What Do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Mean on LinkedIn? Here’s What You Need to Know

Ever spotted the little ‘1st’, ‘2nd’, and ‘3rd’ icons next to people’s names on LinkedIn, and thought, Am I in a race I didn’t sign up for? Don’t worry—you’re not competing for a gold medal in networking (though that would be fun!). These numbers aren’t rankings, they’re LinkedIn’s way of showing your connection levels.

Understanding them can help you grow your network strategically and reach the right people. Let’s break down what these numbers mean and how to use them to your advantage.

What are LinkedIn connection levels, and why do they matter?

LinkedIn uses a tiered connection system to help users understand their relationships with others on the platform. 

If you’re wondering what do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd mean on LinkedIn, here’s your answer: These numbers determine how easily you can interact with someone, send messages, or see their content. 

What does a 1st-degree connection mean?

A 1st-degree connection is someone you’re directly connected with because you’ve either sent them a connection request and they accepted, or vice versa. You can message them directly and see their posts, updates, and shared content in your feed.

What about 2nd-degree connections?

A 2nd-degree connection is someone who is connected to one of your 1st-degree connections but not directly to you. While you can’t message them without InMail (unless they have an Open Profile), you can send them a connection request. You can also see mutual connections. 

And 3rd-degree connections—how are they different?

A 3rd-degree connection is someone connected to your 2nd-degree connections. Depending on their privacy settings, you may only see limited profile information. You can send them a connection request or reach out via InMail.

Who are ‘out-of-network’ users?

Out-of-network users are people who are beyond your 3rd-degree connections. You have limited visibility into their profiles (depending on their profile settings). You cannot message them directly unless you see the InMail option. 

Why should you expand your LinkedIn network?

Think of your LinkedIn network as your pipeline in motion. Every connection is a potential deal, referral, or insight that can move the needle. 

A well-built network amplifies your reach, putting your profile and content in front of the right people at the right time. It also strengthens your credibility—when prospects see you’re connected with industry leaders, they’re more likely to take you seriously. In sales, who you know can be just as powerful as what you sell.

LinkedIn’s algorithm works in your favor when you expand your network. The more connections you have, the further your content travels. Every new connection increases the chances of your posts showing up in key decision-makers’ feeds, keeping you top-of-mind with prospects. 

A bigger network also gives you a front-row seat to industry trends, job openings, partnerships, and high-value referrals. With the right approach, you can turn LinkedIn into a powerful engine for career and business growth.

How can you find 2nd and 3rd-degree connections on LinkedIn?

1. Advanced search filters: Use LinkedIn’s search bar to look for people by name, job title, company, or industry. Filters allow you to refine your search by location, shared connections, or mutual interests
2. People you may know: LinkedIn’s recommendation algorithm suggests connections you may know based on shared networks, workplaces, or educational institutions 
3. Mutual connections: When viewing a 2nd-degree connection’s profile, LinkedIn shows mutual connections. You can request an introduction through someone you already know
4. Engagement with shared content: Like or comment on a post from someone in your network, and you’ll increase the chances of getting noticed by your 2nd and 3rd-degree connections
5. Industry groups: Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your field and get introduced to professionals outside your immediate network. Regularly engage in these groups and find new connections organically

Can you discover new connections in your LinkedIn feed?

Yes, and this happens more often than you realize. LinkedIn’s feed doesn’t just show content from your 1st-degree connections, it also surfaces posts, likes, and comments from 2nd-degree connections. If you look carefully, your feed presents plenty of opportunities to engage with professionals outside your immediate network.

Here’s how your feed can help you expand your network:

• Engage with comments and reactions: If a 2nd-degree connection comments on a post from one of your mutual contacts, engage with their comment. You can start a conversation organically and eventually connect with them by sending/receiving a connection request 
• Follow engaged users: If you frequently see insightful comments from a 2nd or 3rd-degree connection, follow them. If they notice and engage with your content, a connection request becomes more natural
• Share relevant content: Post valuable content to encourage interactions from professionals beyond your immediate network, and get more organic connection requests 

By being active in your feed, you can organically expand your network and establish yourself as an industry thought leader.

