LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 850 million members worldwide. With such a massive user base, LinkedIn offers many options for connecting with other professionals and growing your network.
One of the ways to connect on LinkedIn is through InMail messages. InMail is LinkedIn’s internal messaging system that allows you to directly contact any LinkedIn member, even if you are not connected to them.
What is LinkedIn InMail?
LinkedIn InMail is a private, direct messaging system built into the LinkedIn platform. With InMail, you can send private messages to any LinkedIn member, regardless of whether they are in your 1st-degree network or not.
Some key features of InMail include:
- Ability to message any LinkedIn member directly
- Messages go to the recipient’s LinkedIn inbox
- Higher response rates than regular LinkedIn messages
- Option to attach files and media
- Read receipts let you know if your message was read
InMail essentially allows you to bypass LinkedIn’s relationship-based messaging restrictions. It gives you access to send personalized messages to recruits, prospective clients, business partners, and anyone else on LinkedIn you want to connect with.
InMail vs Regular LinkedIn Messages
Compared to regular LinkedIn messages, InMail has some key differences:
InMail | Regular LinkedIn Messages |
---|---|
Can message any member on LinkedIn | Can only message 1st-degree connections |
Higher response rates | Lower response rates |
Paid feature ($10 for 5 credits) | Free for 1st-degree connections |
Messages go to primary inbox | Messages go to ‘Messages’ tab |
As you can see, the main advantage of InMail is the ability to reach anyone on LinkedIn coupled with higher response rates. But it comes at a cost – you have to pay per InMail credit while regular LinkedIn messages are free.
Sending Individual InMails
Sending individual InMails to connect with prospects or recruits is simple. Here are the steps:
- Purchase InMail credits from LinkedIn. Each credit lets you send 1 InMail.
- Find the LinkedIn profile of the person you want to reach.
- Click on the ‘Message’ button on their profile.
- This will open up a message window. Select the option to ‘Use InMail’.
- Compose your personalized message and hit send.
Your InMail will now show up directly in the recipient’s main LinkedIn inbox. This gives you the highest chance of getting opened and responded to compared to other outbound methods.
Tips for Sending Individual InMails
To boost your InMail open and response rates, keep these tips in mind:
- Personalize each message with custom text, don’t just copy-paste generic templates.
- Make the subject line compelling to pique interest.
- Highlight why you are reaching out and how you can help them.
- Follow up tactfully if you don’t get a response within a week.
- Avoid sending more than one InMail a month to the same person.
Can You Send Bulk InMails?
Now that we’ve covered sending individual InMails, let’s discuss the topic of this article – is it possible to send InMails in bulk?
The short answer is no, LinkedIn does not allow sending bulk InMails to multiple recipients at once. Each InMail on LinkedIn has to be customized and sent individually.
There are a few reasons why LinkedIn restricts bulk InMailing:
- To maintain the professional, relationship-based nature of the platform.
- Prevent spamming and abuse of the messaging system.
- Encourage personalized, relevant communication between members.
LinkedIn wants the InMail feature to enable meaningful engagement between professionals. Allowing bulk messaging would detract from that goal.
Some users want to send bulk InMails because they think it will improve efficiency. However, response rates would likely suffer as recipients can identify (and be turned off by) generic bulk messages.
Tips for Messaging Efficiently on LinkedIn
While you can’t send automated InMails en masse, you can utilize tactics to message prospects efficiently while still being personal:
- Craft 2-3 unique message templates you can customize for each recipient.
- Build a process to identify and target your ideal recipients.
- Use a CRM or spreadsheet to save message text and track outreach.
- Test messages and improve based on response rates.
The key is balancing personalization with process optimization. With the right strategy, you can connect with your LinkedIn audience effectively while respecting the platform’s rules.
3rd Party Tools for Bulk Outreach
While LinkedIn itself prevents bulk InMailing, some 3rd party software tools claim to enable bulk outreach on the platform. Examples include Mailshake, Dux-Soup, and LeanList.
However, buyers should beware. These tools typically violate LinkedIn’s terms of service, and overuse will likely result in your account being flagged or banned.
LinkedIn’s user agreement states you can only:
- Send InMails one at a time, with specific content personalized for the recipient.
- Contact a specific member no more than once a month.
- Not contact members after they request you stop messaging them.
Software automatically sending repeated generic InMails goes against LinkedIn’s rules. While you may get some short-term results, the long-term risks outweigh the benefits.
Risks of Automated Messaging Tools
Potential risks of using 3rd party software for bulk LinkedIn messaging include:
- LinkedIn disabling your account.
- Getting flagged for spam, damaging your reputation.
- Wasting money on credits for ineffective messages.
- Hurting relationship-building goals by coming across as robotic.
- Low response rates long-term as recipients tune out repetitive outreach.
For most users, it’s smarter to avoid these risky tools and focus on mastering effective, genuine, one-to-one communication.
Conclusion
While blasting automated InMails may seem expedient, LinkedIn intentionally prohibits sending messages in bulk. The platform’s rules restrict you to sending one-to-one personalized InMails.
Ignoring LinkedIn’s policies and using 3rd party software to send bulk InMails can get your account restricted. The smarter approach is to learn how to engage your audience individually in a relevant way.
With the right targeting, templates, and follow-up process, you can connect with your ideal prospects efficiently while respecting LinkedIn’s terms of service.