What Do 1st, 2nd and 3rd Mean on LinkedIn?
By Wingflow team · Updated · 2 min read
The short version
| Label | Who they are | Can you message them free? | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Directly connected to you | Yes | Message |
| 2nd | Connected to one of your 1st-degree connections | No | Connect, InMail or a shared group |
| 3rd | Connected to one of your 2nd-degree connections | No | Connect (if shown), InMail or a shared group |
| Out of network | Not within three degrees | No | InMail, if available |
| Group member | Shares a LinkedIn group with you | Yes, through the group | Message request |
Definitions from LinkedIn Help.
What does 1st mean?
People you're directly connected to. You accepted their invitation or they accepted yours. You can message them any time for free, see their full profile, and they see your posts.
What does 2nd mean?
People connected to at least one of your 1st-degree connections. LinkedIn shows a Connect button, so you can send an invitation. They're the best people to invite: you have someone in common, so they're more likely to accept, which keeps you clear of invitation limits.
What does 3rd mean?
People connected to your 2nd-degree connections. If they show a full name and a Connect button, you can invite them. If you only see "LinkedIn Member" or no Connect button, you'll need InMail or a shared group.
Why is the Connect button missing?
LinkedIn lists a few reasons (LinkedIn Help):
- They're out of your network
- They have more than 500 connections, so Follow is shown instead. Click More, then Connect
- Your email address isn't confirmed
Who can you message without connecting?
For free, you can message 1st-degree connections and LinkedIn Pages. You can also message people who have an Open Profile, and send message requests to fellow group members and current coworkers (LinkedIn Help). Everyone else needs InMail. See InMail vs messages vs Open Profile.
Following vs connecting
LinkedIn puts it simply: "Following lets you learn from someone's content, while connecting builds a two-way relationship" (LinkedIn Help). Following doesn't let you message them. If you connect through the More menu, you automatically follow them while the invitation is pending.
Which degree should you target for outreach?
2nd-degree first. A shared connection makes an invitation feel less cold, acceptance rates are higher, and fewer ignored invitations means less risk of restriction. Post engagers (people who liked or commented on a post in your niche) are another warm source regardless of degree.
Questions
What does 2nd mean on LinkedIn?
They're connected to one of your 1st-degree connections. You can send them a connection request with the Connect button.
What does 3rd mean on LinkedIn?
They're connected to one of your 2nd-degree connections. If they show a Connect button you can invite them; otherwise use More then Connect, InMail, or a shared group.
What does 3rd+ mean on LinkedIn?
3rd+ means the person is three or more connections away from you: connected to one of your 2nd-degree connections, or further out. You can often still invite them with Connect (sometimes under More), or reach them with InMail.
Can I message a 2nd-degree connection without connecting?
Only with InMail (Premium or Sales Navigator), if they have an Open Profile, or if you share a group or company.
Why is there no Connect button on someone's profile?
They may be out of your network, or have more than 500 connections so Follow shows instead. Try More, then Connect.