LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection

PhantomBuster's LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection Automation extracts profiles from LinkedIn searches, Sales Navigator searches, or LinkedIn groups, sends personalized connection requests, and tracks who accepts.

All in the cloud, so you don't need your browser or computer on. Get set up in 2 minutes and join 100k+ professionals using PhantomBuster to scale their outreach safely.

Important: The automation accepts up to 5,000 profiles, but we recommend keeping your lists closer to 3,000 for faster runs and better replies.

Check out the Tutorial for step-by-step setup.

What you give / What you get

You bring your LinkedIn search, Sales Navigator list, or group. PhantomBuster delivers back a growing network of qualified connections with tracked acceptance data.

This Automation sends a total of 20 invitations per day by default, paced at 5 invitations per hour within working hours (9 am to 6 pm in your time zone) until the limit of 20 is reached. This keeps your account safe and compliant with LinkedIn's guidelines around sending 100 invitations per week, max.

The LinkedIn Search to Lead Automation also collects profile data along the way, including job titles, companies, and LinkedIn profile URLs. Use this enriched data to segment your connections and prepare follow-up outreach.

What you can automate with LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection

Here's what PhantomBuster's LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection Automation does automatically for you:

• Extract LinkedIn profiles from search results, Sales Navigator searches, or LinkedIn groups (up to 1000 from LinkedIn, up to 2500 from Sales Navigator or groups)

• Send personalized connection requests with custom messages using the #firstName# and other placeholders to keep outreach personal

• Track acceptance rates to monitor number of invites sent and acceptances

• Run in the cloud 24/7 so you don't need your browser or computer on

• Pace invitations safely with default limits that protect your LinkedIn account

Perfect for sales teams automating LinkedIn prospecting, recruiters building pipelines, and marketers growing their networks with qualified leads.

How teams use LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection

Sales reps, recruiters, and growth teams use LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection to build networks, monitor engagement, and scale personalized outreach.

• Target competitor audiences: Extract profiles engaging with competitor content, connect, and introduce your solution to warm leads already interested in your space.

• Build event pipelines: Find attendees or speakers from industry events via LinkedIn groups, connect automatically, and follow up with event-specific messaging.

• Recruit passive candidates: Use Sales Navigator to identify candidates with specific skills or titles, send connection requests, and track who's open to conversations.

• Grow partnership networks: Join relevant LinkedIn groups, extract active members, and connect to build strategic relationships at scale.

• Launch ABM campaigns: Target decision-makers at specific accounts using Sales Navigator lists, connect systematically, and prepare for personalized outreach sequences.

Workflow Ideas to Get You Started

PhantomBuster Automations become more effective when combined into Workflows. Chain multiple steps together to automate your entire prospecting process from discovery to outreach.

Try it free and build your first workflow in minutes.

Workflow Example: ABM prospecting at target accounts

Filter by account list → LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection → HubSpot Contact Sender

Why this works

Account-based prospecting focuses on decision-makers at your target companies. Extract leads from Sales Navigator account lists, connect systematically, and sync to your CRM for coordinated follow-up.

Who it's for

Enterprise sales teams running ABM campaigns, RevOps managing account lists, and AEs targeting specific companies.

How to build it

1. Build an account list in Sales Navigator with your target companies.

2. Send connection requests with LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection, personalizing by company or role.

3. Sync accepted connections to HubSpot using HubSpot Contact Sender for coordinated outreach.

Outcome

Systematic coverage of target accounts with tracked acceptance and CRM-ready contact data.

See full playbook →

Important: Follow safe usage. Safely scrape up to 1,500 profiles per day and use human-like pacing. See our LinkedIn limits guide and automation safety resources for details.

Best practices

Get the most out of LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection while staying safe and compliant with LinkedIn's guidelines.

Safety and compliance

• Respect default pacing: The Automation sends 5 invitations per hour within working hours (9 am to 6 pm in your time zone), reaching a total of 20 invitations per day. This protects your account from LinkedIn restrictions.

• Keep lists targeted: While the automation accepts up to 5,000 profiles, we recommend keeping your lists closer to 3,000 for faster runs and better replies.

