When sending a connection request on LinkedIn, there is a character limit for the message you can include with the request. LinkedIn imposes this limit to encourage senders to be concise and direct when reaching out to new connections.
What is the character limit for LinkedIn connection requests?
The character limit for messages sent with LinkedIn connection requests is 300 characters. This allows you to write a brief note to explain who you are and why you’d like to connect. You need to make your message informative but succinct within 300 characters.
Why does LinkedIn have a character limit?
There are a few key reasons why LinkedIn enforces a 300 character limit for connection request messages:
- Encourages being concise and direct – The limit requires senders to get straight to the point in their messages instead of writing long notes.
- Prevents misuse – The limit helps deter people from sending overly promotional or inappropriate messages.
- Creates a consistent experience – Keeping messages brief and focused helps LinkedIn connections feel standardized for all users.
- Allows quick screening – The 300 character messages can be read and screened quickly by recipients to decide whether to accept the request.
The character restriction essentially forces professional courtesy and brevity when reaching out to new connections on the platform.
How do you write an effective message within the limit?
When crafting your connection request message, there are some best practices you can follow to make the most of the 300 character constraint:
- Introduce yourself – Start by stating your name, company, and position (if relevant).
- Note common ground – Mention any shared connections, groups, or interests you have in common.
- Explain your reason for connecting – Give a brief, professional explanation of why you’d like to connect.
- Use a call to action – End with a call to action like “I’d love to connect” or “Let’s connect.”
- Check character count – Be sure to stay within the 300 character limit after crafting your message.
Here are some examples of effective connection request messages:
Example 1
Hi [name], I’m [your name], [your position] at [company]. I see we’re both members of the [group name] group. I’m looking to expand my network of [industry] professionals. I’d love to connect!
Example 2
Hello [name], I’m [your name], [your position] at [company]. We have [number] mutual connections including [connection name]. Let’s connect so we can discuss [purpose for connecting].
Example 3
[Your name] here! We haven’t met but it appears we have some common interests based on your profile. I think it would be worthwhile to connect. What do you think?
Tailoring your message with personal details and maintaining a friendly but professional tone can go a long way in writing effective requests within 300 characters.
What happens if you exceed the character limit?
If you exceed the 300 character limit when writing your connection request message, LinkedIn will prevent you from sending the request. You’ll see an on-screen notice that states: “Your message is too long. Length must be less than 300 characters.”
To successfully send your connection request, you will need to edit your message to fit within 300 characters. Consider the following tips:
- Use abbreviations where appropriate
- Remove extraneous words or details
- Break up long sentences
- Trim your introduction
- Simplify or remove parts of your explanation
Taking steps to tighten your message will help you adhere to the 300 character maximum and successfully send your connection request.
Does the 300 character limit include spaces?
Yes, the 300 character limit on LinkedIn connection request messages includes spaces. All characters – letters, numbers, symbols, and spaces – count toward the total character count.
Some people wonder if they can add extra spaces to push their message over 300 characters while staying under the limit. But LinkedIn’s character counter is smart and spaces do contribute to your total characters used.
So you will need to keep your entire message – including spaces – under 300 characters. Be sure to use the character counter before sending a connection request so you can confirm that your full message fits within the limit.
Can I send attachments with a connection request?
No, LinkedIn does not allow users to send attachments with connection requests. You are limited to only including a written message up to 300 characters.
The only attachments supported on LinkedIn are for written posts, articles, and messages sent through existing connections. But for initial connection requests, you can only use text within the 300 character message field.
This restriction is another way LinkedIn keeps connection requests focused and free of unsolicited promotional content. By limiting requests to short text-only messages, LinkedIn cultivates more professional and courteous engagement between new connections.
What are best practices for sending effective requests?
Here are some top best practices to follow when sending connection requests on LinkedIn:
- Personalize each request with the recipient’s name and details relevant to them.
- Only send requests to people you have a legitimate professional reason to connect with.
- Use a clear and succinct message that explains who you are and why you want to connect.
- Double check that your message fits within the 300 character limit.
