LinkedIn Read Receipts Will Show You Who's Seen Your Message

You just started using LinkedIn. And for you, prospecting does not have any secrets. That's just wonderful!

But there is one catch: you’re trying to find out whether your prospect has read or opened your message.

While waiting for a reply or following-up seems like the only way, there is one other option to see if someone opened your message.

Now the question is - does LinkedIn have read receipts?

The answer is yes. Now, let's dig a little deeper.

What Are LinkedIn Read Receipts?

Every time you send a message to someone on LinkedIn, you must wonder one thing.

Did the receiver get a chance to open and read it?

When you are attempting to connect with people on LinkedIn, it's always helpful to know whether your text message did the magic or not.

Read receipts reveal whether or not the other person opened your message. It' s a fairly inconspicuous and small icon placed on the bottom right corner of your message window.

In the desktop version of LinkedIn, you can move your cursor to the icon. It will show you whether the other person has read it. And if yes, then at what time they opened it.

It also comes with an additional feature named typing indicator. This feature shows when the receiver is typing a message in response.

Both these features are beneficial when you are in pursuit of making new connections. These enable you to gauge the nature of the conversation. Additionally, you can see whether or not you should send a follow-up message.

Let's see how it works.

How Do LinkedIn Read Receipts Work?

LinkedIn, the business and employment-oriented website set LinkedIn read receipts on by default.

However, if you want them to be active in your conversation, both the sender and receiver need to have them turned on. Once they’re turned on, you will see if and when the other person has opened your message.

To turn the read receipts or typing indicator on or off, follow the steps below:

● Click on the Me icon on the top of your homepage.

● Select Settings and Privacy from the dropdown menu.

● Select Communications from the left side and click on messaging experience.

● From the message experience section, click on Change next to the Read receipt and typing indicators.

● You can then toggle read receipts on or off.

Once that is done, you will be able to see a tiny icon in the corner of your chat showing that your message has been viewed. You will also be able to get a timestamp, but that’s visible only on the desktop site and not the mobile version.

Consequently, you will be able to see that the receiver opened the message but won't know the day.

On the other hand, some people use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to get to new people. If you are one of them, it's helpful to see at a glance whether your messages are being opened or not, helping you tailor your sales approach and connect with new people.

Plus, you will be able to see which text messages have opened at one glance. In the messages tab in your profile, you will see all the unread connections in bold along with a blue number. This will reveal the number of unread messages in the chat.

Tips For Improving Your InMail Response Rate

Looking for a way to improve how you talk to prospects on LinkedIn?

We have some insightful information to help you score a reply in no time. Whether you want to reach out to a person for the first time or say thank you, keep these few tips in mind.

1. First Message Should Be a Conversation Starter

The main aim of your very first text should be to begin a conversation. Your focus should not be on sealing the deal in the first text.

The ideal way to start a conversation is to talk about something you read in their LinkedIn profile that prompted you to send them a message.

2. Be Enthusiastic and be Conversational

Look for words that are better suited to your personal voice. Draft a message highlighting how you can help them achieve their goals. And don't just keep on talking about feeling the need to fill the vacant position.

Candidates are constantly driven to organizations that help them achieve their goals.

3. Be Precise and Concise

If you share too much information, you may take away the chance of getting a reply from the person. The initial 255 characters are shown in the notification email. Make sure to keep it under the suggested character limit so that the reader can read your entire text in the notification.

4. Find Their Interests/Availability in The New Job

A new networking opportunity today can result in multiple candidates for a vacant job in the future. Always read the candidate's profile to determine whether they are qualified for the job or not.

5. Infuse Positivity and Warmth

People judge others based on two things, warmth, and competence. When you put effort into customizing your message, you are showing that you have done your work. And you know what you are doing as a recruiter. On the other hand, warmth can be hard to pull off on text.

We suggest holding off on corporate formalities and jargon. Type as you speak. It can mean you are enthusiastic, funny, or whatever characteristic defines you. Always make sure your text sounds natural when you read it out loud. Humor can also turn your InMail sound warmer. But don't do too much of it.

6. Don't Cut/Paste Job Descriptions

Sending messages like "Take a look at the job description and let us know you are interested." is never a good idea. Your message should always initiate a conversation about their goals and career path.

7. Ask For Opinions/Advice/Referrals

Such messages provide prospects with a compelling reason to reply. This makes them feel like you value their network and expertise. They will indeed send a reply to you.

8. Complete Your LinkedIn Profile

Your profile informs the receiver of each and everything about you. So, to send the correct information, we suggest spending a lot of time completing your profile. And always keep it up-to-date. Your profile should show all professional changes in your life, such as your skills, qualifications, and anything else that is necessary.

Don't forget to add an image. It should be professional with a smile that looks approachable. We understand that this isn't Tinder, but you want people to engage with you. An incomplete profile will not prompt a prospect to respond to you.

Final Thoughts!

Typing indicators and LinkedIn read receipts are valuable tools for anyone. It gives you an opportunity to see whether your messages are effective or not. Additionally, it will show you if someone at least made an attempt to send a reply to you.

We hope our article helped answer all your queries about LinkedIn Read Receipts.

Good luck exploring your prospects on LinkedIn.