LinkedIn Guide

How to Network on LinkedIn in 2025 (The Dos and Don'ts You Should Know)

Growing your LinkedIn network organically is a dream, but you’re probably doing it WRONG! Check out this guide on how to network on LinkedIn in 2025.

Saurav Gupta
Founder & CEO
January 2, 2025
Table of contents

It doesn’t take a genius to guess that you REALLY need to be on LinkedIn if you want to grow your LinkedIn network.

But here’s a fact that no one wants to admit?

Most professionals don’t know how to network on LinkedIn. They suck at it.

Two guys staring at each other awkwardly

There could be multiple reasons for that, like:

You are not using a catchy headline that grabs your prospect’s attention.

Or maybe you’re unintentionally being too pushy (happens to the best of us)

Or maybe you haven’t earned their trust completely just yet.

Whatever the reason, have no fear.

This blog is here to make networking on LinkedIn easy for you. Here’s what you’ll learn:

🤖 Why networking on LinkedIn matters.

🤖 5 Practical ways to network.

🤖 6 Proven strategies help you network on LinkedIn.

🤖 What to do—and avoid—to keep your networking professional.

🤖 How to get quality leads on LinkedIn without feeling salesy or pushy.

Let’s make LinkedIn work for you in 2025!

3 Benefits of Networking on LinkedIn

Are you one of those who wonder if LinkedIn is worth your time?

It absolutely is. Here’s why:

1. Your connections multiply like crazy

The more people you connect with, the more doors you open.

First-level contacts lead to second- and third-level ones.

Before you know it, your network is huge.

2. LinkedIn makes you look legit

LinkedIn isn’t for cat videos; it’s for professionals.

If you’re not on it, you look outdated—or worse, unprofessional.

Having a LinkedIn profile shows you mean business and helps you stand out.

3. It’s free and always open

Unlike fancy tools that cost a fortune, LinkedIn is free.

And it’s open 24/7, so you can connect whenever it works for you, even with people across the globe.

There are definitely more benefits, but I’m not here to bore you with all that.

Instead, I want to show you the system that actually work.

Top 5 Popular Ways You Can Use LinkedIn to Network

Now before we get into how to network on LinkedIn, it’s probably best that I give you a quick refresher on all the different ways you can network on LinkedIn:

1. Connection requests

Once you’ve set up your LinkedIn profile, what’s one of the first things you’ll do?

You’ll likely send a connection request. It’s the simplest form of networking on LinkedIn.

I’m sure you’ve seen that "Connect" button on someone’s profile, right?

Connect button on LinkedIn profile

Click “Connect” and the request is sent.

        

Because they’re probably getting hundreds of them a day.

My advice? Take a more personalized approach.

2. LinkedIn searches (Boolean search)

Using the LinkedIn search to find your ICP is pretty much a no-brainer.

The search filters really makes it easy to narrow down on prospects you actually want to talk to.

Once you find someone you’re interested in, all you need to do is send them a connection request and add them to your network!

But here’s a little trick you might not know...

You can use an advanced LinkedIn search method to enhance your prospect pool.

Boolean search is a method that uses operators to help you find even more targeted prospects.

Here’s what they mean:

  • AND - This finds profiles that match all your search terms.

For example, “LinkedIn AND marketing” will show you people who are involved in LinkedIn marketing.

  • OR - This pulls up results for any of your search terms.

For example, “marketing OR product design”.

  • NOT - This excludes a particular item from your search.

For example, “manager NOT designer”.

  • Quotation marks (“ “)- These are used when you want to see profiles with a specific keyword.

For example, “VP of sales” (including the quotation marks).

  • Parentheses - This combines the above Boolean operators into a single search query.

For example, “(social media OR content marketing) AND manager”.

3. ‘People you may know’ section

Did you know, you can expand your network with your already existing network!

Don’t believe me? Head to the “My Network” section of your LinkedIn profile and scroll down to the “People you may know section”.

"People You May Know" section on LinkedIn

You can find people to add in your network based on the following criteria:

  • Location.
  • Mutual LinkedIn groups.
  • Similar job roles.
  • Industry.
  • LinkedIn recommendations.

4. Events

Attending LinkedIn events is a killer way to meet people who are into the same things as you.

Looking for LinkedIn events?

It’s simple! Just like last time, head to the My Network section and scroll down till the “Online events for you” section.

With a few connections in your network that share the same niche as you, LinkedIn will recommend events for you!

Oh, and you can also search for relevant keywords and filter by "Event."

LinkedIn events filter on search

Trust me, people like connecting with professionals who share valuable info 😄.

5. Groups

Just like events, LinkedIn groups are also a great avenue to meet professionals in your industry.

Stay active in relevant groups and you can effectively double your chances of meeting prospects who are interested in your business solutions.

How to Network on LinkedIn (Tried and Tested Strategies)

I know what you’re really after.

So, here’s the breakdown of all the strategies we’ve used to network on LinkedIn.

No more waiting, this is the guide on how to network on LinkedIn:

1. LinkedIn outreach automation

Since I’ve been going on about how networking on LinkedIn can do wonders for you.

BUT the whole process is even more complicated than it looks.

For example, manually sending personalized connection requests to every prospect? That’s a fast track to burnout.

But with SalesRobot, you can do them all automatically.

All you have to do is add your prospects from LinkedIn, Sales Navigator search URLs, or even custom CSV imports.

Then, let SalesRobot handle the outreach.

SalesRobot prospect pulling options

SalesRobot will send personalized connection requests, follow-up with them, and stop the message sequence once they reply. This gives you the green light to jump in and convert.

