In today’s digital age, LinkedIn has become an invaluable platform for networking and making professional connections. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the largest professional social media site and continues to grow in popularity. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to directly message other users, which raises the question – is LinkedIn messaging actually an effective way to reach out and build relationships?
The Rise of LinkedIn Messaging
LinkedIn messaging has seen a significant uptick in use over the past few years. According to LinkedIn’s 2022 data, the number of conversations happening via LinkedIn messaging has increased by 20% year over year. There are a few key reasons for this growth:
- More users – As LinkedIn continues to add members, there are simply more people to potentially connect and message with.
- Shift to digital networking – The pandemic accelerated the shift from in-person to digital networking. With less in-person events and conferences, online messaging became more necessary.
- New messaging features – LinkedIn has added features like audio messaging and real-time typing indicators, improving the messaging experience.
As more professionals embrace digital networking, LinkedIn messaging has emerged as a direct and convenient way to connect with others on the platform.
Benefits of LinkedIn Messaging
There are several key advantages to using LinkedIn messaging over other communication channels:
Direct access to connections
With LinkedIn messaging, you can easily reach out to your existing connections or other users without needing their email or phone number. This allows for spur-of-the-moment outreach when an opportunity arises.
Response rates
Studies have found that LinkedIn messages have higher response rates compared to email outreach. According to OneReach, LinkedIn messages have around a 30% response rate, compared to just 3-6% for cold emails.
Relationship building
LinkedIn messaging allows you to have conversations and build relationships over time, unlike one-off email outreach. Sustained messaging lets you establish trust and rapport.
Thought leadership
Messaging gives you an opportunity to share articles, insights, and thought leadership with connections to position yourself as an expert.
Lead generation
You can discover new leads and prospects via messaging. With targeted outreach, you can convert new LinkedIn connections into potential customers.
Challenges and Drawbacks
While LinkedIn messaging has its perks, there are some limitations to consider:
Low response rates
While higher than email, a 30% LinkedIn messaging response rate still means most outreach goes unanswered. Reaching the right prospects is hit or miss.
One-way communication
Unlike email or phone, LinkedIn messaging is one-way until a connection responds. You won’t know if your message is seen or ignored.
Restricted number of messages
LinkedIn limits the number of messages you can send daily before being restricted. High-volume outreach isn’t possible.
More informal
LinkedIn messaging tends to be more casual than business email. It may not be appropriate for certain formal business communications.
Message character limits
Messages max out at 2000 characters, so it’s not ideal for lengthy communications or attachments.
Tips for Effective LinkedIn Messaging
To boost your chances of getting responses and building relationships via LinkedIn messaging, consider these best practices:
Personalize invitations
Customize connection requests with a quick note on why you’d like to connect. This makes you stand out.
Mention common ground
In your outreach, reference shared connections, groups, or interests you have in common.
Ask open-ended questions
Pose open-ended questions that spark conversation and demonstrate your interest in their expertise.
Provide value
Share an interesting article, helpful resource, or your own professional insights to offer value.
Keep it short
Get to the point concisely and clearly within a few sentences to increase the chance of a reply.
Follow up
If you don’t get a response after 3-5 days, politely follow up saying you’re interested in their perspective.
Proofread
Avoid typos and grammatical errors, as these undermine your professionalism in messages.
Segment and target
Tailor your messaging lists based onRoles, industries, groups, and interests to ensure relevance.
Using Messaging for Different Goals
LinkedIn messaging can be leveraged in various ways depending on your objectives. Here are some examples:
Networking
Messaging is a great way to establish new professional contacts by introducing yourself and expressing interest in connecting.
Staying in touch
Maintain relationships with periodic check-ins, updates, and sharing relevant articles with your network.
Following up
After in-person meetings at events or conferences, use messaging to continue the conversation.
Cold outreach
Identify prospects via LinkedIn search and send personalized messages to generate new business.
Recruiting
Source passive candidates for open roles by messaging potential prospects.
CX prospecting
Connect with customers to cross-sell products or gauge satisfaction.
Customer support
Use messaging to provide one-on-one customer service and support.
Thought leadership
Share your expertise, proprietary research, and insights to position yourself as an industry leader.
Putting Together an Outreach Strategy
For maximum impact, use the following steps to put together a strategic messaging outreach plan:
Set clear goals
Define your purpose and intent upfront – networking, lead gen, etc. This focuses your efforts.
Identify your targets
Use LinkedIn search tools and filters to build messaging lists based on role, industry, company size.
Personalize your approach
Customize your outreach for each prospect’s profile instead of copying the same message.
Craft engaging content
Create value-driven content and talking points that will resonate with your targets.
Test different tactics
Try different messaging styles and approaches and track response rate data to optimize.
Analyze your results
Measure open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to refine your strategy over time.
Follow up persistently
Implement a sequence of follow-up messages to continue the conversation.
Respect privacy and permissions
Honor opt-outs and only send messages to those open to connecting.
Stats on LinkedIn Messaging Performance
Recent surveys and studies shed light on how effective LinkedIn messaging can be for different use cases:
Recruiting Contacts
| Metric | Stats |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate for InMail messages | 10-15% on average |
| Acceptance rate for employees not actively looking | 20-25% on average |
| Conversion rate from message to interview (recruiting) | 2-3% on average |
Sales Prospecting
| Metric | Stats |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn response rate | Around 30% |
| Meetings booked from conversations | 25-35% rate |
| Deal close rate from LinkedIn leads | 10-15% on average |
These benchmarks demonstrate that while not every message receives a reply, a well-crafted LinkedIn messaging strategy can produce results.
Should You Use LinkedIn Messaging?
Here are some pros and cons to weigh when deciding if LinkedIn messaging should be part of your outreach strategy:
Pros
- Direct access to an extensive professional network
- Ongoing conversations to build relationships
- Higher response rates compared to cold email
- Surfacing more leads and opportunities
- Cost-effective compared to paid tools
Cons
- Time investment required for personalized messages
- Low response rates overall still
- Restrictions on message volume
- Not suited for long, formal communications
- One-way interactions unless reciprocated
The Verdict?
LinkedIn messaging can be an impactful tool as part of a multifaceted outreach strategy for goals like lead generation, recruiting, and relationship building. However, response rates still tend to be low even if higher than email, so messaging works best when complemented by other tactics.
To maximize effectiveness, personalize and customize messages, target your outreach carefully, demonstrate value, and persist respectfully with follow-ups. With a thoughtful and strategic approach, LinkedIn messaging can forge new professional connections and opportunities.
But given its restrictions and one-way nature, messaging is generally most powerful when combined with email, phone, content marketing, advertising, and in-person networking for a comprehensive outreach plan.
In summary, LinkedIn messaging can be highly effective if leveraged properly, but expect only modest conversion rates and be prepared to incorporate it as one component of an integrated strategy.
