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What Does 1st Mean on LinkedIn: Your Complete Guide to Connection Degrees
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Ever wondered what those little numbers next to LinkedIn profiles actually mean? You’re not alone. Understanding LinkedIn connection degrees is the foundation of strategic networking and can transform how you build professional relationships online.
Whether you see “1st,” “2nd,” or “3rd” next to someone’s name, each represents a different level of access and opportunity. Let’s break down exactly what these mean and how you can leverage them to grow your network effectively.
What Does 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Mean on LinkedIn?
The numbers that appear next to profile names on LinkedIn aren’t rankings – they’re LinkedIn’s way of showing your proximity within the professional network. This tiered system helps you understand your relationship with others and determines how easily you can interact and send messages.
Each degree represents a distinct engagement strategy, and mastering this system is essential for building a predictable pipeline of professional connections.
Your Inner Circle: 1st-Degree Connections Explained
A 1st-degree connection is someone who is directly connected to you on LinkedIn. This relationship happens when one person sends a connection request and the other accepts it.
Here’s what makes 1st-degree connections special:
Full Access Benefits:
- Send unlimited free messages
- View complete profiles
- Access contact info like phone numbers and emails (when shared)
- See their full network activity
However, contact details aren’t always available. Research shows approximately 30% of people share their emails, while only 5% share phone numbers with their 1st-degree connections.
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Important Limit: LinkedIn caps users at 30,000 1st-degree connections to ensure optimal site experience. This makes each connection a valuable asset worth strategic consideration.
Your Warmest Prospects: 2nd-Degree Connections
A 2nd-degree connection is someone connected to your 1st-degree connections but not directly connected to you. You’ll see a “2nd” badge next to their names in search results.
Why 2nd-Degree Connections Matter:
- View full profiles and mutual connections
- Leverage mutual contacts for warm introductions
- B2B buyers trust mutual connections more than any marketing asset
- Perfect “warm outbound playground” for networking
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To message 2nd-degree connections, you need to either send a connection request or use LinkedIn’s paid InMail feature.
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The Frontier: 3rd-Degree Connections
3rd-degree connections are people connected to your 2nd-degree connections – essentially two steps removed from your network. They’re marked with a “3rd” badge and represent your extended professional community.
While reaching out can be challenging with limited messaging options, these connections represent vast opportunities for strategic outreach and network expansion.
Pro Tip: Look for “Open Profile” users who allow anyone to message them directly, bypassing degree restrictions entirely.
LinkedIn Prospecting: How To Connect With Anyone?
Success on LinkedIn isn’t just about understanding connection tiers – it requires strategic, value-driven engagement that builds meaningful relationships.
Step 1: Optimize Your Profile First
Before sending your first connection request, ensure your profile acts as a compelling personal landing page. When prospects receive your connection request, they’ll likely click on your profile to learn more about you.
Essential Profile Elements:
- Professional profile picture
- Compelling banner photo
- Benefit-driven tagline using “Who + Effect + How” formula
- Concise professional story in your summary
A well-optimized profile reinforces your connection message and converts initial interest into meaningful conversations.
Step 2: Craft Personalized Connection Requests
The most successful connection requests are concise, friendly, and tailored to the recipient. Generic, sales-heavy pitches not only fail but can lead to spam reports.
Key Principles for Effective Requests:
- Be brief and friendly (300-character limit)
- Reference commonalities like mutual connections or recent posts
- Provide clear value – answer “What’s in it for me?”
Data proves this works: Sales-oriented connection requests with personalized notes achieve a 6.62% qualified call booking rate compared to just 3.77% for requests without notes.
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Step 3: From Connection to Conversation
Once your connection request is accepted, nurture the relationship:
- Use InMail strategically for non-connected prospects
- Engage with shared content through likes and meaningful comments
- Send valuable follow-ups like helpful articles without immediate pitches
How to Bypass the LinkedIn Weekly Connection Invite Limitation?
LinkedIn limits most users to 100-200 connection requests per week to prevent spam and maintain quality. Here’s how to work within these limits strategically:
Smart Workarounds That Actually Work
Target Open Profiles: Premium LinkedIn members can set profiles to “Open,” allowing unlimited free messaging regardless of connection degree. This bypasses invitation limits entirely.
Email Synchronization Strategy: Import your existing email contacts to LinkedIn. Invitations to existing contacts don’t count against your weekly limit, making this a risk-free network expansion method.
Content-Driven Growth: Build an inbound strategy through valuable content creation. High Social Selling Index (SSI) scores and consistent activity often result in organic connection requests coming to you.
LinkedIn has 65 million decision-makers and 10 million C-level executives, making it the premier platform for professional networking when used strategically.
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How to Send More LinkedIn Connection Requests Per Week?
While automation exists in the market, LinkedIn’s User Agreement explicitly prohibits bots and automated methods. Violations can result in account restrictions or permanent bans.
The Multi-Channel Approach That Works
The most effective strategy combines LinkedIn’s strengths with other channels:
- Use LinkedIn for prospecting and qualification
- Access contact details through connections
- Move conversations to email for focused outreach
This approach leverages the fact that 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn, while 8 out of 10 buyers prefer email contact from sales representatives.
Statistics show this multi-touch approach is far more effective than relying on a single platform.
Safe Daily Limits
Industry consensus suggests 15-20 connection requests per day as a safe limit. Stay well below weekly caps to avoid triggering restrictions.
Best practices include:
- Sending requests Tuesday-Wednesday for highest engagement
- Varying your outreach times and messages
- Maintaining genuine account activity
FAQs
Q: What is an Open Profile?
Q: How many connection requests can I send per day?
Q: Do I need LinkedIn Premium for prospecting?
Q: When's the best time to send connection requests?
Q: Can I access contact details for all my connections?
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