LinkedIn remains the top favorite for professional networking, with millions actively using it for jobs, business insights, and brand growth.

Among its many communication features—status updates, private messages, group discussions—InMail stands out for one reason: It lets you reach people outside your network.

Imagine finding the perfect candidate or industry leader you want to pitch to, but not being able to communicate because they aren’t in your network. This is where InMail comes in and lets you reach professionals you’re not directly connected to.

In this post, we’ll explore LinkedIn InMail in depth—what it is, why it matters, best practices for InMail messages, and what the future of InMail might hold.

What Is LinkedIn InMail?

LinkedIn InMail is a premium messaging feature that allows you to directly reach out to 2nd- or 3rd-degree connections (people you’re not directly connected with) as long as you have a LinkedIn Premium account, such as Sales Navigator or LinkedIn Recruiter. Unlike standard direct messages, which typically require existing connections, InMail opens the door to new prospects and contacts in a targeted, professional context.

Who gets access to InMails on LinkedIn?

• Premium subscribers: InMail is available to premium-tier members, including Career, Business, Sales Navigator, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
•  InMail credits: Depending on your subscription level, you’ll receive a certain number of InMail credits each month. For example, LinkedIn Premium Career offers 5 InMail credits and Premium Business offers 15.

Why Should You Use LinkedIn InMail?

Higher response rates

LinkedIn InMails have a 10–25% hit rate when it comes to soliciting responses, which is around 300% higher than emails with the same content. That’s because when you send an InMail, it reaches the recipient via LinkedIn inbox, mobile, and email notifications.

Increased visibility through multi-channel delivery

InMail stands out in busy inboxes because it reaches recipients in multiple places. So, if you use LinkedIn InMail messages to reach out to a lead, your message will land in their LinkedIn message box, standard email inbox, and push notifications on their mobile app. As a result, your visibility increases, boosting the chances of getting a response.

Targeted access to decision-makers

Investing in InMail credits gives you access to 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections—people you don’t directly know—making it ideal for reaching C-suite or high-level prospects. This premium feature allows you to send InMail messages without a prior connection. Plus, you can use LinkedIn’s filters (by industry, role, company size, etc.) to identify highly relevant recipients.

Note: InMail messages are not available for LinkedIn Basic (Free) plan users. However, you can send an InMail if the recipient has an open profile.

LinkedIn InMail Types

Standard InMail

Standard InMails are available to LinkedIn Premium, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter subscribers. They allow you to send an InMail to 2nd- or 3rd-degree connections, even if you’re not directly connected.

Character count

• Subject line: up to 200 characters
• Message body: up to 2,000 characters
• Ideal length: Under 400

InMail credits

Based on your LinkedIn Premium plan:

• Premium Career: 5 credits
• Premium Business: 15 credits
• Sales Navigator Core: 50 credits
• Recruiter Lite / Corporate: 30 credits + Purchase additional InMail credits/month (up to 70)

Use cases

Outreach to passive candidates, sales leads, or potential business collaborators via the LinkedIn message box.

Best for

Strategic one-to-one outreach

Sponsored InMail (Now LinkedIn Message Ads)

Sponsored InMails, also called LinkedIn Message Ads, are a paid option designed to reach a broader, highly-targeted audience beyond connections. They appear directly in a recipient’s LinkedIn inbox, providing guaranteed visibility.

Character count

• Subject line: Up to 60 characters
• Message body: Up to 1,500 characters

InMail credits

Sponsored InMails do not use monthly InMail credits; they are billed as part of your ad campaign budget.

Use cases

Marketing campaigns, event invites, webinar promotions, or lead generation campaigns.

Best for

Sending InMails to larger groups (as many people as you want) of targeted recipients

Pro tip: If you’re running Sponsored InMails at scale, tools like Distribution AI can help you tailor campaign copies to different audience segments. You can also A/B test the copies to identify which content versions resonate the most with the audience.

Who Should Use LinkedIn InMail in 2025?

If you’re in any of these industries or roles, LinkedIn InMail is for you:

Recruitment

For recruiters and HR professionals:

• Engage passive candidates: Reach out to high-quality professionals who may not be actively job-hunting but are open to conversations, as part of a proactive recruitment process, through well-crafted InMail messages.
• Showcase culture: Highlight your organization’s culture, career paths, and perks in a more personal way for job seekers than a job listing might allow.

Sales & business development

For sales reps and business development managers:

• Reach decision-makers: Communicate via Inmails to target VP- or C-level users at companies you’re prospecting.
• Warm up cold prospects: Share relevant content and build credibility before pitching your solution.

Thought leadership & influencer outreach

For marketers and brand managers:

• Connect with key influencers: Share collaboration pitches, send timely follow-up messages, and nurture relationships with thought leaders who can amplify your content or co-host events.
• Promote content: Send personalized messages to a curated list of individuals who might find your latest whitepaper, webinar, or blog post valuable.

Even if you’re in the industries above, not every outreach requires an InMail. Let’s look at how InMail differs from a connection request so you can decide when it’s worth spending those credits.

InMail vs. Connection Requests

While both InMail and connection requests can help you grow your network and start conversations, they serve slightly different purposes.

Pros of InMail

• Access to 2nd and 3rd-degree connections you don’t know personally
• Higher open rates due to LinkedIn’s professional environment and the perceived exclusivity of InMail

Cons of InMail

• Limited credits per month, especially if you’re on a smaller plan
• Pending InMail messages consume credits whether they are accepted, declined, or left to expire

Pros of connection requests

• Free to send (though LinkedIn does have limits if too many are ignored)
• Can lead to a long-term relationship within your first-degree network

Cons of connection requests

• Recipient might ignore, leading to fewer next-step options
• Less immediate or direct than a well-crafted InMail, especially when the connection request is generic

When to use which?

