LinkedIn connection requests have different character limits depending on your account type: Premium and Sales Navigator users get 300 characters, while free account users are now limited to just 200 characters. LinkedIn reduced the free account limit from 300 to 200 characters, and monthly personalized connection request limits have also been reduced to approximately 10 for free users. With these tight limits, every word must demonstrate relevance and give a clear reason to connect.

This guide covers how to write LinkedIn connection requests that get accepted.

LinkedIn Connection Request Limits

Why Personalization Matters

Acceptance Rate Impact

Statistics show:

• Personalized requests: 40-50% acceptance rate
• Default requests: 15-25% acceptance rate
• Highly relevant requests: 60%+ acceptance rate

What Recipients Consider

Before accepting, people ask:

• Do I know this person?
• Why do they want to connect?
• What’s in it for me?
• Is this spam?

Your message must answer at least one of these questions in 300 characters.

The 300-Character Structure

Basic Framework

Components that fit in 300 characters:

Context (50-75 characters)
Relevance (100-125 characters)
Soft ask (50-75 characters)

Character Allocation

Typical breakdown:

• Greeting: 15-20 characters (“Hi Sarah,”)
• Hook/context: 75-100 characters
• Reason/value: 100-125 characters
• Close: 50-75 characters

Connection Request Templates

Template 1: Shared Connection

~285 characters: “Hi [Name], I see we’re both connected with [Mutual Connection]—they spoke highly of your work in [area]. I’m also working in [related field] and would love to be connected. Always great to expand my network with [industry] professionals.”

Example: “Hi David, I noticed we’re both connected with Sarah Chen—she mentioned your expertise in product analytics. I lead growth at a Series B startup and would value being in your network. Always looking to connect with product leaders.”

Template 2: Same Company/Industry

~275 characters: “Hi [Name], I came across your profile while researching [company/industry]. Your background in [specific area] is impressive. I’m currently [your context] and thought it would be valuable to connect with others in [space]. Hope to stay in touch.”

Example: “Hi Lisa, I found your profile while researching healthcare tech. Your background leading product at Teladoc is impressive. I’m building in remote care at a seed-stage startup and thought connecting would be valuable. Hope to stay in touch.”

Template 3: Content Engagement

~265 characters: “Hi [Name], I really enjoyed your recent post about [topic]. Your perspective on [specific point] resonated with my experience. I’m working on similar challenges in [your context] and would love to follow your insights more closely.”

Example: “Hi Marcus, I enjoyed your post about remote team management. Your point about async communication really resonated. I’m building a distributed engineering team and would love to follow your insights on leading remote teams.”

Template 4: Event or Conference

~260 characters: “Hi [Name], I attended your session at [event] on [topic]. Your point about [specific takeaway] was really valuable. I’m [brief context about you] and would love to stay connected and continue learning from your expertise.”

Example: “Hi Anna, I attended your SaaStr session on scaling customer success. Your framework for onboarding enterprise clients was incredibly useful. I’m building CS at a B2B startup and would love to stay connected.”

Template 5: Alumni Connection

~240 characters: “Hi [Name], I noticed we both attended [school/program]. I graduated in [year] and am now working in [field]. Always great to connect with fellow [school] alumni in [industry]. Would love to have you in my network.”

Example: “Hi James, I noticed we both went to Northwestern—I graduated in 2018 and now lead marketing at a fintech startup. Always great to connect with fellow Wildcats in tech. Would love to stay in touch.”

Template 6: Recruiter/Job Seeker

For job seekers (~275 characters): “Hi [Name], I see you’re hiring for [role] at [Company]. I have [X years] experience in [relevant area] and am particularly interested in [company aspect]. I’d love to connect and learn more about the opportunity if it’s a fit.”

For recruiters (~255 characters): “Hi [Name], Your profile stood out to me as I’m sourcing for [role type] at [Company]. Your experience in [area] aligns well with what we’re building. Would love to connect and share more about the opportunity.”

Template 7: Partnership/Business Development

~285 characters: “Hi [Name], I lead [your role] at [Company] and we help companies in [their industry] with [your solution]. I noticed [Company Name] is [relevant context] and thought there might be synergy. Would love to connect and explore if it makes sense to chat.”

Example: “Hi Rachel, I lead partnerships at DataCo and we help e-commerce companies with analytics. I noticed ShopBrand is expanding rapidly and thought there might be synergy. Would love to connect and explore if it makes sense to chat.”

