LinkedIn is one of the most effective networking platforms for professionals and businesses. A huge number of businesses scour LinkedIn every day to locate their prospects who might be interested in their products or services. Many people don’t get the best out of LinkedIn because they are unsure about certain aspects of the platform. One question that most people have is – ‘Is LinkedIn InMail Private?’ We will answer this question in this article. If you are someone looking for it, then stick around till the end.
Is LinkedIn InMail private?
LinkedIn InMail is completely private, and only the sender and recipient can read the message on the platform. In fact, all types of LinkedIn messages, namely direct messages, open profile messages, and sponsored messages, are private.
What is InMail on LinkedIn?
InMail is a type of email that is sent through LinkedIn. InMail allows you to send messages to users without having to add them as a connection on the platform. This can be helpful if you are trying to reach a decision maker in B2B businesses. As a job seeker, InMails are one of the ways to reach out to potential employers or recruiters.
What are InMail credits in LinkedIn?
InMail credits are the number of InMail messages you can send to LinkedIn members whom you are not connected to. When you upgrade to a subscription, you get a certain number of InMail credits each month. You will receive a credit back when someone replies to your InMail within 90 days. After three days of your message, the recipient gets a reminder to respond to your InMail. Please note if you delete the InMail before receiving a response, you won’t get your credit back.
How much does LinkedIn InMail cost?
To get InMail credits, you will need either a LinkedIn premium account which costs $29.99 per month or a Sales navigator account which costs $79.99 per month ($779.88/year). If you are looking for more sales, purchasing a Sales Navigator account is recommended as it helps with advanced search functions. You can purchase more InMail credits if you exhaust your monthly limit, but you need to pay $10 for each InMail credit.
Is InMail effective?
Yes, InMails are more effective than emails, especially when you send a customized message to LinkedIn users with 2nd and 3rd connections. LinkedIn InMail can be incredibly effective for reaching out to leads. Taking advantage of InMail credits with a Sales Navigator account is worth it. This is because the search function helps you filter out the leads and send free messages to Open Profiles instead of consuming your InMail credits.
How to send an InMail message?
Step 1 – Login to your LinkedIn account
Step 2 – Navigate to the profile of the person you want to send an InMail message
Step 3 – Click on the ‘message’ button on their profile page
Step 4 – Type in the subject line
Step 5 – Type in your message in the message box
Step 6 – Click the ‘Send’ button
InMail Message Credits and Renewal Process
If you haven’t subscribed to LinkedIn InMail yet, you can find more details on the number of credits for each plan here:
- Premium Career – 5 InMail messages/month
- Premium Business – 15 InMail messages/month
- Sales Navigator Core – 50 InMail messages/month
- Recruiter Lite – 30 InMail messages/month
When renewing your subscription, you will receive a new set of InMail credits every month on the first day of your billing cycle.
How to write a great LinkedIn InMail?
A successful InMail begins with a catchy headline.
Studies show that up to 35% of InMails go unread if the subject line doesn’t make any connection to the reader. Be sure what you send to the user is relevant and adds value to them.
Keep the message short and crisp
According to LinkedIn, InMails that are shorter than 100 words perform well than those longer than 100 words. This is because people have a short attention span and will decide quickly if your message is relevant to them or not. Personalized InMails get 26% more responses than non-personalized messages. Therefore, it is important to personalize your message to increase the likelihood of your message being read and responded to.
Include Call-To-Action (CTA)
You should ensure that the InMail receiver knows what you want them to do next. A brief call to action (CTA) makes them clear about the purpose of your InMail and increases your chances of getting a response.
Don’t send InMails on Friday or Saturday
LinkedIn data shows that InMails sent on Friday and Saturday have a lower response rate. Therefore, make sure you launch your InMail campaign earlier in the week.
What is the best for Cold Outreach – LinkedIn InMail or Message?
Both InMail and messages are complimentary. The best thing is to use both in your lead generation campaign. Since InMails are paid and are limited, you can follow the below strategy in the same order of priority to maximize your outreach:
- 200 emails per day
- 100 LinkedIn connection requests per week
- 50 InMails per month
Note: Use InMails at the end to reach out to people you need to get meetings with.
What is a good response rate for LinkedIn InMails?
If your LinkedIn InMail response rate is above 80%, it is considered to be excellent.
How do you know if someone has read your InMail message?
If the message status shows ‘Accepted,’ it means the receiver has read your InMail and accepted it. In addition, LinkedIn also allows you to see if your message is pending (when the recipient hasn’t replied to your message) or declined (when the recipient declines your message).
Key Takeaways
InMail is a great way to reach professionals, businesses, and companies irrespective of what goals you have set for your business. It’s a great way to generate qualified leads and grow your company’s sales and revenue. If you want to get more out of InMail, follow what we have shared in this article. By following these tips, you will eliminate many errors and get better responses from your leads.