So your job till then, is to just sit back and relax 😎.

2. Write original content

Here’s something you should do in 2025 → Write more LinkedIn content

So, map out a proper LinkedIn content strategy.

Liking and commenting on posts from your prospects is a good start—it shows you’re engaged.

But if you really want to stand out, creating your own content is what truly gives you the much needed boost to your brand’s credibility.

Not to mention, this helps you assert yourself as an authority in your niche.

At the end of the day, that’s more reasons for your prospects to trust and network with you!

3. Optimize your profile

When it comes to networking on LinkedIn, optimizing your profile is always step #1.

And there’s a good reason for that,

But it’s not just about the algorithm.

A well-optimized profile also makes you look professional and gives your business a strong, positive impression.

Saurav Gupta optimized LinkedIn account

And if you’re not sure where to start, I have created a checklist to help optimize your LinkedIn profile 😄.

Here are a few profile elements you can go fix right now!:

  • Profile picture and banner.
  • Headline.
  • Job title.
  • About.
  • Experience.

Take a few minutes to tweak these.

4. Join relevant groups in your niche

By now you’ve heard me talk about how important joining relevant LinkedIn groups is.

These groups are full of industry experts sharing insights, updates, and tips that matter to your field.

When you join the right groups, you get the chance to chime in on discussions, share your thoughts, and showcase your expertise.

From here, you can build strong partnerships and rapport with potential customers easily!

5. Follow industry thought-leaders

Here’s a piece of advice that most people totally underrate:

Start following industry thought-leaders and influential companies.

Seems a little odd, doesn’t it? How is that supposed to help you network?

Well, these are the folks who are always the first to share exciting news and updates in your field.

By following them, you stay in the loop and get the info you need to spark conversations with others in your industry.

More genuine conversations = More opportunities to grow you network

6. Grow your LinkedIn connection network organically

Networking on LinkedIn is crucial when you want to surround yourself with more industry experts.

And I’m talking about the kind of professionals who actually want to talk to you, not just collect connections.

But there’s a slight problem with all of this.

Manually reaching out to prospects is a pain in the a**.

You’ve got to search for people, send personalized connection requests, and follow up until you hear back.

Before you know it, that’s your entire day gone!

So, why not let SalesRobot do the heavy lifting while you focus on what truly matters:

Closing more deals.

Pulling prospects from LinkedIn/Sales nav search URLs and events, automating advanced LinkedIn actions, that’s just a small taste of what SalesRobot has in store.

SalesRobot homepage

Interested? Then why not test drive SalesRobot’s features to see everything I didn’t talk about with a 14-day risk-free trial 😉?

Now, let's talk about…

How NOT to network on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is always changing.

If you’re not sure what you’re doing, it’s easy to get lost.

You might be sending connection requests that get ignored or starting awkward conversations that go nowhere.

But don’t worry—if you want to avoid these mistakes and build real connections, the do’s and don’ts I’m about to share will help.

Here’s why you are getting ghosted:

1. Don’t know why you’re reaching out

If you’re just saying, “Hi,” you’re not giving the other person a reason to care.

For example, if you admire their work, say, “I’ve been following your posts about marketing strategies, and I’d love to learn more about your approach.”

2. Not talking about the prospect

Nobody wants to hear, “It would be great to connect.” Why?

Because it’s vague and self-centered.

Instead, try, “I noticed we share an interest in tech startups, and I’d love to exchange ideas with you.”

3. Too generic messages

“I’d like to add you to my network” is the LinkedIn equivalent of “Hey.” Yawn.

Personalize it!

Mention a recent post they shared or a mutual connection.

4. Awkward tone

Imagine walking up to a stranger at a conference and blurting out, “Hire me!”

Awkward, right? Keep it natural.

5. Not being persuasive

Be clear and specific why you want to connect with them.

Now that you know what not to do, let’s talk about what works.

SalesRobot: The best way to network on LinkedIn and get quality leads organically

You already know what SalesRobt is, but here’s what you don’t know:

  • SalesRobot has an advanced AI that helps you figure out your target audience, write LinkedIn message sequences, and create campaigns by just texting the AI.
Salesrobot SalesGPT chatbox
  • SalesRobot can send up to 200+ connection requests every week on LinkedIn without getting your LinkedIn account suspended or banned.

    With the time saved, you can focus more on creating content and engaging with influencers and your target audience.

  • SalsRobot also allows you to send cold emails within the same sequence.

(Recommended)

  • SalesRobot has a safe mode that helps you operate your LinkedIn account safely.
Salesrobot LinkedIn saftey features
  • SalesRobot allows you to manage your LinkedIn inbox in a much more seamless way, so that you never miss out on a great lead.
Salesrobot Smart Inbox

And that’s not it.

With SalesRobot’s Pro+ plan, you get access to 4 quality posts and 40 comments on relevant posts written by our expert group of in-house copywriters

After all, SalesRobot isn’t just a sales automation tool.

We are cold outreach experts ready to help you grow your network organically.

Final thoughts

So, let’s wrap this up!

Networking on LinkedIn is super important if you want to grow your connections and get good leads.

I know LinkedIn can seem tricky at first, but don’t worry. With the right steps, it’s a powerful tool.

  • Be real with people.
  • Personalize your messages.
  • Be clear about why you want to connect.
  • And don’t be too pushy with the outreach.

Focus on building real relationships, not just adding names to your list.

And If you want to save time and still get great results, SalesRobot can help you automate things.

SalesRobot gif

No credit card is required. Just enter your email and you are good to go.

Message 100s on people on LinkedIn and cold email.

Every Week. Automatically.

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