How to Prevent LinkedIn's Updated Networking Policy From Slowing Down Business Leads

While there undoubtedly is much controversy over how many connections LinkedIn should allow, what I find most worrisome is the rules appear to be different depending on the user. 

An important step to take is to download your list of contacts, defined as the number of people with whom you have connected or interacted. My list numbers has more than 50,000 contacts. Policies change, be sure and get your file. 

LinkedIn has evolved over time, and how you manage your contacts moving forward is your choice. I am a believer in making as many connections as you can, for a number of reasons.  

A Large Network Matters.

If you are looking for a job, social media savvy is important and having a small number of connections is frowned upon. Some industries are exceptions, but building a substantial connection list is a trend that will not go away. 

If you are producing content and branding, the only way to send a private message to someone who has commented on a post and is not a connection is by sending them an invite. If you have reached the maximum number of invites, open a ticket to request an increase in your limit. Explain why. There is no guarantee it will be approved, but certainly worth the submittal. 

Are you are a college graduate ready for the workplace? Most new grads are data hungry. Many want to invite all of their Facebook and social media connections to join them on LinkedIn. That makes sense. Students spend years staying connected with classmates, friends, and family. Most have large networks that will quickly grow their contact lists. As they begin their careers, they need to believe in the power of networking and grow their networks.

Whether you are a startup or own an established business, connections turn into leads. Connections sometimes immediately become clients. Most users are on LinkedIn to find a job or make money — that is what the platform promotes. In light of the maximum 30,000 connections per user, it is hard to believe LinkedIn doesn’t want you to grow your network.

The Opposite of Networking is Not Networking. 

It is my opinion that LinkedIn would not recommend "not growing your network", keeping in mind that they are limiting users to "30,000" connections and not 2000. I interpret that as "grow your network and make money". LinkedIn also states that maintaining 30,000 connections or less will help users minimize page loading times. For 'some', this is true depending on the device.

For those relying on a large network for sales leads and are "LinkedOut", I recommend the six following steps:

1. Download your contact list.
2. Sort your contacts by those that you engaged with, contacts that you already have in email groups, and contacts that do not add value to your business.
3. Remove contacts that are not adding value to your business or not engaging with you. Connections should support one another's efforts and comment on updates, like your posts, share updates, and you should feel like they are in fact a connection.
4. Submit a ticket for an increase stating that you have removed contacts and would like your restriction removed. (Keep in mind that there is a difference between contacts and connections).
5. Set up a LinkedIn company page
6. Set up a LinkedIn group and grow a network there

Most of us know that some users are outraged over the new 30,000 ceiling on contacts. A few of my most viewed contacts have resorted to adding a status update to their profiles:

•  Adriana Massino, France - 31,403. Note in her profile that states "~ I CANNOT ACCEPT INVITATIONS ANYMORE for now, follow me on Twitter @AdrianaMassino and I'll follow back ~"

Lance C. Healy. U.S. 38,876. The author of #LockedOut of LinkedIn. Update in profile "?? L.I.O.N (LinkedIn Open Networker - LION) with more than 39,000 connections; *Due to controversial LinkedIn Policy, I am unable to accept any additional connections. Alternatively, please feel free to follow me on LinkedIn and/or Twitter".

To better understand LinkedIn's new policy, here is a link to the current User Agreement. Following is a closer look at three important policies.

Email Address Needed for an Invitation. There are several reasons why you may be asked to enter an email address when you send invitations:

The recipient's email preferences are set to only receive invitations from members who know their email address.

A number of recipients have clicked "I don't know [name]" after getting your invitations.

An invitation has already been sent to the member.You've reached the limit of invitations you can send without email addresses to people you've identified as a "Friend" during the invitation process.Note: You can include a personal note to remind people who you are and explain why you want to connect.

Network Size LimitTo ensure an optimal site experience, members can have a maximum of 30,000 1st-degree connections. We recommend that you only connect with individuals you know and trust, as outlined in the LinkedIn User Agreement. As an ongoing practice it would be beneficial for you to manage your connection lists and maintain those that bring you the highest relationship value. Check out more on how to remove connections.

While there is a limit to the number of 1st-degree connections you can have, the number of people who can follow you is unlimited. Members who are following you can view, like, or comment on what you share publicly on LinkedIn. Allowing members to follow you is a great way to reach a larger audience.Learn more about the similarities and differences between following and connecting and how to manage follower settings.(Last updated: 1 month ago)

Invitation Limits and IncreasesEach LinkedIn account is allotted a limited number of invitations. Limiting the number of invitations protects recipients from receiving excessive connection requests. It also protects your experience, as networks over 15,000 connections may affect performance such as site speed and page loading.It's important that you connect only to people that you know as it will yield a strong network that will work for you.

If you reach your limit, you're welcome to contact us to request an increase.Please note that:An invitation increase isn't guaranteed.We consider the acceptance ratio of invitations you've previously sent in our analysis.Invitation increases are not granted for accounts over the network size limit.

To Learn How to Find Your List of Followers Click Here.  On Twitter and Instagram, it is important to follow your followers back. Is everyone following their followers back here on LinkedIn?

Other Top Platform Rules.

Both Twitter and Instagram allow users to follow one another. Some users I follow have hundreds of thousands of followers, so it appears Linkedin is transitioning toward that as well. Facebook, on the other hand, allows you to connect with users and follow users and companies. Which makes the most sense in a world where engagement matters?

LinkedIn's Number of Users Globally.

Over the years LinkedIn has taken 4 steps that 'encourage' global users to connect with one another. 

1. In 2008, LinkedIn launched their first mobile app.
2. In 2011, LinkedIn opened offices in the following countries. Tokyo, Singapore, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, Munich, Sao Paolo, Bangalore
3. In 2012, LinkedIn acquired Rapportive, Slideshare, Esaya and Mumbo.
4. In 2015, LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com and launched Pulse.

When a company sets up multiple offices overseas, it promotes global communication. Many companies are multinational and network with one another.

By acquiring companies that do global business, that also creates more global user activity. Open networking makes sense, understanding of course that not all users are in jobs where they need to network globally. But many are!

Below is a snapshot of LinkedIn's global presence.

There are 145 million-plus users in North America, the vast majority of them in the United States.

• The United States - 125 million
• Canada - 12 million
• Mexico - 8 million

LinkedIn has presence in 25 countries including the U.S. 

Users do have access to digital tools to manage their network. Not every user is working on a small scale and some are dependent on their large network for sales leads. 

Summary.

LinkedIn has more than 500 million users worldwide. When LinkedIn expanded to other countries, did the platform implicitly encourage users to network globally? If the answer is yes, then should users have the same opportunity to expand their networks and businesses globally? 

I enjoy LinkedIn, and would love for your to share a story. Do you only connect with people you know on social media per LinkedIn's suggestion above? (It's important that you connect only to people that you know as it will yield a strong network that will work for you) My guess is that many of us have never met or spoken with many of our connections. Share you thoughts.

Audrey DeSisto, Founder of Digital Marketing Stream (L.I.O.N.)

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Photo by Rob Bye