The State of LinkedIn Outreach
LinkedIn remains the most effective channel for B2B outreach—when done right. But the platform has evolved, and tactics that worked in 2023 are actively hurting your results today.
We analyzed 50,000+ LinkedIn messages sent through our platform to identify what's actually working in 2025.
The Data: What We Found
Connection Request Acceptance Rates
| Approach | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| No note | 31% |
| Generic note | 24% |
| Personalized (surface) | 38% |
| Personalized (deep) | 52% |
| Mutual connection mention | 61% |
Key insight: A blank connection request now outperforms generic notes. LinkedIn users have developed strong filters against obvious sales pitches.
First Message Response Rates
| Approach | Response Rate |
|---|---|
| Immediate pitch | 3% |
| Value-first (content share) | 12% |
| Question-led | 18% |
| Referral/warm intro | 34% |
| Engagement-first | 21% |
What's Working Now
1. The Engagement-First Approach
Before connecting, engage authentically:
- Comment thoughtfully on 2-3 of their posts
- Share their content with genuine commentary
- React to their activity over 1-2 weeks
Then connect. Your acceptance rate will skyrocket because they recognize your name.
2. The Micro-Ask Open
Instead of pitching, ask a small, easy question:
"Hey Sarah, noticed you're scaling the SDR team at Acme. Quick question—are you seeing better results from LinkedIn or email for your ICP? Trying to validate some benchmarks."
This positions you as a peer seeking insight, not a seller seeking a meeting.
3. The Content Bridge
Share genuinely relevant content without asking for anything:
"Marcus, your post about DevOps hiring challenges resonated—we just published some data on this that might be useful: [link]. No pitch, just thought you'd find it interesting given what you're building."
Follow up only after they engage with the content.
4. The Mutual Connection Warm Path
Before cold connecting, check for mutual connections. Even a soft mention dramatically increases acceptance:
"Hi Jennifer, I see we're both connected to Alex Thompson—he's been a great thought partner on GTM strategy. Your recent post on ICP scoring caught my attention..."
What's Not Working
The Calendar Link Drop
Response rate: 2.1%
"Hi, I'd love to show you how we help companies like yours. Here's my calendar: [link]"
This screams "I don't care about you, just book a meeting."
The Fake Personalization
Response rate: 4.3%
"I was impressed by your background at [Company] and your focus on [Industry]!"
LinkedIn users can spot mail-merge fields instantly. It's worse than no personalization.
The Immediate Follow-Up Pitch
Response rate: 1.8%
Connecting, then immediately sending a pitch message. This is now actively penalized by LinkedIn's algorithm and trained users to reject.
Optimal Cadence
Based on our data, here's the ideal LinkedIn sequence:
- Week 1: Engage with their content (2-3 interactions)
- Week 2: Send connection request (no note or genuine note)
- Day 3 after accept: Send value-add message (no ask)
- Day 7: Soft question or insight share
- Day 14: If engaged, suggest brief conversation
- Day 21: Final value-add, leave door open
Platform-Specific Tips for 2025
- Voice messages: 11% higher response rate than text
- Video messages: 8% higher, but require more production quality
- Mobile-first: 73% of LinkedIn is consumed on mobile—keep messages under 300 characters
- Timing: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM recipient's time zone performs best
Want to see these tactics in action? Book a demo to learn how GTM Growth System automates LinkedIn outreach while keeping it personal.