedIn messages recently. But remember – the recipient could still be ignoring your message on purpose. Some users avoid “Seen” receipts by turning off read receipts or opening messages in notification previews.
Monitoring their activity
Another way to gauge if someone read your LinkedIn message is by monitoring their activity.
Check their profile to see if they’ve been active on LinkedIn since you sent the message. Have they been posting updates, commenting on content, liking posts, or connecting with new people? If so, they’re likely just choosing not to engage with your message.
You can also look at the “Active” indicator on their profile. If the user has been active within the last 30 days, there’s a good chance they’ve logged in and seen your message – they just haven’t responded.
However, users can turn off the “Active” indicator for privacy. So if it doesn’t show they’ve been active recently, it doesn’t necessarily mean they haven’t seen your message.
Watching for profile views
When someone views your LinkedIn profile, you’ll get a notification indicating who visited your page and when.
If your connection checks out your profile shortly after you message them, it’s possible they wanted to learn more about you before responding. Or they meant to reply, got distracted, and will come back to your message later.
That said, profile views don’t always mean someone read your message. They may have visited your page for other reasons like:
- Looking for work or business opportunities
- Researching you for an upcoming interview or meeting
- Checking to see if you updated your profile recently
So while a profile view could signify your message was seen, it’s not a surefire sign. Use it as one helpful data point among many.
Tracking message timestamps
LinkedIn displays timestamps on messages so you can see when they were sent or received. Keep an eye on these timestamps for clues on whether your connection read your message.
For example, if you messaged someone at 2:00 pm and they responded at 2:15 pm, chances are they saw your message shortly after you sent it.
If it’s been 24 hours or more with no response, it’s less likely they’ve seen your message. But give it a few days before assuming that. Your connection may just need more time to respond based on their schedule and preferences.
One caveat – mobile notifications can impact message timestamps. If the user has alerts enabled, they may see a preview of your message immediately via notification. But the “Seen” time stamp won’t update until they actively open the LinkedIn app.
Trying a follow-up message
If it’s been a few days and you’re still unsure if your initial message was seen, consider sending a polite follow-up. Here are some examples of follow-up messages you could try:
- “Hi [name], just wanted to make sure you received my earlier message. Let me know if you’d like me to resend it or if you need any other information from me.”
- “Hi [name], checking in to see if you had a chance to read the message I sent last week. Please let me know if you have any questions!”
- “Hi [name], I wanted to follow up on the previous message I sent in case it got lost in the shuffle. Please let me know if you’d be interested in discussing further.”
If they respond, great! You can pick up the conversation from there. If they continue to ignore your messages, it’s best to move on for the time being. Avoid spamming them with constant follow-ups if they aren’t engaging.
Turning on read receipts
For 1:1 messaging threads, LinkedIn allows you to enable read receipts. This adds more definitive “Seen” and “Read” indicators to messages.
To turn on read receipts:
- Open the LinkedIn messaging thread.
- Click on the name of the person you’re messaging in the top left.
- Toggle “Read receipts” to the On position.
Once enabled, you’ll see precise read receipts so you know when your connection has seen and read your message.
The caveat is that both parties have to agree to read receipts being on. If your recipient declines or has them disabled, you won’t see read data even if you turn read receipts on.
Leveraging other tools
Beyond LinkedIn’s built-in features, there are third-party tools that provide more visibility into message deliverability and engagement.
For example, sales engagement tools like Outreach and SalesLoft integrate with LinkedIn to track opens and clicks. These tools notify you when your LinkedIn connection opens your message directly from their email.
Email tracking platforms like Mixmax and Yesware also provide read receipt capabilities for messages sent via LinkedIn’s email integration.
However, note that extensive tracking of opens and clicks can damage relationship trust. Use these features selectively rather than tracking every prospect interaction.
Putting it in context
Before assuming you’re being ignored, consider the context around your LinkedIn message:
- Is your connection typically slow to respond? Give highly responsive people a day or two, and give those who normally take longer up to a week before following up.
- Does their profile indicate they’ve been inactive or too busy to manage messages? If so, they may not have seen it yet.
- Have they responded to other recent messages from you? If it’s a one-off lack of response, it may just be an oversight on their end.
- Is the message time-sensitive or does it require urgent action? Following up is more reasonable if so.
Think about what’s normal for your specific connection before assuming your message was intentionally ignored. There may be other variables at play.
Best practices for LinkedIn messaging
Beyond tracking message status, you can boost the odds of getting a response by following some best practices:
- Personalize your message with context about how you know them or why you’re reaching out.
- Communicate your specific request or reason for connecting right up front.
- Keep your message focused and avoid overly lengthy introductions.
- Follow up if needed, but avoid badgering them with constant messages.
