LinkedIn InMail is a messaging feature that allows you to directly contact other members on LinkedIn, even if you’re not connected. InMail messages bypass the recipient’s inbox and are delivered directly into their LinkedIn Messages page. This allows you to get your message in front of the right people, even if you don’t have a direct connection.
One common question about InMail is whether the recipient gets a notification when you send them an InMail message. The short answer is yes, recipients do get notified when they receive InMail messages. However, the notification settings can vary depending on the recipient’s account settings and preferences.
In this article, we’ll provide a detailed overview of InMail notifications on LinkedIn and the different factors that impact whether a recipient is notified about an incoming message.
Do InMail Messages Send Notifications?
The basic functionality of LinkedIn InMail is that the recipient will be notified when they receive a new message. This applies whether you are sending InMail messages to people in your network or to members outside of your connections.
When an InMail message is received, the recipient will see an indicator on their LinkedIn Messages page showing that they have a new unread InMail. They will also receive an email notification alerting them about the new message (assuming they have email notifications enabled).
So in short, yes – sending an InMail will trigger a notification for the recipient via both the LinkedIn platform and email. This ensures your important messages don’t get missed in the recipient’s inbox.
LinkedIn InMail Notification Settings
While LinkedIn InMail messages do send notifications by default, recipients have some control over their notification settings. Here are some of the notification options recipients can configure:
- Turn email notifications on or off – Recipients can opt out of getting email notifications for new InMail.
- Set notification frequency – Choose to get notifications instantly, daily, or weekly.
- Customize notifications – Pick which types of notifications to get (messages, mentions, comments, etc).
- Mute conversations – Mute notifications for specific message threads.
So it’s possible for recipients to customize or even turn off notifications for InMail messages and other LinkedIn notifications. However, most members leave notifications on by default.
Factors That Impact InMail Notifications
While InMail messages will generally send notifications to recipients, there are some potential factors that could prevent or delay notifications:
Account Activity Status
If a recipient has set their LinkedIn account to “Away” or “Do not disturb” mode, they may not get notifications for new InMail until they return their status to “Active.”
Email Blocking/Spam Filtering
If the recipient has specifically blocked your email address or if your message gets flagged as spam, the email notification could fail to deliver. The InMail indicator would still appear on LinkedIn, but they wouldn’t get the email alert.
Inactive Account
If you message a member who is inactive or rarely checks LinkedIn, they may be slower to see the InMail notification and your message could go unread for a long time.
Notification Overload
For members who get a high volume of notifications, your InMail could get lost in the shuffle and overlooked. Sending follow-up messages can help combat this.
LinkedIn Delivery Issues
In rare cases, technical issues on LinkedIn’s end may prevent notifications from going out. However, this is uncommon.
Best Practices for InMail Notifications
To increase the likelihood that your important InMail messages are seen and noticed, keep these tips in mind:
- Target active LinkedIn members to ensure timely notification delivery.
- Personalize the message subject line so it stands out.
- Follow up if you don’t get a response after a couple days.
- Double check spam filters or blocked senders aren’t intercepting your messages.
- Send messages during typical business hours when recipients are most active.
Confirming If Your InMail Triggered a Notification
There are a couple ways you can check to see if your InMail message triggered a notification for the recipient:
LinkedIn Read Receipts
If enabled, read receipts will let you know when your InMail was opened by the recipient. This confirms it reached their inbox and triggered a notification.
Email Delivery Receipt
Check the delivery receipt on the email notification you receive from LinkedIn. If the message went through, it means the recipient got an email alert.
Follow Up Message
Send a follow up InMail checking in to see if they received your initial message. This prompts a response which confirms if they saw your notification.
Turning Off InMail Notifications as a Sender
While InMail notifications are designed to increase visibility and response rates, you can disable the notifications you receive as the sender:
- Go to your LinkedIn notifications page
- Click “Customize your notifications”
- Toggle off “InMail and messages”
This will prevent you from getting notifications when recipients read your InMails or reply. Use this selectively to reduce noise.
InMail Notification FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about InMail notifications:
Do blocked LinkedIn members get InMail notifications?
No, if a recipient has blocked you specifically, InMails you send will be auto-deleted without triggering a notification.
Can recipients opt out of InMail notifications?
Yes, recipients can fully disable InMail notifications in their account settings or mute notifications from specific senders.
Is there a way to send InMail anonymously without notifications?
No, LinkedIn does not allow sending anonymous InMail. All messages are tied to your account and trigger notifications.
How long does it take for InMail notifications to deliver?
Notifications typically deliver instantly or within a few minutes. Delayed delivery over 1+ hour usually indicates a technical issue.
Do read receipts tell you if an InMail notification was received?
No, read receipts only indicate the message was opened – not if the initial notification was delivered successfully.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn InMail messages are designed to notify recipients via platform indicators and email alerts when new messages are received. However, users can customize notification settings, so delivery is not 100% guaranteed. Following best practices and checking for confirmations like read receipts can help ensure important InMails are being noticed. Understanding notification factors can help senders use InMail effectively for contacting connections and prospects.