With over 900 million users, LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professional networking and career development. However, as with any large online community, LinkedIn also attracts spammers and bots. Bots on LinkedIn can spam users with connection requests, messages, and other unwanted content. While bots may seem harmless, they can be annoying and compromise your experience on the platform. So how do you identify bot accounts and protect your LinkedIn presence?
Understanding Bots on LinkedIn
Bots are automated accounts controlled by software instead of humans. They often have telltale signs that give them away if you know what to look for. Here are some common reasons bots exist on LinkedIn:
- Spamming – Bots may send users repeated connection requests or messages trying to drive traffic to external sites.
- Scraping – Bots harvest data from LinkedIn profiles for lead generation, recruitment, marketing research, etc.
- Self-promotion – People use bots to artificially boost their own profiles and activity.
- Fraud – Bots can spread financial scams, malware, and other threats on the platform.
LinkedIn has measures in place to detect and shut down bot accounts. However, new bots are constantly being created to replace those removed by LinkedIn’s security systems. This makes it important for users to be aware of signs that an account may be a bot.
1. Check Account Activity
One of the easiest ways to detect a LinkedIn bot is by examining the account’s activity:
- Minimal updates – Bots often have sparse profiles with no posts. They don’t invest time in posting unique content.
- Repetitive posts – Watch for accounts repeatedly sharing the exact same content, often stolen from other users.
- Odd posting times – Humans are most active during daytime and evening hours. Bots may post at odd hours.
- No comments or reactions – If an account has zero comments and reactions to their posts, it’s likely a bot.
Of course, there are some legitimate accounts with minimal activity. But combined with other factors, sparse and repetitive activity is a red flag for bots.
2. Look at Connections
Next, examine who the account is connected to on LinkedIn:
- Few connections – Most bots have zero connections or just a handful. Real users actively network.
- No shared connections – You likely share connections with real professionals in your industry. Bots typically won’t.
- Random connections – Legitimate users connect based on shared backgrounds and interests. Bots may have random connections.
Again, this is not foolproof. Some users are private and selective about connections. But bots are usually easy to spot based on their relationship graph.
3. Review Experience and Skills
Professional experience and skills are key parts of any LinkedIn profile. Be suspicious of:
- Empty sections – Most bots don’t list any work experience or skills.
- Irrelevant experience – Bots that do list experience often have disjointed or illogical job histories.
- Buzzwords – Bot profiles tend to list generalized skills instead of specific qualifications.
Of course, every LinkedIn user has to start somewhere. But sparse and sketchy experience sections are common bot red flags.
4. Check Profile Images
Analyze any profile photos associated with the account:
- No photo – Many bots don’t have a profile image.
- Stock photo – Bots sometimes use generic stock imagery rather than real photos.
- Stolen photos – Reverse image search any photos to see if they are stolen from other sites.
Again, some real users don’t have a profile photo for privacy reasons. But combined with other factors, suspicious images indicate bots.
5. Look for Suspicious Actions
Watch for some typical bot behaviors:
- Repeated connection requests – Bots mass-send connection requests trying to grow their networks for spam.
- Random messages – Bots may send you vague messages directing you to outside platforms.
- Spam comments – Bots can leave spammy comments on posts trying to drive traffic.
- Suspicious job leads – Bots may send dubious job offers and proposals trying to obtain personal info.
While bots get shut down by LinkedIn, new ones are constantly created. Be skeptical of any unusual outreach you receive.
6. Check Account Creation Date
Research when the account was created:
- Recently created – Bot networks churn out new accounts rapidly to replace those already caught.
- Multiple new accounts – Watch for groups of suspicious accounts all created around the same date.
Of course, all users have to start somewhere. But if the account is raising other red flags, a recent creation date adds to the likelihood it’s a bot.
7. See If You Can View the Full Profile
Try viewing the account’s full profile outside of search results or notifications:
- Profile not found – Some bots are designed just to appear in searches and notifications to spam users.
- Profile is disabled – LinkedIn may disable accounts identified as bots but leave remnants visible.
If you can’t access the full profile outside of limited contexts, that indicates a bot account designed to fly under the radar.
8. Use LinkedIn’s Bot-Fighting Tools
LinkedIn offers tools to help users identify and stop bots:
- Report profiles – Use LinkedIn’s reporting feature if you suspect an account is a bot.
- Block accounts – Block bots to stop receiving messages and connection requests.
- Enable two-factor authentication – This security feature helps prevent bots from accessing real accounts.
Leverage LinkedIn’s own tools and security measures to proactively fight bots on the platform.
Conclusion
Here are some final takeaways on identifying bots on LinkedIn:
- Look for signs like minimal activity, random connections, dubious experience, and suspicious actions.
- Profile details alone don’t prove an account is a bot – look at the full picture.
- Report any bots you find to help LinkedIn remove them from the platform.
- Use common sense protections like two-factor authentication and blocking suspect accounts.
- Stay alert as new bots are constantly being created to replace old ones.
With knowledge of their typical behaviors, you can distinguish real professionals from bots on LinkedIn. Taking a few minutes to check account details can help you avoid unwanted spam and potential security risks.