This tutorial will discuss WHY to use LinkedIn messages and HOW to MANAGE them when they are inappropriate or spammy.
Why and How to Use LinkedIn Messages
The messaging feature on LinkedIn can be VERY powerful. It can be used to:
Build Professional Relationships and your Network
- Allows direct, private communication with connections you’ve met in real life, through comments, posts, or in shared groups.
- Encourages authentic follow-ups after meeting someone at a conference, webinar, or networking event.
- Facilitates referrals and introductions, since messages feel less formal than email but more professional than DMs on other platforms.
Develop Business and Nurture Leads
- Allows you to reach decision-makers directly, bypassing generic email inboxes.
- Enables personalized follow-ups after someone engages with your posts or visits your profile.
- Provides a subtle channel for sharing helpful content (e.g., case studies, eBooks, or webinars) without overt selling.
Communicate with Clients and Partners
- Keeps client communication centralized when email is too formal or cluttered. You can use it as a mini CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool.
- Enables quick updates or reminders.
- Allows easy sharing of links, attachments, and drafts.
Establish Your Expertise Via Thought Leadership and Visibility
- You can thank commenters, deepen discussions from your posts, and invite them to related webinars or content.
- Keeps you top-of-mind by creating meaningful touchpoints beyond public posts.
Facilitate Recruiting, Referrals, and Collaborations
- Recruiters and hiring managers can privately message candidates about roles.
- Consultants can find freelance partners or cross-referral allies.
- You can join or create group messages for event planning or content collaboration.
Plan Events and Encourage Community Engagement
- Lets you coordinate events, webinars, or roundtables privately.
- Allows you to connect with fellow attendees or speakers before and after events.
When LinkedIn Messages Don’t Work
If you have been on LinkedIn for any length of time, you have probably had someone message you with a spammy request, a hardsell pitch and/or an inappropriate proposition. Unfortunately, messages like these often deter people from using and making the most of the platform.
To address this problem, LinkedIn offers a number of ways to manage your messages, including muting, deleting and reporting the message, among other features like archiving, etc.
To activate any of these options, go to the message and click on the three dots in the upper right hand corner.
This will activate a drop down menu with multiple options – click on any one of them to activate that action.
Here is a brief explanation of each action and why you might use it:
You can Mute the conversation
This action reduces distractions without burning bridges.
- You stop receiving notifications for that chat (no pop-ups, email, or push alerts).
- The conversation stays in your inbox, and you can read messages at your convenience.
- The other person is NOT notified you’ve muted them.
Why Mute a message on LinkedIn?
- If a recruiter or connection sends frequent updates that you don’t need to see or act on right away.
- A group chat is busy, but you still want to see the content later.
- You want to remain polite and keep the relationship intact.
Advantages:
- Keeps your inbox manageable without affecting your connection.
- Fully reversible at any time (“Unmute”).
- Private and invisible action.
You can Delete the message
This helps you clean up your inbox but does not prevent future messages.
- The conversation disappears from your inbox, but only on your side.
- If the other person messages you again, the thread reappears.
- It doesn’t block or hide you from them.
Why Delete a message on LinkedIn?
- You want to clear old threads or remove clutter.
- You’ve finished a transaction or networking conversation.
Advantages:
- Visually cleans your inbox.
- It is reversible (the conversation reappears if they message you again).
- No relationship impact.
Limitations:
- Doesn’t stop new messages.
- You lose the chat history (though the other person still has it).
You can Block the sender
For serious issues like harassment, spam, or unwanted contact, you may want to take this step.
- The blocked person can no longer see your profile, message you, or connect.
- You automatically remove any existing connection.
- Past message threads remain, but no new messages can be sent either way.
- The person is NOT notified they’ve been blocked (but may notice if they try to find your profile or message and are no longer able to see them).
Why Block the sender of a LinkedIn message?
- Someone is harassing or spamming you.
- You need a clear boundary (e.g., ex-client, former employee, or inappropriate contact).
- Privacy or safety concerns.
Advantages:
- Total cutoff — no contact or profile visibility.
- Can be reversed later if needed.
Limitations:
- Ends the professional connection entirely.
- May be noticeable if they try to view your profile or message you.
Conclusion
I am a huge fan of LinkedIn – don’t let spammy or inappropriate messages keep you from using it to build your business. With this information, you can effectively manage YOUR LinkedIn messages and take full advantage of all this powerful platform has to offer!
For more LinkedIn tutorials, check out:
Why and How to UNFOLLOW someone on LinkedIn
