LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network on the internet with over 500 million users worldwide. On LinkedIn, users can connect with other professionals in their industry or location to build their professional network. These direct connections between users are called 1st degree connections. The number of 1st degree connections a LinkedIn user can have is limited and depends on several factors. In this article, we will look at how many 1st degree connections you are able to add on LinkedIn and what determines this limit.
What are 1st degree connections on LinkedIn?
On LinkedIn, 1st degree connections refer to the professionals in your network who you are directly connected to. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn by sending them a connection request which they accept, they become a 1st degree connection in your network. Similarly, when someone sends you a connection request and you accept it, they become your 1st degree connection.
Your 1st degree connections allow you to interact with each other on LinkedIn in various ways:
- You can view each other’s full profiles.
- You can message each other through LinkedIn messaging.
- You can see posts made by each other on LinkedIn.
- You can write recommendations and endorsements for each other’s skills on the profiles.
- You get notified about major updates and work anniversaries of your 1st degree connections.
In essence, 1st degree connections allow you to build stronger relationships with other professionals through visibility and engagement on the platform.
What is LinkedIn’s limit on 1st degree connections?
LinkedIn places a limit on how many 1st degree connections you can have to ensure optimal performance and prevent spammy behavior. This limit is not a fixed number for all users.
Based on LinkedIn’s policies, the 1st degree connection limit for an individual user depends on:
- How many invitations the user sends to connect with others
- How many connection requests the user accepts from others
- How closely interconnected the user’s network is
Typically, when you’re starting out on LinkedIn with a new account, your 1st degree connection limit is around 10,000 to 30,000 connections. But this can increase gradually as your account gets older and you build your professional network responsibly.
For most individual users, the maximum number of 1st degree connections you can have is likely to be around 30,000 connections. However, some long-time LinkedIn users with large but legitimate networks can have over 50,000 1st degree connections.
How to increase your 1st degree connection limit
If you want to increase the limit of how many people you can connect with on LinkedIn, here are some tips:
- Build your network slowly over time. Don’t try to send out connection invites in mass numbers.
- Personalize connection requests with a note to improve acceptance rate.
- Connect with people you know and trust, not just anyone.
- Engage regularly with your existing connections.
- Provide value to your connections by sharing useful content and insights.
- Use LinkedIn’s automated tools sparingly. Connect via profile, after messaging someone etc.
- Improve your account reputation by building your profile completely.
By focusing on quality connections, account reputation and responsible use of automation tools, you can organically grow your respectable 1st degree network size on LinkedIn over time.
How many 2nd and 3rd degree connections can you have?
In addition to your direct 1st degree connections, LinkedIn also tracks your 2nd and 3rd degree connections.
2nd degree connections are people who are connected to your 1st degree connections. For instance, if A is your 1st degree connection, and they are connected to B, C and D, then B, C and D become your 2nd degree connections even though you are not directly connected to them.
3rd degree connections are people connected to your 2nd degree connections. So in the above example, if B is connected to E, F and G, then E, F and G become your 3rd degree connections.
The number of 2nd and 3rd degree connections you can have is much larger than 1st degree connections. There is no defined limit, but it can range in millions based on the size of your network.
However, your ability to interact with them is more limited. You can still message 2nd degree connections or request to connect with them. But profiles are not fully visible and your feed updates may not show up.
Pro tips to expand your LinkedIn network
Here are some expert tips to grow your high-value LinkedIn network in a strategic way:
- Make your profile 100% complete to appear credible to new connections.
- Personalize connection invites to improve acceptance rates.
- Engage regularly with your network by liking, commenting and sharing.
- Join relevant LinkedIn groups and participate in discussions.
- Leverage the alumni and teammate networks to reconnect.
- Search for professionals in your industry and location and connect.
- Attend events and conferences to network face-to-face.
- Provide value to your network through helpful insights and resources.
- Follow companies you want to work with and connect with their employees.
- Recommend connections to each other when mutually beneficial.
By applying these tips, you can expand your LinkedIn network steadily over time in an authentic way.
Mistakes to avoid when growing your LinkedIn network
It’s also crucial to avoid some common mistakes that can limit your ability to add more connections:
- Mass sending connection invites without personalization
- Connecting randomly with people you don’t know just to increase numbers
- Sending spammy messages to your connections
- Aggressively trying to sell to your network all the time
- Never engaging with your connections after connecting
- Copying and pasting the same invite message to everyone
- Using bots or automation tools unethically to grow your network
- Having an incomplete profile lacking details about you
Avoiding these behaviors and building your network gradually with meaningful engagement will ensure your account stays in good standing for the long-term.
Conclusion
The number of 1st degree connections you can have on LinkedIn depends on your account reputation, network interconnections and responsible use of automation tools. While the limit can vary, most individual users can connect with up to 30,000 professionals directly. You can steadily expand your network by personalizing invites, engaging regularly, and providing value. But avoid spammy behavior and unethical tactics. If you build your LinkedIn network strategically over time, you can establish quality connections with thousands of professionals in your industry.