- Carefully proofread your message before sending to prevent typos or errors.
- Follow up after connecting with a friendly hello and introduction.
Taking the time to send thoughtful, personalized requests demonstrates professional courtesy and gives you the best chance of making worthwhile new connections on LinkedIn.
What are some alternatives if I exceed 300 characters?
If your connection request message is too long, here are a few alternative options besides shortening your message:
- Send an InMail – If you have a premium LinkedIn account, you can send longer messages via InMail to those you’re not connected to.
- Connect first, then follow up – Send a brief connection request, then follow up with a longer message after connecting.
- Ask for their email – Request their email address to continue the conversation outside of LinkedIn.
- Mail a letter – Send a physical letter to share additional details and request connecting.
But it’s often best to avoid these workarounds and craft your request within 300 characters. A clear, concise message has the highest chance of successfully starting a new LinkedIn connection.
Does the character limit vary by language?
LinkedIn’s 300 character limit for connection messages applies across all languages. No matter which language you are writing your connection request in, you will be constrained to 300 characters.
Some languages or writing systems tend to use fewer or more characters on average per word. But with any language, you need to edit your message to fit within 300 total characters when sending LinkedIn connection requests.
For example, some languages like German tend to combine words into longer compound terms. speakers of these languages will need to abbreviate some compounds to keep requests concise. The character limit creates consistency across languages and cultures when networking on LinkedIn.
Can I go over the limit if I’m connecting with multiple people?
No, the 300 character limit applies even when sending a connection request to multiple recipients. Whether you are requesting to connect with 1 person or 100 people, your message can only contain a maximum of 300 characters.
This prevents senders from overloading recipients with lengthy messages simply because they are connecting to a group. You still need to be brief and direct with your messaging, regardless of the number of people receiving the request.
However, tools like LinkedIn’s connection suggestion feature make it easy to send batched connection requests to multiple people at once while respecting the character limit.
What are the risks of exceeding the character limit?
There are a few risks or downsides to exceeding LinkedIn’s 300 character limit with connection requests:
- Request will not send – LinkedIn will block requests over 300 characters from being delivered.
- Perceived as ignore or rule-breaker – Long messages come across as ignoring or intentionally breaking LinkedIn’s policies.
- Overwhelms recipients – Lengthy messages can overwhelm recipients and damage your professional brand.
- Confusion if truncated – If the message gets cut off after 300 characters, the truncated message may be confusing.
- Lower response rate – Longer requests tend to have lower acceptance rates compared to brief, focused messages.
Staying within the character limit helps avoid these issues and makes your requests more effective overall.
What are some tips for fitting my message within 300 characters?
Here are some helpful tips for condensing your connection request message to 300 characters or less:
- Lead with the most important info first
- Remove extraneous words like “I would appreciate if…”
- Use abbreviations like Dept. for Department
- Shorten your job title and company name
- Replace phrases with single words like “utilize” for “use”
- Delete unnecessary details
- Break up long sentences into two shorter ones
- Omit niceties like “Hope this finds you well”
- Use numerals instead of spelling out numbers
- End with a simple call to action like “Connect?”
Prioritizing key details, simplifying sentences, and removing extra words can help you refine your message to be 300 characters or less.
What are some handy tools for checking my character count?
Here are some useful tools for checking your character count as you draft LinkedIn connection messages:
- LinkedIn’s built-in counter – This shows your count as you type your message.
- Microsoft Word counter – Use Word’s character count tool under Review.
- Google Docs counter – Docs displays the character count as you type.
- Online character counters – Websites like charactercountonline.com let you easily paste text to get the character length.
Using these character counting tools ensures your message fits within LinkedIn’s limits before sending your connection requests.
Conclusion
LinkedIn limits connection request messages to 300 characters to encourage senders to be focused and succinct when reaching out to new connections. While this restricts how much detail you can include, crafting clear and concise messages ultimately improves the quality of your requests. Follow LinkedIn’s guidelines and best practices to make your outreach messages effective within a 300 character limit.