LinkedIn is a powerful platform for networking and making professional connections. An important part of using LinkedIn effectively is messaging – reaching out directly to connect with people. However, unlike email, there’s no delivery confirmation with LinkedIn messages. So how do you know if someone actually received your message?
Checking message status
The first way to check if your LinkedIn message was delivered is to look at the message status. When you send a new message, it will show as “Sent” in your messages list. This indicates the message left your outbox and LinkedIn’s servers accepted it. However, it does not guarantee the recipient actually received it.
There are a few other status indicators you may see:
- Pending – Message is waiting to be sent
- Failed – Message was rejected by the server, likely due to an invalid recipient
- Received – Recipient has opened the message thread, but not necessarily your latest message
So the “Sent” status simply means your message is queued up for delivery. LinkedIn still has to deliver it to the recipient’s inbox.
Recipient profile actions
The next way to tell if someone received your LinkedIn message is to look for actions on their profile. There are two clues that suggest they opened your message:
- Profile view – The recipient viewed your LinkedIn profile around the time you sent the message. This indicates they wanted to learn more about you.
- Accepted connection request – If you sent an invitation along with the message, the recipient accepted your connection request. This is a strong sign they saw the message.
Neither of these guarantee message delivery, but they are positive signals suggesting the recipient took notice of your outreach. If you don’t see any profile activity after messaging someone, that’s less reassuring.
Recipient responds
The clearest indication your LinkedIn message was delivered is if the recipient responds! Any reply message directly to your thread, or accepting your connection request, means your message successfully reached their inbox.
However, many LinkedIn messages go unanswered. Even if someone received it, they may choose not to respond. So you can’t assume a lack of reply means your message failed to send.
Ask for confirmation
The only foolproof way to confirm if your LinkedIn message was delivered is to explicitly ask the recipient. You can politely follow up in a new message:
- “Hi [Name], just wanted to make sure you received my earlier message. Please let me know if it didn’t come through.”
- “Hi [Name], I wanted to follow up about my previous message regarding [topic]. Did you happen to receive it?”
This takes a bit more effort but is the only way to get a definite answer straight from the source! Just be careful not to overdo follow-up messages if they don’t respond.
Turn on message read receipts
LinkedIn also offers optional read receipts within your account settings. When enabled:
- You can see when your messages are read by the recipient
- Recipients can see when you read their messages
The downside is that not everyone likes having their read receipts on for privacy reasons. But between mutual connections, read receipts provide delivery confirmation and may prompt quicker responses.
How LinkedIn message delivery works
To understand why message delivery can be ambiguous, it helps to know how LinkedIn messaging functions behind the scenes:
- You send the message, it leaves your outbox immediately with a “Sent” status
- LinkedIn servers enqueue the message for delivery to the recipient’s inbox
- Delivery requires the recipient login and sync their inbox to retrieve new messages
- Messages remain pending until the recipient logs in again to receive them
Unlike email, LinkedIn messages aren’t pushed directly to the recipient’s inbox. They have to actively sign in for delivery to occur. That’s why the “Sent” status doesn’t guarantee they’ve actually seen your message yet.
LinkedIn inbox types
LinkedIn has two main inbox sections where your messages may land:
Primary inbox
This houses all 1:1 conversations initiated directly with a member. Unless they opt out of messaging, your messages will be delivered here. Primary inbox shows about 30 days of recent conversations.
Other inbox
When connecting with someone you don’t know, LinkedIn may route messages to the Other inbox instead. This helps avoid spam. Other inbox only displays conversations from the past 7 days.
So in some cases, messages may be delivered but the recipient doesn’t see them in time before they expire from the Other inbox. It’s a good idea to follow up at least once if you haven’t received any response within a week.
Reasons a LinkedIn message may fail delivery
While most messages successfully reach the intended recipient, here are some reasons LinkedIn messages don’t deliver:
- Invalid recipient – Account doesn’t exist or you mistyped their name
- Recipient blocks you – Prevents any messages from reaching their inbox
- Recipient filters messages – Your message matches their blocked sender criteria
- Restricted recipient – Their account has limited messaging ability
- LinkedIn spam filters – Your message was flagged as suspicious content
In most cases, you’ll see a “Failed” status if message delivery is rejected for a technical reason. Otherwise, messages may simply go unread at the recipient’s discretion.
How long it takes for LinkedIn messages to be delivered
If all goes well, LinkedIn messages typically deliver in near real-time, within a few minutes. However, actual delivery speed can vary depending on these factors:
Factor | Impact on Delivery Time |
---|---|
Recipient inbox type | Other inbox prioritizes messages for only 1 week |
Recipient login frequency | Messages pending until next inbox sync |
LinkedIn server load | Traffic spikes may briefly delay message queueing |
LinkedIn spam filtering | Suspicious content incur additional delivery delays |
While most messages deliver instantly, recipients on LinkedIn less frequently may not get your message for days or weeks after you send it. Following up at least once ensures critical messages don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Tips for LinkedIn messaging best practices
To improve LinkedIn message deliverability and increase your odds of a response, keep these best practices in mind:
- Personalize each message – Use their name, company, interests, etc. Generic messages are easier to ignore.
- Keep it short and focused – Get to the point within 2-3 sentences max. Don’t make recipients work to grasp why you’re messaging.
- Follow up once – Resend your message once more if no reply after 1 week, while still being polite.
- Adjust timing for “Other” contacts – Follow up twice per week when messaging new connections.
- Enable read receipts – At least between mutually connected contacts for delivery confirmation.
- Watch for profile views and new connections – Signs your message caught their interest.
With care taken to craft relevant, courteous messages, you can maximize the chances of connecting on LinkedIn and getting a response.
Conclusion
LinkedIn messaging differs from email in that delivery is not instantaneous or guaranteed upon sending. The “Sent” status only means your message left your outbox, not that the recipient has seen it. Look for profile views, new connections, or return messages to confirm your messages are being received. While you can never be 100% certain, following messaging best practices helps ensure your important LinkedIn outreach connects with its intended targets.