What to Include

Must-Have Elements

Every effective request has:

1. Their name (shows it’s not mass sent)
2. Specific reason for connecting
3. Relevance to them

High-Impact Additions

When space allows:

• Shared connection mention
• Specific content reference
• Company or role mention
• Industry relevance

What to Avoid

Don’t include:

• Sales pitches
• Lengthy introductions
• Multiple asks
• Generic flattery
• Your full resume
• Requests for their time

Writing for 300 Characters

Counting Characters Accurately

Include in count:

• Letters
• Spaces
• Punctuation
• Line breaks (not supported anyway)

Example count: “Hi Sarah, I noticed your post about content strategy. Your approach to topic clusters aligns with what I’m building. Would love to connect.” = 139 characters

Maximizing Character Usage

Efficient phrases:

• “I noticed” instead of “I couldn’t help but notice”
• “Your post about” instead of “Your recent LinkedIn post about”
• “Would love to connect” instead of “I would be honored if we could connect”

Trimming Techniques

Remove:

• Unnecessary adjectives (“really,” “truly”)
• Hedging (“I was hoping perhaps”)
• Redundant politeness
• Background that doesn’t add value

Common Mistakes

Too Generic

Bad (180 characters): “Hi, I’d like to add you to my professional network. I think we could both benefit from connecting and sharing ideas. Looking forward to connecting with you.”

Why it fails: Could be sent to anyone. No reason for this person specifically.

Too Salesy

Bad (290 characters): “Hi John, I’m the founder of SalesCo and we’ve helped 500+ companies increase revenue by 40%. I’d love to show you how we can do the same for your team. Can we schedule a 15-minute call this week to discuss?”

Why it fails: It’s a pitch, not a connection request. Save this for InMail.

Too Long and Rambling

Bad (298 characters, but unfocused): “Hi! I came across your profile and thought it looked interesting. I work in marketing too and have been in the industry for about 7 years now. I think networking is so important these days and I try to connect with as many professionals as I can.”

Why it fails: No specific reason to connect with THIS person.

Too Short/Lazy

Bad (45 characters): “Let’s connect! I like your profile.”

Why it fails: No context, no relevance, looks like spam.

Industry-Specific Approaches

Tech Industry

Emphasize:

• Specific technologies
• Company or product knowledge
• Community involvement

Example (278 characters): “Hi Alex, I saw your talk at ReactConf about state management. Your approach to reducing re-renders in large apps is something I’m grappling with at my company. Building consumer fintech and would value connecting with others solving similar frontend challenges.”

Finance

Emphasize:

• Credentials and background
• Specific expertise areas
• Professional context

Example (265 characters): “Hi Maria, I noticed your experience in private equity due diligence. I’m transitioning from IB to PE and your background at [firm] is impressive. Would appreciate connecting as I navigate this transition and build my network in the space.”

Healthcare

Emphasize:

• Specialization
• Mission alignment
• Professional credentials

Creative/Marketing

Emphasize:

• Specific work admiration
• Campaign or project reference
• Creative community

After the Connection

Following Up After Acceptance

Send a brief thank-you message:

• Acknowledge the connection
• Reiterate your interest
• Optionally suggest next step

Example (under 200 characters): “Thanks for connecting! Really appreciate it. Looking forward to following your content on [topic]. Let me know if I can ever be helpful on [your area].”

Don’t Immediately Pitch

After someone accepts:

• Wait at least a few days
• Engage with their content first
• Build rapport before asking for anything

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LinkedIn connection request character limit?

Premium and Sales Navigator users get 300 characters, while free account users are limited to 200 characters. LinkedIn reduced the free account limit from 300 to 200 characters.

Should I always personalize connection requests?

Yes. Personalized requests have 2-3x higher acceptance rates than default messages. Even a brief, relevant note significantly improves your odds.

Can I send connection requests without a message?

Yes, but it’s not recommended. The default “I’d like to add you to my professional network” message gives the recipient no reason to accept.

What if I run out of characters?

Edit ruthlessly. Remove generic phrases, unnecessary words, and focus on the single most compelling reason to connect. 300 characters is enough for a focused message.

How many connection requests should I send per day?

LinkedIn limits connection requests (the exact number varies). Quality matters more than quantity. A few personalized requests beat dozens of generic ones.

Should I mention I’m job hunting in connection requests?

Only if relevant to why you’re connecting with that specific person. “I’m exploring opportunities at [their company]” is fine. Generic “I’m looking for a job” is not compelling.

Key Takeaways

• Premium/Sales Navigator: 300 characters; Free accounts: 200 characters
• LinkedIn reduced free account limit from 300 to 200 characters
• Monthly personalized limit reduced to ~10 for free users
• Personalized messages have 2-3x higher acceptance rates
• Include: their name, specific reason, relevance to them
• Avoid: sales pitches, generic messages, multiple asks
• Reference shared connections, content, or specific context
• Follow up appropriately after connection

Conclusion

LinkedIn’s character limits (300 for Premium/Sales Navigator, 200 for free accounts) force you to be purposeful about why you’re connecting. With free users now limited to approximately 10 personalized requests per month, quality matters more than ever. The best connection requests are specific (referencing their content, company, or shared connections), relevant (explaining why this connection makes sense), and concise (making one clear point). Generic requests get ignored; personalized ones build networks. Try our free letter counter → to verify your LinkedIn connection request fits within your account’s character limit.