LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used primarily for professional networking and career development. On LinkedIn, users can connect with other professionals in their industry, join relevant groups, follow companies, and search for jobs. One of the main ways users interact on LinkedIn is through messaging. LinkedIn messaging allows users to communicate directly with their connections to build relationships, ask questions, and share opportunities. However, LinkedIn places limits on how many messages a user can send per day as a way to prevent spam and abuse. This article will examine the specifics around LinkedIn’s messaging limits and provide tips for staying within the guidelines.
What Are LinkedIn Messages?
LinkedIn messages function similarly to email. Users can send direct messages to any of their 1st-degree connections on the platform. Messages may contain text, links, images, videos, and attachments. The recipient will receive the message in their LinkedIn inbox and can then reply directly back to the sender. LinkedIn messages are an easy way to reach out to connections to follow up after meeting them, ask for career advice, thank them for connecting, or share professional news and content.
LinkedIn Messaging Limits
To prevent members from spamming others, LinkedIn enforces limits on how many messages a user can send in a 24-hour period. The exact messaging limit depends on your account status.
Here are the messaging limits per day for different account types:
| Account Type | Messages per Day Limit |
|---|---|
| Free Account | 300 messages |
| Premium Business Account | 1,500 messages |
| Premium Career Account | 700 messages |
| Job Seeker Account | 150 messages |
| Sales Navigator Account | 1,000 messages |
As you can see, free LinkedIn members have the lowest limit at just 300 messages per day. Upgrading to a paid Premium account significantly increases the daily allotment up to 1,500 messages for some account types. Job seekers also have a relatively low limit of 150 messages per day.
What Happens When You Hit the Limit?
If you try to send more messages in a day than your account limit allows, LinkedIn will prohibit additional messages from being sent. You will see an on-screen notification that you have reached your daily limit. Any messages over the limit that day will not be sent. Your recipients will not receive them, and you will not receive any failure notice indicating they were not delivered. Essentially, LinkedIn silently drops any messages over the cap without notice.
The message limit resets at midnight Pacific Time each day. After the counter resets, you will be able to send messages as normal again up to your account limit.
Some users may not realize they are even near their messaging limit if they are not carefully tracking their daily activity. Since LinkedIn does not warn users as they approach the cap, it can be easy to accidentally hit the limit, especially on free accounts with only 300 allowed messages. Going over the limit can be frustrating if you spend time crafting messages that never actually get delivered.
How to Avoid Hitting the Message Limit
To ensure your LinkedIn messages are successfully sent out, follow these tips to avoid triggering the daily limit:
– Track your messages sent. Manually record how many messages you are sending each day so you know how close you are to your account limit.
– Upgrade your account. If you frequently go over the message cap, upgrade to Premium to receive a higher daily threshold.
– Avoid mass messaging. Refrain from batch messaging large groups of people at once. This can easily eat up your allowance quickly.
– Spread out communications. Schedule your messages throughout the week rather than sending high volumes each day.
– Use alternative communication. If you want to communicate with a lot of people, use InMail, email, or publishing posts rather than direct messages which count against your cap.
– Buy extra messages. Some account types allow you to purchase additional messaging allotments if needed on a short-term basis.
Messaging Etiquette
In addition to monitoring your daily messaging limit, it’s also important to use LinkedIn messaging appropriately. Follow these etiquette guidelines:
– Only message people you have an existing connection with. Do not spam strangers with unsolicited messages.
– Personalize each message rather than blasting generic mass messages.
– Be professional, polite, and respectful in your communications.
– Avoid sharing sensitive or confidential information over LinkedIn messaging.
– Do not overmessage the same people repeatedly if they do not respond.
– Proofread for typos and errors before sending.
– Use a clear subject line summarizing the purpose of your message.
– Thank the recipient and acknowledge if they provide you with assistance.
Abiding by proper LinkedIn messaging etiquette ensures your communications are well-received and avoids coming across as spammy.
Conclusion
LinkedIn limits the number of direct messages users can send each day as an anti-spam measure. Free account holders have the lowest limit at just 300 messages. Upgraded Premium accounts can send 700-1,500 messages per day depending on the account type. If you exceed your daily limit, LinkedIn will block additional messages without notice. To avoid this, track your messaging, spread out communications over time, or consider upgrading your account if needed. Following proper etiquette also helps prevent your messages from being flagged as spam. Understanding the message limits allows you to maximize your daily interactions while avoiding issues.
