LinkedIn outreach works better than email for connecting with prospects. Here’s what you need to know:
- LinkedIn Messages: Average response rate is 10.3%, higher than email’s 5.1%.
- InMails: Perform even better, with response rates between 18% and 25%.
- Connection Requests: Personalized ones see a 9.36% reply rate, compared to 5.44% for generic ones.
Key Stats by Industry:
- HR leads with 12.08% reply rates.
- Software professionals struggle with 4.77% due to high competition.
Best Times to Send:
- Tuesdays and mornings (7:30–9:00 AM) work best.
- Avoid weekends and Fridays.
Improvement Tips:
- Personalize your messages with details about the recipient.
- Use a multichannel approach: Combine LinkedIn with email follow-ups.
- Leverage AI tools for scalable, tailored outreach.
Tools like Closely can help automate and improve LinkedIn campaigns, saving time while boosting results. Focus on personalization, timing, and follow-ups to exceed the average response rates.
LinkedIn Outreach Response Rates: 2025-2026 Industry Benchmarks and Performance Metrics
LinkedIn Outreach Response Rates: Industry Benchmarks
Average Response Rates and Key Metrics
Understanding LinkedIn outreach benchmarks can help you spot areas for improvement. For connection acceptance rates, targeted campaigns usually see rates between 30% and 45%, though the overall industry average is 29.61% [7][3]. If you’re achieving rates above 40%, you’re performing at a high level.
Once connected, aim for reply rates in the range of 20% to 35%, with the best campaigns reaching 30% to 50% [7][5][1]. Among these, approximately 48% of positive replies can lead to meeting requests or qualified inquiries [2].
When it comes to InMail response rates, the average is 6.38% [1][3]. However, personalized and targeted messages can boost this number significantly, reaching 18% to 25% [1]. This highlights just how essential personalization is in outreach.
| Metric | Industry Average | High-Performance Target |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Acceptance Rate | 29.61% [7][3] | 40-45% [7] |
| Reply Rate | 10-15% [1] | 30-50% [5][1] |
| Positive Reply Ratio | ~48% [2] | 48%+ [2] |
| InMail Response Rate | 6.38% [1][3] | 18-25% [1] |
These figures provide a useful baseline, but performance can vary widely by industry. Let’s take a closer look at how different sectors compare.
Response Rates by Industry Sector
Breaking down response rates by industry offers valuable insights for tailoring your outreach. Legal and professional services top the charts with an average reply rate of 10.42% [3]. This is closely followed by healthcare at 9.25% and retail and consumer goods at 9.17% [3]. These industries tend to experience less automated outreach, making recipients more open to genuine connections.
On the flip side, professionals in software and SaaS face the steepest challenges, with reply rates as low as 4.77% [7][3].
Job roles also make a difference. HR professionals are particularly responsive, with an engagement rate of 12.08% [3]. Similarly, product managers and operations leaders see reply rates of 10.24% and 10.02%, respectively [3]. However, C-level executives respond at a lower rate of 6.98%, and sales professionals trail at 6.32% [3], likely due to the high volume of outreach they receive.
| Industry Sector | Average Reply Rate |
|---|---|
| Legal & Professional Services | 10.42% [3] |
| HR & Talent Acquisition | 12.08% [3] |
| Healthcare | 9.25% [3] |
| Retail & Consumer Goods | 9.17% [3] |
| Education | 7-9% [3] |
| Marketing | 6.40% [3] |
| Software & SaaS | 4.77% [7][3] |
Geography also plays a role in response rates. Southern Europe leads globally with an 11.81% reply rate, followed by South America at 9.71% and Northern Europe at 9.41% [1][3]. If your outreach spans multiple regions, these differences should guide your strategy and resource distribution.
LinkedIn Outreach Mistakes That Kill Reply Rates
When to Send LinkedIn Messages for Better Response Rates
The timing of your LinkedIn messages can significantly impact how well your outreach performs. While crafting a compelling message is essential, sending it at the right moment can make all the difference. Let’s explore the best days and times to maximize your response rates.
Best Days and Times to Send Messages
Studies show that Tuesday is the top-performing day for LinkedIn messages, with a reply rate of 6.90%, closely followed by Monday at 6.85% – likely because professionals are settling into their week [3]. Messages sent between Tuesday and Thursday mornings can increase response rates by as much as 8% [1].
