What Do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Mean on LinkedIn – Understanding Connection Degrees

What About Other LinkedIn Users?

LinkedIn group and event memberships enable you to view and sometimes message other members even if they are 2nd or 3rd-degree connections. You can see shared group or event memberships in the Highlights section. By participating actively, you can send direct messages to group members, which can be a strategic way to reach out when you’re near your connection request limits or target those outside your immediate network

Similarly, members who do not fall into any of the categories given above will not be visible to you. You might even see “LinkedIn Member” instead of their name, depending on their visibility settings. As you continue to build connections on the platform, you will eventually see more profiles.

Otherwise, you can always use InMail to message them. 

What Do These Connections Mean for Sales Professionals?

Growth-X simplifies automation by providing users with a safe platform to craft and optimize LinkedIn campaigns.

They have a team of highly experienced Customer Success Managers who work closely with clients to help create message sequences and campaigns that yield great results. From guiding you on creating personalized LinkedIn connection requests to tailoring your campaign based on your goals, Growth-X can help you maximize your B2B lead generation on the platform. 

Here is a comparison table for a better understanding:

* Only possible if the last name is visible. If full names are not displayed, they can only be contacted via InMail message.

Different Connection Degrees and Visibility

Depending upon the degree of your connection with professionals in the network and your privacy settings, visibility on LinkedIn varies significantly. By default, your profile is generally visible to any member on LinkedIn, but there are specific differences in what each connection level can access. Here’s what each degree of connection can see:

What Can 1^st Degree Connections See?

By default, 1st-degree connections have the most extensive access to your profile. They can view your personal information and contact details, such as email addresses or phone numbers unless these are restricted under privacy settings. This includes any details made visible in past email exchanges. If you interact with them via InMail, these details also become accessible.

Your 1st-degree connections can also see other connections in your network (unless you’ve restricted this), and they’ll be the most receptive to LinkedIn lead nurturing efforts due to this direct access.

What Can 2^nd Degree Connections See on LinkedIn?

Your 2nd-degree connections have slightly more limited access than 1st-degree connections. They can view your profile and any mutual connections, although contact information like your phone number or email remains hidden unless otherwise shared. Privacy options let you limit visibility further; in your Settings, under “Your Connections,” you can control which parts of your activity feed and network are visible to these connections.

For targeted outreach, using LinkedIn outreach automation with personalized invitations can help establish new connections from 2nd-degree networks. Engaging with these connections provides a strategic opportunity for expanding influence beyond your immediate circle, especially useful for LinkedIn Lead Nurturing.

What Can 3^rd Degree Connections See?

3rd-degree connections have the most restricted access. They can view your profile basics but are generally unable to see detailed contact information. Some profiles may show only initials or a generic “LinkedIn Member” title, limiting visibility.

While this level of connection has limited initial reach, LinkedIn customer success management techniques can help navigate such restrictions by offering personalized insights and enhancing potential engagement through methods like InMail or group participation.

Why Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

The LinkedIn Sales Navigator is one of the best tools for sales professionals. There’s no better way to identify prospects and leads and communicate with them. Sales Navigator gives you an array of powerful tools to help you optimize your search and tailor your audience accordingly.

Depending upon the kind of people you are looking for, you can add a range of filters to segment your audience as best as possible. This makes it easy for sales professionals to customize and automate their LinkedIn outreach approach and develop tailored strategies to reach out and nurture the LinkedIn prospects.

You can create comprehensive targeting lists to optimize your marketing efforts. Since cold outreach is an essential part of the sales process for many businesses, Sales Navigator allows you to use the customer persona you have created and eventually approach them directly. 

Frequently Asked Questions

If the Connect button is not visible, it could be because your email was not confirmed, you’ve sent them a connection request before, or the member falls outside your network. Only InMail allows you to send messages to members who aren’t in your network.

Should I randomly connect with people on LinkedIn?

That’s a terrible idea. It would help if you only connect with people that you know or those with whom you share an interest. Remember, LinkedIn is for professionals. 

What’s the maximum network limit?

LinkedIn caps 1st-degree connections to 30,000. The platform encourages users to regularly optimize their relationships and remove those they feel are no longer mutually beneficial.

What’s the connection request limit?

LinkedIn limits the number of connection requests you can send weekly to between 100-200 to prevent spamming. This limit means it’s essential to prioritize meaningful, personalized requests and avoid sending multiple requests to third-degree connections in a short period. Regularly engaging with mutual connections and groups can help circumvent some restrictions, allowing for gradual but impactful network growth. For more extensive prospecting, LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator can enhance outreach while staying within platform limits

When does a LinkedIn request expire?

All LinkedIn requests expire after six months.