How can company pages help you find employees?

Company pages on LinkedIn serve as directories of employees. If you’re looking to network with people in a particular company, here’s how you can use company pages effectively:

• View the ‘People’ Tab: Go to the company page and click on the People tab. This section lists employees along with their job titles, locations, and shared connections. You can filter results to find professionals who are most relevant to your interests
• Check for mutual connections: If you have a shared connection with someone at the company, you can request an introduction 
• Engage with employee content: Many employees share updates about their work. Engage with their posts to build rapport before sending a connection request
• Follow the company page: If the company actively posts updates on LinkedIn, engage with their posts. It can expose you to more employees and increase the chances of appearing in their network suggestions

If you’re looking for job opportunities, sales prospects, or industry peers within a specific organization, company pages are your best bet. 

Can your team’s network get you introductions?

Yes, banking on your team’s network is one of the most effective ways to build meaningful LinkedIn connections. 

When a mutual contact introduces you, it instantly adds credibility to your outreach and you’re more likely to get a positive response. Here’s how to do it:

• Use LinkedIn’s ‘See connections’ feature: When viewing a teammate’s profile, you can see their connections and identify people who could be relevant to your network
• Ask for warm introductions: If a colleague or teammate is already connected with someone you’d like to meet, request them for a warm introduction to make the connection more authentic
• Collaborate on content: Tag your team members in posts to extend your reach to newer networks and attract new connections
• Leverage employee advocacy: When your teammates share your posts or comment on your updates, their network will see your profile, leading to more organic connections

How can you bypass LinkedIn’s weekly connection limit?

LinkedIn has placed limits on the number of connection requests users can send each week to prevent spam and maintain quality interactions. 

There’s no official data on this, but our experience and research says you can send up to 100 connection requests per week. However, if you’re not using Sales Navigator, it’s safer to stay under 80 to minimize the risk of restrictions.

If you’re a sales rep or BDR and rely on LinkedIn to find leads, these restrictions can be a challenge. 

But the good news is, there are workarounds to expand your network without hitting the limit.

Can you contact Open Profiles directly?

Yes. Open Profiles allow you to send direct messages to users you aren’t connected with, without a connection request. Open Profiles are available to LinkedIn Premium users, and anyone, regardless of their subscription, can message them for free.

To find out if a prospect has an Open Profiles, all you have to do is: 

• Visit the prospect’s LinkedIn profile
• Click the ‘Message’ button. If they have an Open Profile, you can send them a message 

You can write personalized connection messages without worrying about exceeding connection limits. 

Can you connect through groups and events?

Let’s see how you can explore new connections through LinkedIn groups and events: 

LinkedIn groups: Join industry-specific groups where your ideal prospects are active, and start engaging—comment on posts, share insights, and add value to discussions. The more you contribute, the more visible you become. 

LinkedIn lets you message group members directly, even without sending a connection request. Groups make it easy to connect with new people and bypass LinkedIn’s weekly connection limit. But don’t overdo it—spamming can get your account flagged. Instead, focus on building real connections and positioning yourself as a trusted expert in your space.

LinkedIn events: These are also helpful to find new connections or let them discover you. Choose industry-specific events where your prospects and decision-makers are actively participating. Once you register, check the attendee list to identify key contacts. Engage before and during the event—comment on posts, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute your expertise to discussions, and get noticed by the right people. 

After the event, you might receive connection requests from people who attended the event and found your contributions valuable. You can also send personalized connection requests to other attendees mentioning the session you both attended. 

For example, “Hey [Name], I heard your interaction with [Speaker Name] during the Q&A session of [Event Name]! Really liked your perspective on [Topic]. Would love to connect!” 

With this approach, your outreach becomes warmer and more likely to be accepted.