"Professionals respond best early in the week when schedules are structured."
Midweek days like Wednesday and Thursday are also strong contenders, with reply rates of 6.62% and 6.63%, respectively. However, Friday sees a slight dip to 6.58%, and weekends are the least effective, with Saturday hitting the lowest engagement at 6.40% [3].
For timing, aim to send messages during these three key windows for optimal engagement:
- Early morning (7:30–9:00 AM)
- Lunch hours (12:00–2:00 PM)
- Late afternoon (4:00–6:00 PM)
These periods align with times when professionals are more likely to check notifications [9][10].
Monthly patterns also affect response rates. January leads the pack with a reply rate of 7.51%, as professionals return to work after the holidays. April (7.26%) and July (7.00%) follow closely. On the other hand, the fourth quarter sees lower engagement, with October (6.36%), November (6.43%), and December (6.44%) reflecting reduced activity [3].
How to Time Your Outreach for Maximum Engagement
To make the most of these benchmarks, tailor your messaging schedule to align with your audience’s routines. For instance, healthcare professionals might be more responsive early in the morning before their day begins, whereas tech executives may prefer mid-morning after addressing urgent emails [11].
Focus on the key engagement windows – mid-morning, lunch breaks, and late afternoons – when professionals are more likely to check LinkedIn notifications [8]. While remote work has blurred the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, most B2B outreach still performs best during standard business hours.
Avoid Fridays and weekends due to lower response rates [3]. For international outreach, adjust your timing to match local business hours – what works in New York won’t necessarily work in another time zone [8].
Finally, pair your timing strategy with a thoughtful follow-up plan. For example:
- Send a thank-you message within 24 hours.
- Follow up with a value-driven message 3–4 days later.
- Send a conversation starter after 7–10 days.
This approach keeps you visible without overwhelming your prospects, ensuring your outreach remains respectful and effective [12].
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How to Improve Your LinkedIn Outreach Response Rates
Now that you’ve got the timing sorted, let’s dive into what makes prospects actually hit “reply.” The difference between so-so outreach and standout results boils down to three key strategies: genuine personalization, smart multichannel integration, and AI-powered scaling. Here’s how to bring these to life.
How to Personalize Your Messages
Personalization isn’t just about tossing in someone’s name – it’s about showing you’ve done your homework. Adding a personal touch can boost connection requests to a 9.36% reply rate, which is 72% higher than generic requests [1]. Yet, surprisingly, 87% of LinkedIn connection requests don’t include any personalization [12].
The best messages follow the "90% Rule": spend most of your message focusing on the prospect – their achievements, challenges, and needs – instead of pitching your product [12]. Reference something specific, like a recent LinkedIn post, shared connections, or company news. For instance, if they’ve posted about expanding their team, acknowledge that challenge and share something helpful.
"The deeper you understand your buyer, the more relevant the message you’ll be able to send them."
- Paul Petrone, AI GTM Marketing @ LinkedIn [13]
Timing also matters. If a prospect has started a new job within the past 90 days, they’re 62% more likely to accept an InMail. And viewing a prospect’s profile within 30 days can boost acceptance rates by 78% [13].
Keep your connection requests concise – under 300 characters works best, with 200–250 being the sweet spot [12]. Structure it like this:
- Hook: Grab their attention (about 50 characters).
- Context: Show relevance (around 100 characters).
- Value: Offer something useful (roughly 100 characters).
- Soft Call-to-Action: End with an easy next step (about 50 characters).
Instead of jumping straight to a meeting request, offer something valuable, like an industry report, a useful playbook, or insights tied to their interests [5]. Once you’ve nailed personalization on LinkedIn, it’s time to expand your strategy.
Combining LinkedIn with Email and Other Channels
While LinkedIn is a great starting point, adding other channels to the mix can take your outreach to the next level. Why? Because buyers spend 27% of their time researching online on their own [15]. Meeting them across platforms – whether it’s LinkedIn, email, or even phone – boosts your chances of engagement. Consistent exposure across channels builds familiarity and strengthens your message [14].
"Think of your channels as different instruments in an orchestra – they may produce different sounds, but they’re all playing the same symphony."
- Keith Bossey, Founder, Bossey Research Partners [14]
Here’s a smart workflow:
- Start with a LinkedIn connection request.
- Follow up with a personalized email referencing your LinkedIn interaction after three days.
