Can you tell if anyone has read your post on LinkedIn? Is there a way to find out if someone has blocked you? Or a way to guarantee that they will open your message?
LinkedIn may not have the same profile as Facebook or Snapchat, but it's just as powerful and influential in its own way. I use LinkedIn much more than Facebook but purely for professional purposes. I found work, met new people and discovered new businesses on the platform. LinkedIn may have fewer users, but it also has less of the social anxiety and toxicity issues that plague other platforms.
It's not without its challenges though and not knowing if someone is ignoring you or hasn't had time to read your message is just one of them.
Enable/disable read receipts
Whether someone has read your post on LinkedIn depends on your privacy settings. There is a specific setting for read receipts, but you must enable it before sending the message for it to work. This will tell you when the recipient opened the message and probably read it.
To enable read receipts in LinkedIn, follow these steps:
- Open the app and tap your profile icon in the top left corner
- Select Settings.
- Select the Communications tab on the far right
- Select Read receipts and input indicators and toggle it to On.
All messages you send from now on will generate a read receipt that tells you when the recipient read it. Of course, you can disable the option if you prefer anonymity.
How to know if someone has read your message
We always like to explain privacy settings before we get into read receipts, because that explains why you might not see them. If you can't see if someone has read your message, it's likely that they have disabled this feature.
Assuming your recipient has enabled their receipts, you'll see a very small version of their profile picture in the lower left corner of your message.
If you don't see the profile icon, the user either has their receipts turned off or they haven't opened your message yet. Only time will tell which of these factors is true. Assuming someone doesn't respond immediately, they may be too busy, so give them some time. LinkedIn's culture is all about professionalism, so don't hold a grudge if someone doesn't respond immediately.
Is there a way to find out if someone has blocked you?
Blocking isn't as prevalent or necessary on LinkedIn as it is elsewhere, but it does happen. These are usually overenthusiastic marketers or newbies to the platform who don't know how to use it effectively or appreciate that the audience is completely different from Facebook's.
There are ways to tell if you've been blocked on LinkedIn, but you're not notified directly if this happens.
If you get stuck:
- You will no longer see their profile.
- You will no longer be able to message them.
- You will no longer see their posts or updates.
- You will no longer be logged in.
- You will no longer see them under “Who viewed your profile”.
- You will no longer see them in the "People You May Know" or "People Also Viewed" suggestions.
Get answers
You cannot guarantee the actions of others, but you can do all you can to influence them. If you're using LinkedIn for marketing, there are things you can do to increase the chances of someone opening your post and wanting to do business with you.
Complete your LinkedIn profile
Your LinkedIn profile is your online resume whether you're looking for a job or not. You should spend a lot of time completely filling out your profile and keeping it up to date. It should reflect all the changes in your professional life, include all your qualifications, skills and everything you have to stand out.
Also add a good quality image. Look professional, look smart, but don't forget to smile and look approachable. It's not Tinder, but you still want people to engage with you.
Interact with others and be active on LinkedIn
People are much more likely to read something from an active member than they've seen before. If you have a presence on LinkedIn and interact or post often, you are much more likely to be read than someone the recipient has never seen or heard of.
Plus, that's the whole point of LinkedIn. To interact with other professionals, help each other and learn a thing or two.
Contribute without expectation
LinkedIn requires a different approach than other social networks and partly in the content you post. The audience is different, their likes and dislikes are different, and their time is much more limited than on other networks. Any content you post should be of high quality and consider the type of audience. It should also be released without expectation. If the content is good, they will come.
Keep your messages short and to the point
Everyone is busy and everyone has multiple time demands. This is especially true for LinkedIn. Most people will access it work for work and won't have much time to spend on it. When writing a message, be brief and concise.
If you're marketing, a short post with a link to a landing page or webpage with more information gives the reader the opportunity to read more at their leisure. This no-pressure tactic will resonate much better than multiple calls to action and requests for immediate feedback or interaction.
Connect on LinkedIn
The platform is mainly used to develop your professional network. There are a few things you can do to increase your chances of responses.
- Add Connections – If you've targeted a potential employer or client, try connecting to one of their connections first. Maybe you went to the same college or work in the same industry, you are more likely to come across as trustworthy if you have a mutual connection.
- Comment – Follow hashtags that interest you and post comments on others' posts. Better yet, comment on clever or helpful information about your target's posts.
LinkedIn will open many new opportunities for those who want to promote their business or themselves. Remember that professionalism wins with this social media service.