Beyond these, we’ve found some alternative ways to bypass LinkedIn’s connection limit: 

Reply.io’s LinkedIn automation tool streamlines your outreach, keeping it personalized and efficient while ensuring no prospect slips through the cracks. Here’s how:

Find and organize prospects

We’ve already introduced the Findy Chrome extension, which helps you save LinkedIn profiles and gather emails linked to LinkedIn URLs. Reply.io’s B2B Data helps you search for relevant contacts using filters like job role, industry, or company, making it easy to find and organize potential leads. 

You can import or export large contact lists using CSV files for better management.

Secure you prospects’ email IDs with Findy Chrome extension

Automate outreach 

Reply.io automates LinkedIn actions like sending connection requests, messages, viewing profiles, endorsing skills, and following accounts. Use the ‘Like Recent Posts’ feature to automatically engage with leads before reaching out directly. 

You can personalize follow-ups with conditional sequences across channels—automatically send reminders if there’s no response or switch to another channel based on recipient behavior. The platform lets you create multi-touch campaigns combining LinkedIn messaging, InMails, and emails to increase engagement and drive better results.

Personalize outreach at scale with Reply.io’s multi-channel conditional sequences

Manage conversations and follow-ups seamlessly

Instead of switching between multiple inboxes, you can manage all your LinkedIn messages, emails, and InMails from a single dashboard. Automated follow-ups keep engagement high without overwhelming prospects, while dynamic variables like first name, company, or industry make messages feel personal and relevant.

Automate follow-ups using Reply.io without overwhelming prospects

Track, analyze, and optimize your outreach campaigns

Monitor every aspect of your outreach with detailed analytics on messages sent, replies received, and response rates. Dive deeper into performance with insights on connection acceptance rates and message success. 

You can also export campaign reports in CSV format to analyze them offline or collaborate with your team.

By automating long, tedious processes at scale, Reply.io makes it easier to connect, engage, and convert prospects efficiently.

Track outreach analytics using Reply.io and make data-driven decisions 

Eliminate the hassle of manual outreach—It’s time to connect, engage, and convert prospects at scale with Reply.io.

How can you send more connection requests per week? 

LinkedIn doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all limit on how many connection requests you can send per week—your cap depends on a few different factors. 

So, can you increase it? Well, kind of. 

You can’t dramatically raise your limit,but  you can push it a little by keeping your engagement high and making sure most of your requests get accepted. The better your connection habits, the more flexibility LinkedIn tends to give you. 

Does optimizing your profile help?

An optimized LinkedIn profile can indirectly help you send more connection requests by improving your acceptance rate. 

When your profile is well-crafted, people are more likely to accept your connection requests. This can signal to LinkedIn that you are an active, valuable user, which may eventually allow you to send more requests over time. 

While optimizing your profile doesn’t directly change LinkedIn’s weekly limits, a higher Social Selling Index (SSI), which comes from a strong profile, can enable you to send up to 200 connection requests per week.

What is SSI on LinkedIn?

The Social Selling Index (SSI) is a metric developed by LinkedIn that measures a sales professional’s effectiveness in using social media, particularly LinkedIn, to build relationships and drive sales. 

It is calculated based on four pillars: establishing a professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships. 

A high SSI can also usher in more sales opportunities. An internal study by LinkedIn revealed that sales leaders with a high SSI generate 45% more sales opportunities compared to those with a low SSI. 

Bonus: LinkedIn profile optimization checklist

A strong LinkedIn profile encourages potential leads to connect with you first. Use this quick checklist to see if your profile is well-optimized to attract your ICP: 

• • Craft a compelling headline that highlights your unique value beyond just a job title
  • Use a professional profile picture to create a strong first impression
  • Write a strong summary that tells your story—who you are, what you’ve achieved, and how you help your audience

• • Optimize with industry-specific keywords in your headline, summary, and experience sections
  • Highlight measurable achievements under each role instead of just listing responsibilities
  • Get recommendations from colleagues or clients to add social proof
  • Customize your LinkedIn URL for a cleaner, more search-friendly profile (e.g., linkedin.com/yourname-expertise)

How can you get more people to accept your requests? 

