LinkedIn Outreach: Top 5 Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Outreach is the backbone of link building, and LinkedIn? It’s one of our favorite platforms to reach out to people for backlinks.

In fact, 75.7% of participants in our link building survey answered that they rely on platforms like LinkedIn for their backlink outreach.

But here’s the thing. First impressions are everything in outreach and even a few minor mistakes can hurt your backlink campaign. 

No worries though! Our team has put together some of the common mistakes you didn’t know you were making. Plus, we’ve got some useful tips on how to nail your LinkedIn outreach. 

Ready to get started?

5 LinkedIn Outreach Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making

Here are some of the common mistakes link building specialists make when doing LinkedIn outreach. Let’s break them down!

Mistake #1 Skipping Names—Your Outreach Feels Robotic

Ever received messages that start with “Hi dear,” “Hi there” or “Hi sir/mam.” Annoying, right?

This not only makes the message sound robotic but also very generic, which can drive away potential link partners even if you have the best offer. 

This is a very common mistake that link builders are making. If you’re not addressing people by name, you’re missing out on valuable link opportunities without even realizing it.

Even for emails, one of the best personalization tricks that works is using a person’s name in the subject line. Research by Klenty showed that this leads to the highest average open rate—43.41%. 

So, taking the time to include a name can make a huge difference.

Mistake #2 Sending Lengthy Messages

Another LinkedIn outreach mistake is to send long messages. 

Let’s face it. No one has the time or patience to read a wall of text from a stranger. Everyone’s busy, and if your message is filled with lengthy paragraphs, it won’t even get read. Plus, it disrupts the content readability. 

One of our link building specialists, Mariam, says: “If I receive a message that doesn’t include my name, I won’t even open it.”

We recommend keeping messages short and to the point. No beating around the bush! Just mention why you are reaching out and what your offer is. 

Need some inspiration? Check out some of our LinkedIn outreach templates to see what works best for you.

Mistake #3 Using Phrases that Kill Trust

Another mistake is to use weird phrases in a LinkedIn outreach message. These are overused words that instantly make people think you’re just another link seller.

We have a list of such words as “SEO expert,” “niche,” “high-quality backlinks,” “high-quality websites,” “expert link builder,” “boost rankings,” etc.

If we see these phrases in a message, it immediately raises a link exchange red flag. It gives off the impression that they’re more interested in selling something than building long-lasting partnerships.

Mistake #4 Excessive Follow-Ups

Sending too many follow-up messages is yet another common mistake that many of you are probably making. However, this can come across as spammy and put your backlink campaign at risk.

First of all, it’s not professional. Secondly, it’s annoying enough to make people ignore your messages.  

We recommend following up every 3 or 4 days. This gives your potential link partners time to reply without feeling pressured or overwhelmed.

Mistake #5 Trying Too Hard to Be “Personal”

Personalization is good when done right. But sometimes, it goes too far and feels unnatural, like in the example below.

Saying something like “I’m genuinely impressed by your expertise and profile” might seem nice, but when you’re reaching out to a stranger, it may be just too much and not feel real. 

Instead, we recommend using simple yet effective tricks to feel personal, such as using the person’s name.

That feels way better, right?

Our Best Tips to Nail Your LinkedIn Outreach

Running a cold outreach on LinkedIn for backlinks may seem difficult especially if you are new in link building. 

That’s why we are sharing some of the best tips to help you quickly get started!
Tip 1: Keep your LinkedIn messages short and clear: Unlike emails, which can be a bit longer, LinkedIn messages should be short and concise. So, clearly state why you are reaching out and introduce your offer right away like in the example below.

Tip 2: Respond quickly when you hear back: It’s highly important to reply as fast as it is possible whenever you get a response. This builds trust and shows that you are genuinely interested in making that link building collaboration happen. 

Tip 3: Add value to your follow-up messages: Following up is not about asking if they are interested in link exchanges or whether they’ve seen your message. For us, every follow-up brings something useful. 
We might suggest some domains for link swaps or suggest a link insertion in a relevant blog post on a SaaS domain with their target keyword (if available). So, it’s all about offering something valuable that makes the conversation worth their time and consideration.

Tip 4: Mention the opportunity for a long-term partnership: This is yet another trick that did wonders for us. When you mention that the opportunity isn’t just a one-time collaboration, but a chance for a long-term link building partnership, it really grabs attention. Letting them know they can send their requests right away helps build trust and makes it more likely that your messages will be read and answered.

Wrapping Up

Building a LinkedIn outreach strategy for backlinks does not have to be a headache. 

By avoiding common mistakes and following our tips, you’ll be on your way to creating strong connections that lead to relevant backlinks. 

Remember, it’s all about offering value and building long-term relationships. Happy outreach!

FAQ about LinkedIn outreach