- Circle back on LinkedIn four days later.
Spacing these touchpoints 4–7 days apart and including 2–3 follow-ups can increase response rates to over 20% [1]. When emailing, reference specific LinkedIn interactions, like “I enjoyed your recent post about…” to keep things relevant [15].
Using AI to Personalize Messages at Scale
AI is a game-changer for scaling personalization. Messages crafted with AI achieve a 4.19% reply rate, compared to 2.60% for non-AI messages – that’s a 61% improvement [1][3][6]. Across campaigns, reply rates jump from 6.50% without AI to 7.66% with AI assistance [3].
"In LinkedIn outreach, personalizing questions and making them open to opinion increases the likelihood of a response."
- Gerda Vaidotaitė, Strategies Specialist at Expandi [3]
Tools like Closely use AI to pull context directly from prospect profiles, automatically weaving in details like recent activity or company news into your messages [6]. This ensures your outreach feels timely and relevant, even at scale. For example, AI can craft an opener under 300 characters by analyzing a prospect’s latest LinkedIn activity [6].
However, when it comes to follow-ups, human oversight still has an edge. Non-AI follow-ups currently perform slightly better, with a 3.91% reply rate compared to 3.48% for AI-generated ones [1][3]. And while AI can help you reach hundreds of prospects, remember LinkedIn’s safety limits: stick to around 100 connection requests per week to avoid account restrictions [6].
How Closely Helps You Beat Industry Benchmarks
After diving into effective outreach strategies, here’s how Closely’s automation platform takes things to the next level. It combines AI-driven personalization, multichannel automation, and real-time lead research – all managed from a single dashboard. Closely’s AI agents work around the clock to qualify leads, enrich data, and craft messages tailored with real-time company insights [16].
The platform automates outreach across LinkedIn and email, enabling seamless multichannel campaigns that keep your message in front of prospects – without overwhelming them. By leveraging real-time data, these messages stay relevant and maintain a natural, human-like tone [16]. The result? Users report booking twice as many meetings with qualified leads while cutting manual prospecting time by 60% [16].
Closely also integrates with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and GoHighLevel. With built-in tracking, it simplifies workflows and highlights areas for improvement, making it easier to refine your approach.
What Closely Offers
Closely’s features are designed to help you exceed industry benchmarks. Its AI sales agents automatically match leads to your ideal customer profile (ICP) based on factors like industry, company size, and location. They also pull real-time insights – such as tech stacks and buying signals – so you don’t have to spend hours on manual research [16].
Through LinkedIn automation, Closely streamlines your outreach efforts, while multichannel campaigns allow you to manage both LinkedIn and email outreach from a single dashboard. With the ability to implement 3–5 follow-up sequences, users can achieve three times more responses compared to a single-touch approach [6].
One standout feature is AI-powered personalization. Closely generates messages using up-to-date company insights and LinkedIn data. For instance, the Essential plan allows you to personalize up to 2,500 messages per month [16]. Other tools include a unified inbox for managing replies, a verified email and phone number finder, lead scoring, web research capabilities, and advanced analytics to measure campaign performance [16].
Closely Pricing Plans Comparison
Closely offers four pricing tiers to accommodate different team sizes and outreach needs. Each plan provides whitelabel options, unlimited email accounts, and access to essential automation features.
| Plan | Price | LinkedIn Accounts | Credits/Month | AI Personalizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $49/mo | 1 | 1,000 | 500 |
| Growth | $127/mo | 3 | 3,000 | 1,500 |
| Essential | $205/mo | 5 | 5,000 | 2,500 |
| Custom | $350/mo | 10 | Custom | Custom |
Credits are flexible and can be allocated across various tasks. For example, the Starter plan’s 1,000 credits can be used for 250 emails, 50 phone numbers, or 500 AI personalizations. As your outreach grows, the Growth and Essential plans provide more LinkedIn accounts and greater personalization limits to meet your scaling needs [16]. These plans are ideal for expanding outreach while staying efficient.
Real Examples of Closely Results
Although detailed case studies aren’t publicly available, users of Closely consistently outperform industry standards. Sales teams leveraging AI personalization and multichannel campaigns have reported doubling their meeting bookings with qualified leads [16].
"Closely is a powerful tool for enhancing sales engagement."