• Understand LinkedIn limits: LinkedIn imposes varying limits that depend on account type. Premium or Sales Navigator accounts typically have higher limits than free accounts. Some users may be limited to only 200 characters in invitation messages instead of the previous 300 characters, and some users are limited to only 5 connection requests with a message per month.

• Test before automating: Try sending a manual connection request to confirm your character limit and monthly message quota before launching your campaign.

Read New LinkedIn Limits 2025 for the latest safety guidelines.

Performance tips

• Personalize with #firstName#: Use the #firstName# placeholder to customize your message for every user and increase acceptance rates.

• Test with and without messages: Invitations can be sent without a message, and this sometimes increases the acceptance rate. Run tests to find what works for your audience.

• Use multiple sources: Extract from LinkedIn searches (up to 1000 profiles), Sales Navigator searches (up to 2500 profiles), or LinkedIn groups (export the most recent 2500 members) to diversify your pipeline.

• Monitor your dashboard: Track acceptance rates by source to identify which groups or searches deliver the best connections, then adjust your targeting.

Frequently asked questions

Here are the most common questions about using LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection, from setup and compliance to performance and integrations.

Where can I learn how to set up this automation?

Start with the LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection tutorial for step-by-step instructions. For broader LinkedIn outreach strategies, read the LinkedIn Outreach 101 guide or explore LinkedIn prospecting best practices.

Does this automation collect live data or pull from a static database?

It extracts live data directly from LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, or LinkedIn groups in real time. You get fresh, verified profiles with current job titles, companies, and contact information, not outdated records from a static database. This ensures your outreach targets the right people with accurate context.

Is it safe to automate LinkedIn connection requests?

Yes, when done responsibly. The automation sends A total of 20 invitations per day by default, paced at 5 invitations per hour within working hours (9 am to 6 pm in your time zone) to stay within LinkedIn's guidelines. Read New LinkedIn Limits 2025 and LinkedIn Automation Tool Warning to understand safe practices and avoid restrictions.

How many profiles can I connect with per day?

By default, the automation sends 20 invitations per day, distributed as 5 invitations per hour within working hours (9 am to 6 pm in your time zone) until the daily limit is reached. LinkedIn imposes varying limits that depend on account type; Premium or Sales Navigator accounts typically have higher limits than free accounts.

Can I personalize connection requests for each lead?

Yes. Use the #firstName# placeholder to customize your message for every user, making each request feel personal and relevant. You can also send invitations without a message, which sometimes increases the acceptance rate depending on your audience.

What's the difference between LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection and LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach?

LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection focuses on sending connection requests and tracking acceptances. LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach adds follow-up messaging after connections accept, enabling full outreach sequences without switching tools.

Can I chain this automation with other workflows?

Absolutely. Pair LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection with LinkedIn New Connection Welcome Message to send automated thank-you messages after acceptance, or use warm-up playbooks to visit profiles and like posts before sending connection requests.

How do character limits affect my connection messages?

LinkedIn applies different character limits to different users based on account type and experiments. Some users may be limited to only 200 characters instead of the previous 300 characters, and some users are limited to only 5 connection requests with a message per month. Test your limits manually before launching your campaign to avoid errors.

Why use automated connection requests instead of manual outreach?

Manual connection requests take hours of repetitive work and limit your daily reach. Automation sends personalized requests consistently, tracks acceptance rates by source, and runs 24/7 in the cloud without your browser open. This frees you to focus on conversations with accepted connections instead of clicking "Connect" all day.

How do I get started?

Try LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection free. Set up takes 2 minutes: paste your LinkedIn search, Sales Navigator list, or group URL, customize your message, and launch. The automation runs in the cloud, so you don't need your browser or computer on. See the full tutorial to start building your network today.

Ready to try it?

Start growing your LinkedIn network on autopilot.

Get set up in 2 minutes and join 100k+ professionals using PhantomBuster to automate LinkedIn prospecting. Extract profiles from searches, Sales Navigator, or groups, send personalized connection requests, and track who accepts — all in the cloud with safe, compliant pacing. No coding required.

Try LinkedIn Search to Lead Connection free.