How To Use LinkedIn

How To Use LinkedIn

How To Use LinkedIn

Content Creation

Camelia Khadraoui

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Last updated: Nov 5, 2025

The name says it all: being linked in, because networking is the foundation of professional success.

LinkedIn is a huge social media platform built for connections, where professionals and businesses meet to network and collaborate.

As of 2025, the platform counts over 1 billion members worldwide. But it's not just for job opportunities, it's also great for B2B marketing and social selling.

This guide covers everything you need to know, from building your profile to using InMails, exporting contacts, and managing limits or restrictions.

Understanding LinkedIn Features

If you think LinkedIn is just for job hunting, think again.

LinkedIn is much more than an online résumé. If you don’t use it, you risk missing out on valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and get noticed.

Whether you’re a job seeker, recruiter, or business owner, understanding how LinkedIn's tools will help you make the most of your time on the platform.

Setting Up Your LinkedIn Profile

Your profile is your online first impression. It’s where people decide whether to connect with you or move on.

  1. Photos: start with a professional profile picture and a banner that reflects your field You can get creative with your designs or add logos of your selected clients. For more information, read our article about LinkedIn Profile Picture Do’s and Don’ts.

  2. Headline: The headline is your online first impression, so you have to choose your words carefully. You should mention what you do, while also keeping a personal touch. The goal is to keep people interested in connecting with you. Check out this article for more rules about how to Write Your LinkedIn Headline.

  3. About: Use this section to tell the story about how you’ve come to do what you’re doing. Why do you like it? What achievements did you accomplish? It can be short to medium length, but it must be authentic.

Finally, make your profile active: post updates, comment thoughtfully, and engage. LinkedIn rewards consistency with more visibility.

InMails

InMails are private messages you can send to people you’re not connected with. They’re mostly used by recruiters, sales professionals, and networkers who want to reach out directly.

Unlike regular messages, InMails are part of LinkedIn’s premium features. They allow you to contact anyone without a prior connection.

To make InMails effective, you need to:

  • Be brief and personal.

  • Avoid generic templates.

  • End with a clear question, invitation, or business proposal.

When used wisely, InMails can open doors that regular posts can’t.

Contact Export

LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a spreadsheet.

This is particularly useful when you’re organizing your network, managing outreach, or transferring contacts into a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM).

To export your contacts, go to Settings > Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Select “Connections,” and LinkedIn will email you a download link.

Tips: Use this data responsibly. These contacts trusted you enough to connect with you, so don’t spam or misuse their information. Instead, see it as a way to nurture relationships beyond the platform.

Contact Export

LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a spreadsheet.

This is particularly useful when you’re organizing your network, managing outreach, or transferring contacts into a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM).

To export your contacts, go to Settings > Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Select “Connections,” and LinkedIn will email you a download link.

Tips: Use this data responsibly. These contacts trusted you enough to connect with you, so don’t spam or misuse their information. Instead, see it as a way to nurture relationships beyond the platform.

Contact Export

LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a spreadsheet.

This is particularly useful when you’re organizing your network, managing outreach, or transferring contacts into a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM).

To export your contacts, go to Settings > Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Select “Connections,” and LinkedIn will email you a download link.

Tips: Use this data responsibly. These contacts trusted you enough to connect with you, so don’t spam or misuse their information. Instead, see it as a way to nurture relationships beyond the platform.

Contact Export

LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a spreadsheet.

This is particularly useful when you’re organizing your network, managing outreach, or transferring contacts into a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM).

To export your contacts, go to Settings > Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Select “Connections,” and LinkedIn will email you a download link.

Tips: Use this data responsibly. These contacts trusted you enough to connect with you, so don’t spam or misuse their information. Instead, see it as a way to nurture relationships beyond the platform.

Contact Export

LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a spreadsheet.

This is particularly useful when you’re organizing your network, managing outreach, or transferring contacts into a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM).

To export your contacts, go to Settings > Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Select “Connections,” and LinkedIn will email you a download link.

Tips: Use this data responsibly. These contacts trusted you enough to connect with you, so don’t spam or misuse their information. Instead, see it as a way to nurture relationships beyond the platform.

Connection Limits

LinkedIn encourages quality over quantity. You can have up to 30,000 direct connections, and each account has daily invitation limits to prevent spam.

If you send too many requests at once, or to people who don’t accept, you might get temporarily blocked from inviting others.

To avoid all this turmoil and grow safely on the platform:

  • Only connect with people you genuinely share interests with.

  • Add a short note when sending a request.

  • Focus on engagement, not numbers.

A smaller, engaged network is far more valuable than thousands of silent connections.

Restricted Accounts

Sometimes, LinkedIn restricts accounts when it senses some unusual activity, like sending too many invitations (as mentioned above) or, obviously, violating community policies.

However, if your account gets restricted, LinkedIn will notify you of the reason and instructions to recover it.

Usually, you will need to verify your identity or agree to the new terms of use. To avoid restrictions:

  • Don’t use bots or third-party automation tools.

  • Keep your messaging natural and professional.

  • Respect others’ privacy and avoid aggressive outreach.

Staying compliant ensures you can keep building your network without interruptions.

How to Use LinkedIn for Different Goals

Despite it being a career-oriented platform, LinkedIn can be whatever you make of it: a job listings board if you need work, a B2B sales platform if you need to sell, a recruitment hub if you need candidates, or just a personal blog where you build a reputation for yourself.

If You’re Looking For A Job

In 2025, 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates. If you are looking for a new job, LinkedIn is your address.

