<p>While sending a LinkedIn message (or InMail), take note of these three factors to increase the likelihood of the message being read and responded to.</p>
<ol>
<li>Send <strong>short messages</strong>, in the range of 200-400 characters, as people are busy and it is better to be concise.</li>
<li>The response rate is slightly better at the start of the weekday, <strong>so avoid sending on weekends.</strong></li>
<li>Make the message personalized, as people like to feel special. <strong>Add a name</strong> or some details unique to the individual, avoiding generic messages.</li>
</ol>

Effective LinkedIn Messages

<figure><picture><source media="(max-width: 40em)" sizes="calc(100vw - 20px)" srcset="https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_300, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/ar_16:9, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/c_fill, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/g_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/f_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/q_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/p-3-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg 300w, https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_638, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/ar_16:9, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/c_fill, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/g_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/f_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/q_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/p-3-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg 638w"><img srcset="https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_562, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/ar_16:9, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/c_fill, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/g_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/f_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/q_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/p-3-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg 562w, https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_937, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/ar_16:9, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/c_fill, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/g_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/f_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/q_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/p-3-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg 937w, https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_1153, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/ar_16:9, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/c_fill, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/g_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/f_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/q_auto, https://www.fastcompany.com/90626902/fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/p-3-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg 1153w" alt="Don’t send LinkedIn messages on this day of the week if you actually want a response" width="705" height="396"></picture></figure><p dir="ltr">You took the plunge and sent an InMail to a potential job candidate on LinkedIn and now you’re waiting for a response. But did you optimize your chance of standing out? LinkedIn conducted an <a href="https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/trends-and-research/2021/these-inmails-get-best-response-rates" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">analysis</a> of tens of millions of InMails sent by recruiters globally between April 2020 and February 2021. And it revealed which ones were likely to get a fast response.</p><div>advertisement</div><p>Note: Although these data points apply to recruiters who sent InMail to potential jobseekers, the findings are good general guidelines for anyone trying to message through the platform.</p><p>The analysis looked at:</p><UL><LI>length of the message</LI><LI>which day of the week it was sent</LI><LI>whether the message was personalized or not</LI></UL><p>The results were pretty straightforward.</p><h2>Shorter is better</h2><p>Those that delivered their message between 201-400 characters got a 16% higher than average response rate and 41% better than InMails with more than 1,400 characters. In short (pun intended) people are busy so make your point concise.</p><figure><img alt="" width="525" height="427" src="https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_596,c_limit,q_auto:best,f_auto/wp-cms/uploads/2021/04/i-1-new-report-reveals-exactly-how-long-your-linkedin-message-should-be-and-when-to-send-it.jpg"><figcaption dir="auto">[Image: courtesy of LinkedIn]</figcaption></figure><h2>Monday is the best day to send an InMail</h2><p>But just by a slim margin. Monday gets a 2% higher response rate while Saturday accounts for 13% fewer responses. Let people have their weekend.</p><div>advertisement</div><h2>Personalized InMails perform about 20% better</h2><p>In messaging, as with most things, people like to feel special. So avoid sending out generic messages and take the time to personalize the note with someone’s name and some unique details.</p><h4>About the author</h4><div dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Lydia Dishman is a reporter writing about the intersection of tech, leadership, and innovation. She is a regular contributor to Fast Company and has written for CBS Moneywatch, Fortune, The Guardian, Popular Science, and the New York Times, among others.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/user/lydia-dishman" dir="ltr"> More</a></p></div>

Analysis reveals how recruiters’ InMails perform, but the takeaways apply to anyone sending a message—on or off LinkedIn. 


career

Career

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

writing

Reading & Writing

communication

Communication

<p>You took the plunge and sent an InMail to a potential job candidate on LinkedIn and now you’re waiting for a response. But did you optimize your chance of standing out? LinkedIn conducted an <a href="https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/trends-and-research/2021/these-inmails-get-best-response-rates">analysis </a>of tens of millions of InMails sent by recruiters globally between April 2020 and February 2021. And it revealed which ones were likely to get a fast response. </p>

<p>Note: Although these data points apply to recruiters who sent InMail to potential jobseekers, the findings are good general guidelines for anyone trying to message through the platform. </p>

<ul><li>length of the message </li><li>which day of the week it was sent </li><li>whether the message was personalized or not </li> </ul>

<p>The results were pretty straightforward. </p>

<p>Those that delivered their message between 201-400 characters got a 16% higher than average response rate and 41% better than InMails with more than 1,400 characters. In short (pun intended) people are busy so make your point concise. </p>

<p>But just by a slim margin. Monday gets a 2% higher response rate while Saturday accounts for 13% fewer responses. Let people have their weekend. </p>

Personalized InMails perform about 20% better

<p>In messaging, as with most things, people like to feel special. So avoid sending out generic messages and take the time to personalize the note with someone’s name and some unique details. </p>

<p>Lydia Dishman is a reporter writing about the intersection of tech, leadership, and innovation. She is a regular contributor to Fast Company and has written for CBS Moneywatch, Fortune, The Guardian, Popular Science, and the New York Times, among others. </p>

Don’t send LinkedIn messages on this day of the week if you actually want a response

Effective LinkedIn Messages

CURATED BY

Related collections

More like this