A check mark in LinkedIn InMail indicates that the recipient has read your message. When you send an InMail to someone, a check mark will appear next to the message once the recipient opens and views it in their inbox. This provides visual confirmation that your message was received and read.
Understanding InMail check marks can help you better gauge engagement, improve your messaging strategy, and follow up more effectively. In this article, we’ll dig into the details around LinkedIn’s InMail check mark feature, including:
- How InMail check marks work
- What the different check mark colors indicate
- When and how check marks appear
- Why check marks matter for your outreach
- Other indicators of InMail engagement
- Tips for using check marks to improve your approach
Whether you’re new to LinkedIn InMail or looking to get more from each message you send, understanding check marks can help boost your InMail effectiveness.
How Do InMail Check Marks Work?
LinkedIn’s InMail check mark feature works by tracking when a recipient opens the InMail message in their inbox.
Specifically, here is what happens when you send an InMail:
- You compose and send an InMail message to your desired recipient.
- The InMail will appear in the recipient’s LinkedIn inbox, intermixed with their other messages.
- When the recipient clicks into your specific InMail message, LinkedIn registers this engagement.
- A check mark then appears next to your InMail in your own Sent folder, indicating it was opened.
So essentially, the check mark visual confirms your InMail was received, opened, and read by the intended person. It provides delivery confirmation without having to follow up or ask directly.
Key Points
- InMail check marks track when the recipient opens the message.
- A check mark appears when the specific InMail is opened.
- Check marks let you confirm delivery without asking the recipient.
Let’s look more closely at the different types of check marks you may see.
What Do the Different Check Mark Colors Mean?
When viewing your Sent InMails, you may notice check marks displaying in different colors:
- Grey check mark – Indicates your InMail was sent successfully.
- Blue check mark – Means your InMail was opened and read by the recipient.
- Red check mark – Signifies your message was deleted without being read.
These color-coded check marks allow you to see at a glance whether your InMail achieved its desired purpose.
Grey Check Mark
A grey check mark simply means your InMail was successfully delivered to the recipient’s inbox. It does not necessarily mean they’ve read it yet. However, delivery was achieved.
Blue Check Mark
The blue check mark is the main indicator that your InMail was opened and viewed. This check mark should appear shortly after the recipient clicks into and reads your message for the first time. If your goal is to get an InMail read, a blue check is your desired result.
Red Check Mark
A red check indicates the recipient deleted your InMail without opening. This could mean your subject line did not resonate or compel them to read further. It presents an opportunity to re-evaluate your targeting and messaging for that particular prospect.
Key Points
- Grey = InMail was successfully delivered
- Blue = InMail was opened and read
- Red = InMail was deleted without being read
Understanding the meaning behind each check mark color is crucial for assessing the engagement and impact of your InMails. Next let’s look at exactly when these check marks appear.
When Do InMail Check Marks Appear?
Check marks will display in real time as recipients engage with your InMails. Here is the general timing:
- Grey check – Appears immediately after you successfully send your InMail.
- Blue check – Displays as soon as the recipient opens the message for the first time.
- Red check – Appears if the recipient deletes your message without opening it.
In most cases, it takes just minutes for a check mark to display after the associated action occurs.
For example, if you send an InMail at 10:00 AM, you may see the grey check appear at 10:01 AM indicating delivery. If the recipient then opens your message at 11:30 AM, the blue check mark will likely display shortly after at around 11:31 AM.
However, there can be exceptions with delays in some cases:
- If the recipient has their LinkedIn notifications turned off, it may take longer for the check mark to show up.
- High inbox volume may also delay the appearance of check marks.
- For deleted messages, marks may take up to an hour to reflect.
While real-time appearance is typical, give a buffer of up to one hour before following up if no check mark displays.
Key Points
- Check marks usually appear within minutes of the associated action.
- Delays are possible if notifications are turned off or inbox volume is high.
- Wait up to one hour for check marks to display if needed.
Next let’s discuss why these InMail check marks actually matter.
Why InMail Check Marks Matter for Your Outreach
As a sales development rep or marketing professional, you likely spend significant time crafting personalized InMail messages. But how do you know if that time is paying off? How can you determine what’s working and what isn’t?
InMail check marks provide the insight needed to optimize your approach. Here are some of the key benefits:
Confirm InMail Delivery
Without check marks, you may be left wondering if your carefully crafted messages even made it to the intended recipient. The grey delivery confirmation check mark alleviates this doubt, letting you know your InMail reached the prospect’s inbox.
Prioritize Following Up
The blue check mark clearly indicates which recipients took the time to actually open and read your message. You can use this insight to prioritize your follow up efforts on the warmest, most engaged leads.
Improve Subject Lines
If certain InMails consistently get deleted without being opened, take a closer look at the subject lines used. The red check mark signals an opportunity to improve subject lines to drive more opens.
Gauge Interest Level
Beyond open rate, check marks can provide a better sense of prospect interest and engagement. Faster open times can signal higher interest levels, for example.
Refine Targeting
Check mark patterns over time can reveal which prospects and audiences tend to engage most with your outreach. Refine your targeting accordingly.
In summary, InMail check marks provide signal to cut through the noise. The open insight leads to more informed, effective follow up and outreach.
Other Ways to Gauge InMail Engagement
In addition to check marks, there are a few other ways to assess if your InMail messages are resonating:
Open Rates
LinkedIn shows the percentage of sent InMails that were opened over time. Aim for open rates of at least 30-50%.
Response Rates
The response rate indicates what percentage of your InMails receive a reply. High response signals your messages compel engagement.
Click-Throughs
If you include links in InMails, you can track click-through rates to see how many prospects are tapping for more info.
Conversions
Ultimately conversions, such as form fills or demos booked, determine InMail success. Monitor conversion rates over time.
Check marks are most useful when combined with these other metrics to optimize your approach and messaging.
Tips for Using InMail Check Marks to Improve
Here are some tips to leverage check marks for better InMail results:
Experiment with Subject Lines
Try different subject line formulations, and pay attention to which get opened vs. deleted the most. Look for patterns.
Personalize Faster
Research prospects to personalize messages before making first contact with an InMail. This sets the right tone from the start to drive opens.
Follow Up Quickly on Opens
Promptly follow up when you see the blue check mark, while interest is warm. Ask for the next meeting or call.
Engage With Insights
Check marks are wasted if not put to use. Consistently apply the open and response rate insights to refine your process.
Send From a Person
InMails from an individual person get higher open rates than generic company InMails in most cases.
Test Different Lengths
Experiment with both concise and longer form InMails. Open and response rates will reveal which resonate.
InMail check marks provide actionable data to improve your outreach. Consistently applying insights will lead to greater InMail effectiveness over time.
Conclusion
Understanding LinkedIn InMail check marks provides sales development and marketing professionals with delivery confirmation and essential insights. The grey, blue, and red check colors indicate send status, opens, and deletions respectively.
Check marks appear in real-time, typically within minutes, as recipients engage with your messages. This open and response signal is invaluable for honing your messaging, personalization, targeting, and follow up approach.
While check marks are not the only InMail metric, they provide unique visibility that cuts through the noise. Consistently act upon the insights checks provide, in combination with open and response rates, to boost InMail performance over time.
InMail check marks take the guesswork out of outreach. Leverage them to better prioritize follow up, refine subject lines, increase conversions, and ultimately get more out of every message you send.