Once your profile is set up, activate the “Open to Work” feature.

As its name says, it lets recruiters know that you’re available for work.

Your LinkedIn profile also acts as your digital resume. Make it easy for recruiters to read by following these tips:

  1. Put your success stories on a pedestal.

  2. Add keywords from your target industry in your headline and About section.

  3. Write a clear summary that shows your strengths and what you offer.

Feel free to contact hiring managers directly using InMails or connection requests.

Also, keep your messages brief, polite, and focused on how you can help.

Set up job alerts and use filters to find the companies, roles, or locations you want. This saves time and helps you apply early for new jobs.

If You’re Hiring

Looking for a job is hard, but finding the right candidate can be just as difficult.

To attract the best candidates, use keywords in your job post that people are likely to search for, and write a clear job description.

Use LinkedIn Recruiter and advanced filters to search for candidates by skills, experience, and open-to-work status.

When managing large pools of candidates, exporting contacts or using CRM integrations will help you to keep everything organized.

Tip: Don’t limit yourself to active applicants. Build a talent network by posting job offers, employee stories, and leadership content regularly. This helps attract people who want to work with you.

If You Are A Business Owner

LinkedIn is a goldmine for B2B growth, but only when used correctly. First things first, identify and connect with prospects in your target market.

When you contact someone, personalize each InMail. Avoid generic messages and mention something specific about their business to start a real conversation.

You can also build trust by posting regularly on LinkedIn and growing your audience.

People prefer to buy from brands they trust, that is why you have to share helpful and educational content to show you are reliable and knowledgeable.

Finally, export leads and manage them in your CRM. LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator helps you stay organized and follow up on time.

If You’re A Team Leader

If you want to be seen as an expert, there aren’t many roads to go about it; share your insights regularly and build a strong online presence.

To do so, be consistent. Comment on industry news, share what you have learned, or talk about challenges you have faced.

Go further by sharing your personal experiences or behind-the-scenes of projects you worked on. This not only skyrockets your credibility and helps your name appear in searches beyond your immediate network.

Check LinkedIn analytics to see which posts get the most attention, when your audience is most active, and what topics spark discussion.

You could use MagicPost's analytics for a better view of your statistics.

Most importantly, connect with your peers by leaving thoughtful comments, accepting collaborations, and building relationships offline when you can.

Creating Content On LinkedIn

LinkedIn offers the ability to share content in different formats: text, photos, videos, carousels, polls… It’s up to you to decide which format is the most suitable for you and your target audience.

KISS (Keep it short and sweet):

On social media, users are often scrolling through their feeds quickly, so it’s important to get your message across in as few words as possible.

Aim for short, snappy headlines and captions that are easy to skim and understand.

Engage with the audience

Social media is all about engagement, so it’s important to write in a way that encourages your audience to interact with your content.

For example: Ask questions, use emojis and other digital graphics, and respond to comments and messages to build a personal connection with your audience.

Use **#**hashtags

Hashtags are a powerful tool for reaching a wider audience on social media, but they should be used wisely.

Only use hashtags that are relevant to your content and target audience, and avoid overusing them.

Spamming does not look good.

Stay Relevant

Who wants to read old news? Right… Nobody!

Social media is about being in the moment, so it’s important to write content that's up to date with current events, trending topics, and popular hashtags.

Unless it made history, no one today wants to read (again) about the trending headlines of last month.

Fix Your Tone

The tone of your writing can have a big impact on how it is received by the audience, so it’s important to choose a tone that is appropriate for the brand you’re marketing  and the audience you’re targeting.

For example, a more serious tone may be appropriate for a corporate brand, while a more lighthearted tone may be more suitable for a consumer brand

Edits And Revisions

Finally, it’s important to take the time to edit and revise your social media writing. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and ensure your content is concise, engaging, and easy to understand.

You can use MagicPost to create endless amounts of content, generate hooks, and schedual your posts, in a matter of minutes.

For more tips on how to optimize your posting time, watch this video about How To Create LinkedIn Posts using MagicPost

Track Your Analytics With MagicPost

What good is posting great concent if you’re not going to track your numbers? Keep an eye on what’s working and what’s not so much.

Once a week, check your LinkedIn analytics to see which posts perform best, what time your audience engages most, and which content types drive the most reach and reactions.

👉 You can easily do this using MagicPost Analytics to track engagement and growth trends.

Repurpose Your Content

Don’t let your great ideas get buried after one post.

When you face blank-page syndrome or a lack of inspiration, you can repurpose your best-performing content into new formats.

For example, turn a blog post into a carousel or a video summary. This helps you stay consistent with minimal efforts.

👉 Read more in our guide on how to repurpose your old content.

Takeaway

Whether you’re applying for a job, recruiting talents, or promoting your business, integrity should guide every interaction.

Remember to be transparent about your goals, give credit where it’s due, and treat people as more than just opportunities.

Grow your network, but never at the expense of your principles. Because on LinkedIn, as in real life, the most meaningful connections are built on trust.

Tired of spending hours writing your next LinkedIn post?

MagicPost is not only your favorite AI LinkedIn Post Generator. It is the all-in-one platform for effortlessly creating engaging content on LinkedIn.

No credit card required

Enjoy your free trial.

Tired of spending hours writing your next LinkedIn post?

MagicPost is not only your favorite AI LinkedIn Post Generator. It is the all-in-one platform for effortlessly creating engaging content on LinkedIn.

No credit card required

Enjoy your free trial.