• InMail for high-value, strategic outreach where you need to stand out.
• Connection requests for broader networking or when you share mutual interests with the recipient.

Key Updates & Features in 2025

LinkedIn continuously refines its offerings, and InMail is no exception.

Here are the latest features and enhancements you should be aware of:

Enhanced personalization

AI-driven tools: LinkedIn has introduced AI-based suggestions for subject lines and message content, offering auto-fill tokens (like “First Name,” “Company,” “Recent Post Title”) to help you personalize effectively.

Analytics & reporting

• Open rate & time-to-open: In 2025, LinkedIn provides more detailed metrics, including the average time it took recipients to open your InMail.
•  Response rate tracker: This chart-style tracker shows how many leads replied and how many turned you down or ignored your message.

InMail credits & allocation

Flexible rollover: Some premium plans now allow rollover of unused InMail credits for up to two months, offering more flexibility for campaigns.

Deep integration with Sales Navigator & Recruiter

• Advanced filter layers: Additional search filters in Sales Navigator allow hyper-targeted outreach (e.g., “People who changed jobs in the last 90 days,” “People with skill endorsements in AI/ML,” etc.).
• Automated lead lists: Recruiters can link InMail campaigns directly to talent pipelines, streamlining the sourcing process.

Best Practices for Crafting Effective LinkedIn InMails

Even with the best targeting, the content of your InMail will determine success. Here’s how to make every message count:

Research and target specific audience segments

• Profile inspection: Spend a few minutes reviewing the recipient’s LinkedIn profile. Note their role, recent posts, or mutual connections to reference in your message. For example, if they recently shared LinkedIn carousels, you could reference that to personalize your outreach.
• Segmentation: If you’re sending multiple InMails, group recipients by industry, job title, or region so you can tailor your approach. For instance, create a segment specifically for social media managers to ensure your messaging speaks directly to their role and priorities.

Craft compelling subject lines

• Relevancy: Mention something specific—like their “Expertise in [Skill]” or a “Recent Interview They Gave.” For example, “Social Media Marketing Pro: Quick Question for You.”
• Personal touch: If possible, include their name or a reference to their company in the subject line to stand out. For example, “Alex, Loved Your Recent Product Launch Campaign.”

Message structure & length

• Keep it concise: Writing your message under 400 characters increases the response rates by 22%. So, make your point without much buildup.  
• Value proposition up front: Outline what’s in it for them clearly—the benefit or solution you’re offering. For example, “I can show you how sending targeted InMail messages increased client engagement by 35% in just one month.”

Personalization & tone

• Name usage: Always address recipients by name. Doing so immediately grabs their attention and makes your InMail feel personal, increasing the chances of a response.
• Warm & professional tone: Maintain a friendly yet respectful tone—avoid sounding overly casual or overly formal.

Strong CTA (Call to Action)

• Single ask: Clarify the next step. Whether you want them to “reply to schedule a call” or “check out a case study,” limit your request to one main action.
• No multiple links: Use one primary link or none. Too many links can appear spammy.

Follow-up strategy

• Timely reminders: If you don’t hear back within a week or two, consider sending a polite follow-up message that references your previous message.
• Avoid overlapping messages: Don’t bombard recipients with new messages every 2-3 days. Give them a reasonable time to respond. 

A/B testing & analytics

• Experiment with subject lines: Try different phrasing for new messages and track open rates to see which version works best.
• Measure response rates: If you notice high opens but low replies, tweak your CTA or message content.

Future Outlook for LinkedIn InMail: Beyond 2026

Looking ahead, InMail is poised for more advancements that will make outreach increasingly data-driven and efficient:

AI-powered assistance

Expect more advanced personalization tools, besides drafting personalized InMails, that analyze prospects’ past interactions, content preferences, and company data to generate highly tailored message templates.

Integration with the Microsoft ecosystem

Since Microsoft owns LinkedIn, deeper integrations with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Dynamics 365 are likely, streamlining lead management and communication.

Interactive InMail

LinkedIn might introduce features like video or voice notes within InMail, allowing senders to include dynamic media clips.

Global expansion & localization

As LinkedIn’s user base expands in emerging markets, localized content and language support could become a bigger focus.

Scheduling capabilities

The ability to schedule InMail messages for optimal send times on LinkedIn—such as aligning with the recipient’s time zone—is now available in Recruiter, ensuring you deliver messages when they’re most likely to be noticed.

Privacy settings

Expect more transparency and user controls around data permissions and AI behavior to ensure LinkedIn user data security.

The Bottomline

InMail on LinkedIn is a competitive advantage. Whether you’re a recruiter aiming to reach passive candidates, a sales professional targeting high-level decision-makers, or a marketer driving event signups, InMail gives you a structured way to stand out.

To make the most of it:

• Personalize every message with specifics from the recipient’s profile.
• Keep your value proposition front and center.
• Use analytics to refine what works and double down on it.
• Follow up strategically without overwhelming the recipient.

As LinkedIn continues to roll out AI personalization, smarter scheduling, and deeper analytics, the opportunity for impactful outreach will only grow. Start now, refine as you go, and InMail can become a core part of how you communicate, convert, and build relationships on LinkedIn.