LinkedIn Metrics & KPIs. What to aim for? (Full Guide)
You can't underestimate the power of monitoring your LinkedIn outreach stats. Just like with cold email, LinkedIn automation is all about optimization, knowing what's working and what needs to be adjusted.
In this article, I'll dive into the specific LinkedIn outreach stats you should be paying attention to and what they mean for your campaign. We'll cover connection request acceptance rates, message reply rates, positive reply rates, and more.
But first, why should you listen to us?
Why trust us?
We not only offer LinkedIn automation through LeadLoft but we generate almost half of our leads from it too.
And to prove it to you, here’s a screenshot of one of our outbound campaigns below.
Even though this outreach Playbook starts with emails and cold calls, we do have a section of it that only includes LinkedIn. Check it out below.
Stats from One of Our Outreach Playbooks
Over these four steps, we achieve a 37% reply rate, and the playbook isn't even finished yet. This is what your LinkedIn automation campaigns should look like if you're doing it right.
However, many of you might not know what is considered a good acceptance rate for LinkedIn connections or a good reply rate for LinkedIn messages.
To help you benchmark your stats, we'll break down everything you need to know below.
Let’s dive in!
#1) Connection Acceptance Rate
The connection request acceptance rate is the percentage of people who accept your connection requests on LinkedIn.
This is your first point of contact, and a high acceptance rate means your profile and approach are appealing to your target audience.
Benchmarks for Connection Request Acceptance Rate:
- Great: 50%+
- Good: 40% to 50%
- Okay: 30% to 40%
- Poor: 0% to 30%
From the stats we observe daily at LeadLoft, we see that our connection requests have a 48% acceptance rate.
This falls into the "Good" category, indicating that nearly half of the people we reach out to are willing to connect with us, setting the stage for further engagement.
#2) Message Reply Rate
Once you've connected, the next important metric is the LinkedIn message reply rate. This is the percentage of people who respond to your messages after connecting.
A good reply rate indicates that your message resonates and encourages the recipient to engage with you.
And you clarify this should be the total reply rate over your entire camp, not the reply rate of a single message
Benchmarks for LinkedIn Message Reply Rate:
- Great: 30%+
- Good: 20% to 30%
- Okay: 10% to 20%
- Poor: 0% to 10%
Our data shows a reply rate of 34% on one of our message sequences, which is within the "Great" category, indicating that our messaging is highly effective. However, it’s important to note that reply rates can vary significantly depending on the message content and the audience.
#3) Positive Reply Rate
Beyond just getting a reply, you want to focus on the positive reply rate—the percentage of replies that are favorable or lead to further conversations.
This is critical because it’s not just about getting a response, but about moving the relationship forward.
Benchmarks for Positive Reply Rate:
- Great: 40%+
- Good: 20% to 40%
- Okay: 10% to 20%
- Poor: 0% to 10%
For instance, in one of our sequences, we achieved a 42% positive reply rate, putting us in the "Great" category. This means nearly half of the replies are leading to positive outcomes like meetings or further discussions. This is a strong sign that our outreach is effectively targeting the right people with the right message.
Quick Recap: Key Metrics on LinkedIn
When it comes to LinkedIn outreach, your success hinges on understanding and optimizing three critical metrics:
- Connection Request Acceptance Rate
- LinkedIn Message Reply Rate
- Positive Reply Rate
These KPIs are the base of a successful LinkedIn campaign and give you clear indicators of how well your outreach is resonating with your target audience.
What’s a good acceptance rate for LinkedIn connections?
A connection acceptance rate of 50% or higher is a top performing campaign. This is the sign of a well optimized campaign targeting the right audience.
If your rate falls below 30%, it’s a sign that your targeting or initial messaging needs improvement.
What’s a good reply rate for LinkedIn Messages?
A reply rate of 30% or more indicates that your messaging is effective and resonates with your audience. If your reply rate is below 10%, it’s time to revisit your messaging to ensure it’s aligned with your target audience.
What’s a good Positive Reply Rate for LinkedIn Messages?
If 40% or more of your replies are positive, that is a signal that your outreach is well optimized and of high quality.
If less than 10% of your replies are positive, you may need to refine your messaging or better qualify your prospects.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it, that's what you need to be aiming for when it comes to LinkedIn outreach.
Just keep in mind that depending on the target audience you're going after, it is possible that you will find it difficult to increase reply rates. This is especially true if you're targeting enterprise markets or crowded spaces that are difficult to stand out in.
Nevertheless, if you need help automating LinkedIn and getting the best results, feel free to reach out to our team here, we're always happy to help where we can.