- Antonio D., Digital Strategist & Coach [16]
Recruiters, too, have seen success with Closely. The platform’s AI agents help qualify candidates and personalize outreach at scale, cutting down on time spent reviewing profiles. By using real-time company research, AI-generated messaging, and automated follow-ups, recruiters maintain high levels of engagement while working more efficiently.
Conclusion
Standing out on LinkedIn and surpassing industry benchmarks comes down to understanding the data and applying effective strategies. For 2025–2026, a response rate of 10% to 15% is considered average, while hitting 20% shows you’re doing well, and anything above 30% places you in the top tier of performers[1][5]. The secret lies in three key areas: personalization, timing, and leveraging the right tools to scale your outreach without compromising quality.
Let’s talk about personalization. Customized messages consistently outperform generic ones. In fact, tailored outreach can boost response rates by 27%, and personalized connection requests see a reply rate of 9.36% – a whopping 72% higher than generic alternatives[1][3]. Timing also plays a crucial role. Reaching out on Tuesdays or midweek mornings (between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM in your prospect’s time zone) can give you an additional 8% edge in response rates[1][3].
Another critical piece of the puzzle is adopting a multichannel approach. Pairing LinkedIn outreach with email follow-ups (2–3 follow-ups, to be exact) can help you consistently achieve response rates in the 20%–30%+ range[1][4]. This strategy is even more important now, as cold email performance has seen a noticeable decline in recent years[1].
Platforms like Closely make it easier to unify these strategies. By combining AI-driven personalization, multichannel automation, and real-time lead insights, Closely helps you scale your efforts while keeping them affordable and effective.
To recap, achieving higher response rates isn’t just a lofty goal – it’s entirely doable. Focus on the essentials: understand your benchmarks, personalize your outreach, optimize your timing, and use tools that let you scale without losing the human touch. Stick to these principles, and you’ll be well on your way to exceeding industry standards.
FAQs
What are the best ways to improve LinkedIn outreach response rates beyond personalization?
To improve your LinkedIn outreach response rates, pay attention to timing and how you structure your messages. Aim to send your messages early in the week – Sunday through Thursday mornings – when inboxes are typically less cluttered. Keep your initial outreach short and to the point, ideally between 25 and 50 words, and make sure to clearly highlight the benefit or value you bring. Follow up two or three times with brief, relevant messages that reference your earlier outreach. Using a multi-step sequence can make a big difference in getting responses.
Leverage AI-powered tools to fine-tune your outreach. These tools can help you track when a prospect interacts with your content – like viewing your profile or engaging with a post – and prompt you to send timely, context-specific follow-ups. AI can also help adjust the tone and length of your messages based on factors like the recipient’s industry or job title, making your outreach feel more personalized.
Lastly, take a multichannel approach to connect with prospects. Pair your LinkedIn messages with a personalized email or a quick phone call in the same week to create multiple touchpoints. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is polished and clearly states who you help and how, so prospects see a consistent and professional image that supports your outreach efforts.
What’s the best time to send LinkedIn messages for higher response rates?
Timing is key when it comes to successful LinkedIn outreach. While responses can trickle in at any time, certain periods are more effective than others. Weekdays, particularly Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., tend to generate the most engagement. Interestingly, Sundays can also work well because inboxes are less crowded.
To boost your chances, aim to send your message when the recipient is likely online. If you see that someone has recently logged in, reaching out within the next hour can significantly increase the likelihood of a quick reply. On the flip side, avoid sending messages late at night or very early in the morning – unless you’re sure the recipient keeps an unusual schedule. Combine well-timed outreach with a short, personalized message (around 25–50 words) to maximize your success.
How can AI tools improve LinkedIn outreach success?
AI tools are changing the game for LinkedIn outreach by helping professionals send personalized, timely messages that truly connect with prospects. These tools use machine learning to dig into data like a prospect’s activity, shared connections, and industry trends. The result? Messages that feel relevant and stand out in a crowded inbox, leading to higher acceptance and response rates.
Beyond personalization, AI takes the hassle out of outreach by automating key tasks. It identifies role-specific challenges, pinpoints the best times to send messages (mid-week mornings often see the most engagement), and even refines target lists by filtering out less relevant leads. Plus, it optimizes follow-up strategies, making it easier to stay on top of conversations without wasting time. Whether it’s saving hours of research or boosting results, AI is a powerful ally for LinkedIn professionals.