LinkedIn connections play a key role in helping professionals share insights, discover opportunities, and build relationships that matter. For business leaders, they’re especially valuable for getting in front of the right people and driving business growth.
If you’re interested in networking on LinkedIn but are unsure what the different types of connections are and mean, we’re here to help.
Read on to discover what 1st, 2nd, and 3rd connections mean on LinkedIn, the mistakes you should avoid when making connections, and why it’s important to make the right ones.
Expand your LinkedIn network with help from leading LinkedIn Manchester agency, StraightIn. Contact us to find out more about our strategy creation and implementation.
Why is it important to make meaningful connections on LinkedIn?
Making connections on LinkedIn is simple in theory. But it might be a pointless endeavour if the connections you are making have no impact on your career development or growth. That’s why you should ensure the connections you make are meaningful, so they can:
- Boost your visibility
- Connect with leading industry figures
- Increase business growth and expansion
What do 1st-degree connections mean on LinkedIn?
1st degree connections on LinkedIn refer to people you’ve directly connected to as a result of accepting invitations from them, or vice versa. You’ll be able to see whether you are a 1st-degree connection as the number will appear next to their name. With these types of connections, you are able to send them a message on LinkedIn.
What do 2nd-degree connections mean on LinkedIn?
2nd-degree connections are people who are connected to your 1st-degree connections, but not connected to yourself. You’ll be able to check if someone is a 2nd-degree connection as they’ll have a 2nd-degree icon next to their name. You can still contact them through a LinkedIn InMail message, or through a connection request.
What do 3rd-degree connections mean on LinkedIn?
3rd-degree connections on LinkedIn are people who have connected with your 2nd-degree connections. Again, they will have a 3rd-degree connection icon next to their name. And you can still contact them through InMail messages.
How many connection requests can I send in a week?
The amount of connection requests you can make on LinkedIn in one week depends on the type of account you have on the platform. Generally, LinkedIn limits users from sending more than 100 connection requests per week. People with Sales Navigator accounts may be able to send up to 250 requests per week, however.
For more information on how to get connections on LinkedIn, check out our blog were we detail our 7 top strategies for doing so.
3 mistakes to avoid when connecting on LinkedIn
When connecting with people on LinkedIn, there are some things you should avoid doing to increase your chances of them accepting your invitation:
1. Failing to offer something
This mostly is relevant to those who are trying to build a customer base or clientele on the platform. If you want to increase your chances of people accepting your connection invitation or engaging with your business, ensure you actually offer them something that they can take advantage of. For example, a free demo or a free subscription to your business tools is one way to get them engaged with what your company has to offer – and could potentially lead to a sale.
2. Acting overfamiliar
Ensure you don’t act too overfamiliar with prospective connections. This can be off-putting as LinkedIn is a professional platform designed to help individuals excel in their careers. If you act too friendly or over-familiar, this could potentially cross professional boundaries and make the prospect feel uncomfortable.
3. Focus on closed profiles
When connecting with people on LinkedIn, avoid targeting closed profiles. This is because there are limitations to how you can communicate with these types of connections. As a result of this, focusing your energy on trying to connect with them can be a waste of your time. Try to concentrate your attention on open profiles only.
3 ways to maximise your LinkedIn connections
Now we know what mistakes you should avoid when connecting with people on LinkedIn, let’s take a look at some ways you can maximise the number of connections you make, and the number of people who accept your invitation to connect:
1. Update your profile and optimise
To maximise the amount of connections you get, ensure you have updated your LinkedIn profile and optimised it. This means using an updated profile picture, including a headline on your profile that displays your current job title and location. This way, people looking for individuals in your industry/position will be able to find you much quicker. Moreover, if you invite someone to connect with you and they can see from your headline that you work in the same industry, they might be more likely to accept your invitation.
2. Stay active and post valuable content
When it comes to your LinkedIn profile, you should also ensure you stay active and post valuable content. Ideally, you should be sharing unique insights and expertise pertaining to your industry at least a few times a week. If you post valuable guidance that people can learn from and connect with, they are more likely to engage with it. As a result, LinkedIn will promote these posts as they can see it is valuable to your network and beyond. In the end, you could position yourself in front of people who might not have seen or heard of you/your business before. This could lead to more connections. For help with your LinkedIn content marketing, check out the services StraightIn has to offer.
3. Set time aside to make meaningful connections
To maximise the number of connections you make on LinkedIn, ensure you make time to research important figures in your industry and their associates. This way, you can figure out a way to engage with them, and ultimately, you could establish a rapport that results in a connection.
Expand your professional network with advice and expertise from StraightIn
Understanding how connections on LinkedIn work is important for businesses. Not only can making the right ones lead to you growing your network, but it can help you meet likeminded individuals that could help you expand your business.
If you’re interested in learning more about LinkedIn marketing and how it can help your business grow, get in touch with the experts at StraightIn today. We listen to your unique needs to establish a LinkedIn marketing strategy that gets you the results you want.
Our services include Outreach Marketing, LinkedIn Advertising, and Personal Branding. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you. Call 0161 518 4740 or email grow@straight-in.co.uk.