An optimized profile helps, but a little extra effort can make a big difference. Before sending a request, engage with the person by liking or commenting on their posts. It creates familiarity and makes your invitation feel more natural.

Don’t send a blank connection request, personalize it—mention how you found them and why you’d like to connect. Keep it concise, professional, and within LinkedIn’s 300-character limit. However, this is purely optional. If you don’t have anything meaningful to say, it’s better to not add a note than sending a cookie-cutter text. 

How does posting valuable content increase your reach?

Ever wondered why some posts seem to take off while others barely get seen? It all comes down to value. When you post content that resonates with your audience, LinkedIn’s algorithm takes notice, and so do people. Here’s how it works:

More engagement = more visibility

When people like, comment, or share your post, LinkedIn sees it as valuable and pushes it to more feeds. You can add interactive elements like polls or thought-provoking questions that encourage a response from your audience

Relevance wins

The algorithm prioritizes content that speaks directly to your audience’s interests and pain points. Posts with high relevance show up more in searches and recommendations

Dwell time matters

Have you noticed how some posts hold your attention longer? LinkedIn rewards content that keeps users engaged. Long-form posts, carousels, and rich media like videos tend to perform well because they make people stop and spend more time on your content

Consistency builds trust

When you show up regularly with valuable insights, you establish yourself as a trusted thought leader. Don’t be afraid to be real—authenticity and personal stories make your content more relatable and shareable

Besides content, the formatting of your post is equally important to improve readability and make your post stand out. You can learn more about it in our LinkedIn post formatting guide. 

We found some other helpful strategies that can help you skip the weekly connection limit and grow your build connections sustainably. Let’s explore: 

Ease into LinkedIn networking

If you’re not much active on LinkedIn or returning after a break, avoid sending too many connection requests at once. A sudden spike in activity can make the platform flag your account for unusual behavior.

Instead, warm up your account and build your presence gradually. Start by sending a few connection requests per day and slowly increase the number over time. A slow and steady approach helps LinkedIn recognize you as an authentic user while allowing you to grow your network without restrictions.

You can use Reply.io’s Automatic Social Steps to set smart limits on daily interactions, connection requests, and messages, so you can automate safely and avoid blacklisting.

Be intentional with your LinkedIn connections

Sending random connection requests might seem like a quick way to grow your network, but it does more harm than good. LinkedIn tracks how many requests you send and how many get accepted. If too many are ignored or declined, your ability to send future requests gets restricted.

Instead of reaching out to everyone under the sun, focus on building a network that adds real value. Connect with industry peers, potential clients, and thought leaders who align with your professional goals. A well-curated network leads to better opportunities, stronger relationships, and more visibility for your content.

Clean up pending invites 

A large number of unanswered connection requests can hurt your profile. To avoid hitting that limit, regularly review and withdraw unaccepted connection requests, and have room to connect with new, relevant professionals.

Remember that once you withdraw a request, you won’t be able to send another to the same person for three weeks. So, focus on sending thoughtful, targeted invites to people who are likely to accept.

Wrapping up: What’s next? 

Whether you’re looking for clients, partnerships, or your next big career move, LinkedIn puts endless opportunities at your fingertips—you just need the right connections. 

Your 1st-degree connections offer direct access to leads, while 2nd and 3rd-degree connections (and beyond) open doors to a broader network, making warm introductions and new business opportunities easier to secure. With the right networking strategies, a focus on quality connections, and a system to stay within LinkedIn’s limits, you can build a strong network that keeps your pipeline full and new opportunities within reach.

But let’s be real, manually sending connection requests, personalizing messages, and keeping up with engagement is exhausting. Reply.io’s LinkedIn automation makes it effortless, helping you expand your network while keeping interactions authentic. Stay top-of-mind with the right prospects, focus on meaningful conversations, and let automation handle the rest. 

Turn connections into conversions—start scaling your LinkedIn outreach with Reply.io!