Sending bulk messages on LinkedIn recruiter can be a great way to reach a large number of potential candidates efficiently. However, there are some important things to keep in mind when using this feature to ensure your messages are effective and compliant with LinkedIn’s policies.
What is LinkedIn Recruiter?
LinkedIn Recruiter is LinkedIn’s recruitment software that helps recruiters source, manage, and communicate with candidates more easily. It includes tools to search LinkedIn profiles, organize candidates into pipelines, and send InMail messages.
One of the key features of LinkedIn Recruiter is the ability to send InMail messages to multiple recipients at once, known as “bulk messages.” This allows recruiters to reach out to hundreds of potential candidates about job opportunities in one batch.
Benefits of Sending Bulk Messages
There are several benefits to using the bulk messaging feature on LinkedIn Recruiter:
- Saves time – You can message many candidates faster than personalizing separate InMails.
- Reaches more candidates – Get your message in front of a large pool of qualified candidates.
- Increases response rates – People respond better to personalized messages at scale.
- Automates follow-ups – Schedule reminder messages to be sent automatically if there’s no response.
- Provides analytics – See open and response rates to optimize your messages.
The ability to quickly reach hundreds of prospects can significantly increase recruiter productivity and results. Sending messages one-by-one does not scale.
How to Send Bulk Messages
Here are simple step-by-step instructions for sending bulk messages with LinkedIn Recruiter:
- Source a list of prospects using LinkedIn Recruiter’s search and filters like skills, current companies, experience level, etc.
- Select the prospects you want to message and add them to a project or list.
- Click on the “Actions” button in the upper right and select “Send InMail.”
- Choose the InMail template you want to use.
- Personalize the template with merge fields if desired.
- Set the frequency cap and any reminders.
- Verify the recipient count and click “Send.”
All the messages will be queued and sent to recipients in batches automatically. You can check back on delivery status and response analytics too.
Tips for Effective Bulk Messaging
Here are some tips to ensure your bulk messages are successful:
- Personalize as much as possible – Use merge fields to include names, companies, etc. Generic messages are less effective.
- Have a compelling subject line – Get recipients to open your message with a relevant, interesting subject line.
- Keep messages concise – Get to the point quickly. Bulky messages are less likely to be read.
- Focus on value for the prospect – Emphasize how the role or company can benefit them.
- Set frequency caps – Avoid over-messaging recipients who don’t respond initially.
- Follow up manually when needed – If a qualified prospect doesn’t respond, consider a personalized follow up.
- Track open and response rates – Use the data to refine your process and templates.
Taking the time to create quality InMail templates and sending messages thoughtfully is worth the effort. Response rates for bulk messages often exceed those of one-off InMails.
LinkedIn’s Policies on Bulk Messaging
When sending a high volume of messages, it’s important to be aware of LinkedIn’s guidelines to avoid having accounts or sending privileges restricted. Here are some key policies to keep in mind:
- Send only to direct connections – You can only send bulk messages to people who are 1st-degree connections.
- Personalize each message – Every message must have personalized content and merge fields.
- Set frequency caps – Limit how often the same person receives your messages.
- Honor opt-outs – Do not continue messaging people who opt-out or ask to unsubscribe.
- Use accurate subject lines – Subject should clearly reflect the content and purpose of the message.
- No inappropriate content – Do not include anything discriminatory, offensive, or explicit.
Following LinkedIn’s guidelines helps maintain your account reputation and deliverability rates. Make sure your team understands and adheres to these policies.
Best Practices
Here are some recommended best practices for getting the most out of LinkedIn Recruiter’s bulk messaging capabilities:
- Organize prospects into segmented lists based on criteria like seniority, location, skills, company, etc. Message each list with tailored templates.
- Use a sequence of 2-3 messages sent a few days apart. Vary content and offers in each message.
- Send messages on Tuesday-Thursday. Open and response rates tend to be higher mid-week.
- Have a clear call-to-action – Give them an easy next step to apply, schedule a call, etc.
- Use analytics to identify your top performing messages and templates. Double down on what works.
- Continuously expand your prospect lists and fill your pipeline. Market conditions change quickly.
- Follow up promptly when you get a positive response. Strike while the iron is hot.
- Refine based on results. If open or response rates dip, reevaluate your approach.
Leveraging data and testing different approaches will help you fine-tune an optimized process over time. Patience and consistency are key.
Tools and Apps
There are also some tools and apps that can help streamline and enhance bulk messaging through LinkedIn Recruiter:
Tool | Key Features |
---|---|
LinkedIn Auto InMails | Automates sending one-to-one InMails from Recruiter license |
Seamless.hr | Enables creating unlimited LinkedIn accounts for sending InMails |
PromptWorks | Tools to manage high-volume outbound recruiting on autopilot |
HiringSolved | Automates candidate outreach with customized messaging |
These tools can add more sophisticated automation, queuing, scheduling, and analytics capabilities to amplify your LinkedIn Recruiter efforts. They are worth evaluating, especially for very high volume messaging.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Recruiter’s bulk messaging capabilities empower recruiters to efficiently reach hundreds of qualified candidates at scale. However, thoughtfulness is required to create compelling, personalized content and follow LinkedIn’s rules.
To maximize results, continuously refine your templates and approach based on data. Use automation tools judiciously to supplement Recruiter. If done right, leveraging bulk messages can significantly increase candidate pipeline velocity and hiring productivity. Just maintain high ethical standards when using such powerful engagement tools.