- Provide options for continuing the conversation outside of LinkedIn messaging.
- Use LinkedIn InMail if you want to guarantee your message is seen by connecting directly to their inbox.
With the right approach, you can increase your response rate and get the answers you need.
Can LinkedIn notifications reveal message status?
In addition to LinkedIn’s messaging features, some clues about unread messages can surface through notifications.
When you receive a new message, you may get notified via:
- An email alert
- A mobile push notification
- A red notification icon on LinkedIn
These notifications can give clues about whether your original message was seen:
- If they engaged with your message, the notifications will disappear since they’re no longer “unread.”
- If notifications persist for days with no activity, they likely haven’t seen your message yet.
- If they’re actively using LinkedIn but your notifications remain, they may be avoiding your message.
However, there are limitations to the notifications approach:
- Users may disable LinkedIn notifications entirely.
- Notifications don’t always disappear immediately after a message is read.
- Mobile alerts may reveal parts of your message even if unopened.
So while notifications can provide clues, they aren’t 100% definitive for tracking message status.
Limitations of LinkedIn read receipts
While LinkedIn read receipts can be useful, there are some important limitations to consider:
- Read receipts only work if both parties have them enabled.
- They can be deliberately disabled by recipients who want to avoid “seen” notifications.
- Notifications may reveal parts of your message before the person officially views it.
- The “Seen” receipt only indicates the messaging window was opened, not your specific message.
- Read data doesn’t account for situations where someone else like an assistant reads on their behalf.
- There’s no insight on screenshots or forwarding of messages to external platforms.
So while read receipts provide more transparency, they aren’t an absolute guarantee of whether or not your connection actually read your message. Combine them with other signals for a better idea about possible message engagement.
Ethical considerations
While getting insight on message delivery can be helpful, it’s also important to use LinkedIn’s tracking features ethically. Here are some ethical considerations:
- Avoid relentlessly tracking every prospect just because you can. It can damage trust.
- Respect user privacy and disable receipts if requested.
- Don’t assume 100% message accuracy. Technical errors can occur.
- Consider whether excessive tracking aligns with your brand identity and values.
- Your goal should be tailoring communication, not surveilling connections.
Aim to strike the right balance between convenience, transparency, and respecting boundaries. Make sure your use of message tracking tools is consistent with your company’s culture.
Key Takeaways
Here are some of the key takeaways from this article:
- LinkedIn doesn’t have definitive read receipts, but visual cues like “Seen” timestamps and notification alerts can indicate if a message was viewed.
- Monitor your connection’s LinkedIn activity to gauge the likelihood they’ve seen your message based on continued engagement with the platform.
- Profile visits and quick message response times can also provide clues that your message was viewed.
- If following up, use tactful language acknowledging the previous message may have been missed.
- For exact read data, enable read receipts for 1:1 conversations if agreed to by both parties.
- However, read receipts have limitations and don’t provide the full picture.
- Use tracking features selectively rather than default tracking every prospect.
While not completely definitive, cross-referencing the available signals on LinkedIn can help determine if your message was likely seen. However, avoiding excessive surveillance preserves relationship trust and respect for privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if you looked at their LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn does notify users when someone looks at their profile. It will show who viewed your profile and when. The viewer’s name will only display if you are a 1st-degree connection on LinkedIn. Otherwise, it will just say “Anonymous.” There is no way to disable profile view notifications.
Does LinkedIn notify when you screenshot a profile?
No, LinkedIn does not send any notification if someone takes a screenshot of your profile. There is currently no feature that alerts users of screenshots. You can screenshot a profile without the person knowing.
Can I read a LinkedIn message without the sender knowing?
If you don’t open the message directly on LinkedIn, the sender won’t initially know you read it. For example, you could view the message in email previews or notifications without triggering a “Seen” receipt. However, as soon as you open the full message on LinkedIn, view tracking will update. At that point, the sender will see you opened it.
What happens if you delete a LinkedIn message thread?
If you delete a LinkedIn message thread, it disappears from your inbox and the sender’s inbox too. Neither party will still have access to the messages. However, deleting a thread doesn’t delete connections between you and the other member. Your profiles will remain linked.
Can someone tell if you screenshot their LinkedIn message?
No, LinkedIn doesn’t currently have any functionality that notifies users about screenshots of messages. You can take a screenshot of a LinkedIn message without the sender receiving any alert. However, use discretion when taking screenshots containing personal information.
Conclusion
Determining if someone read your LinkedIn message requires some detective work, but isn’t impossible. Look for visual cues, timestamp patterns, notification persistence, and profile views to get an idea of possible message status. Just be careful not to cross ethical lines with excessive surveillance of your network. With the right balance, you can gauge message delivery without damaging your relationships.
