What does 1 2 3 mean on LinkedIn?
This represents the degrees to which your Linkedin contacts are connected within the network. 1st degree contacts are direct contacts. This means that one of the two contacts has accepted the invitation to network. A 1 next to the name denotes a contact of the 1st degree, whereby it is possible to send messages here. 2nd degree Linkedin contacts are LinkedIn contacts that are networked with you via direct contact. A 2 next to the name denotes a 2nd degree contact. It is possible to send invitations here by clicking on “Connect” on the profile page or by contacting them via an InMail. 3rd degree LinkedIn contacts are contacts who are associated via 2nd degree contacts.

 

How do you get contacts on LinkedIn?
Linkedin contacts can be added with little effort. One option is to add LinkedIn contacts via address books. To do this, go over “Network” in the top bar after logging in and then selecting “Add Contacts” in the menu. It is now possible to search for LinkedIn contacts via the e-mail address book. The suggested LinkedIn contacts can now be added by checking the box for contacts who want to be added. Lastly, Linkedin contacts from the address book can be invited to Linkedin. This step is optional.

Another option is to add contacts to LinkedIn via search. To do this, a name is entered in the search bar and the LinkedIn contact found is clicked. On the contact’s profile page, LinkedIn can add contacts via the “Connect” button.

 

Find people you should know on LinkedIn
A good way to connect with LinkedIn is to add your own friends to your contact list. Contacts are then suggested to LinkedIn. Another way is through the platform’s search filter in conjunction with Boolean logic. Boolean logic refers to an algebraic system in which a relationship between two variables can be represented as “true” or “false”. This allows search terms to be combined or limited for detailed searches. You don’t need a premium membership to use this feature. The advantage of using the function is that complex searches are possible thanks to the various search operators. The terms are combined using parentheses. Search operators include “and,” “inclusive or,” “exclusive or,” and more.

 

What are invitations on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn contacts can be connected with the help of invitations. When an invitation is sent to the desired contact, a first-degree contact is generated. If the invitee does not have a LinkedIn, they must register beforehand to be able to accept the invitation. Sending invitations requires a primary email address. It is possible to increase the number of thousands of LinkedIn contacts in the network for each contact. Contacts are limited to a maximum of 30,000 direct contacts to ensure an optimal user experience.

Which people should I enquire about?
Once former colleagues and friends have already been added to the Linkedin contacts, the next step is to further expand its network. It’s important to be courageous and send a request to people you’ve been in contact with. You can also network with unknowns, if you think these LinkedIn contacts might be useful. It is important to leave a message about why you sent a request. Otherwise, you’ll leave an unprofessional impression. Which contact requests should you now accept? To do this, look at the profile and question whether you know the person, are you in the same industry, what about interest, etc. Ultimately, you shouldn’t be too picky about your LinkedIn contacts. How often you appear to other people depends on the number of LinkedIn contacts you have.

 

What do you write on your LinkedIn request?
A professional-looking message to increase your Linkedin contacts should be polite, relevant, personalized, and commendable. How you write your message depends on how well you know the user. Linkedin contacts that you only know briefly are addressed differently than Linkedin contacts with whom you are very familiar. In that case, write a personal message and let them know that this is a career issue.

 

An example:

Hello Thomas,

I am happy to have met you at the XY trade fair. At the next opportunity, you should definitely tell me more about what you’re doing in Company XY. I have always been interested in the XY industry.

Best regards,

Your name

If you’re writing a message to someone you don’t know but would like to meet, it’s important to introduce yourself first and specify the reason for the request. References specifically to projects that the potential Linkedin contact has worked on. You may find this information on an external site. Giving a reason for the exchange could be to have a casual conversation or to see what the Linkedin contacts are working on. Maybe you could offer to support the project. It should be noted that you should never ask for a job via LinkedIn.

 

An example:

Dear Mr. Mustermann,

I am a student who is interested in working in sales. I’ve followed your work over the past year and I was particularly impressed by that. I particularly liked XY. If you could give me 20 minutes of your time, I’d like to know more about your experience in this field and what skills you think are necessary for this job.

I would like to thank you,

Your name

Why you should use the “Follow” button on your LinkedIn profile
A simple reason for using the follow button is to increase the number of your own LinkedIn contacts. Following the company happens automatically. Members of an organization can be easily addressed via the company page. Members will then always receive the latest news through the site updates. LinkedIn’s developer resources provide a follow button that you can use for your site. Learn more about how to increase your followers by going to page analytics or the invite contacts tool.

The existence of a large network with many LinkedIn contacts is of great importance for the success of a company. With the help of LinkedIn contacts, many potential employees and customers can be won over for your own company. Don’t limit yourself. Spend the time needed to convince with your messages and generate new Linkedin contacts. Linkedin contacts are the first step for new relationships.