LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach

PhantomBuster's LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach extracts users from any LinkedIn search, sends personalized connection requests automatically, and follows up with targeted messages after they accept. All of this takes place in the cloud, so you don't need to have your browser open or your computer on for it to work. Get your results on autopilot.

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

Note: This Automations accepts up to three LinkedIn Search URLs or one Sales Navigator Search URL. LinkedIn limits vary by account type, so always test your character limits and connection request caps before launching at scale.

What you give / What you get

You bring a LinkedIn search and your session cookie. PhantomBuster handles the rest, delivering connection requests, follow-up sequences, and structured tracking.

In short, you define your target audience through LinkedIn searches, and this Automation runs your entire outreach campaign while keeping a record of invited and messaged profiles in a resulting spreadsheet.

What you can automate with LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach

Here's what PhantomBuster's LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach Automation can do automatically for you:

• Extract leads from LinkedIn searches: Find and extract leads from a LinkedIn search, whether it's by job title, location, company, or industry.

• Send connection requests with personalized messages: Automatically send invitations with custom messaging that speaks to each prospect's profile.

• Auto send a sequence of follow-up messages when connection requests are accepted: Nurture new connections with timed follow-up sequences without lifting a finger.

• Track all outreach activity: Keep a record of all the profiles you've invited and messaged in a resulting spreadsheet for easy CRM syncing.

• Run campaigns 24/7 in the cloud: All of this takes place in the cloud, so your browser and computer can stay closed while your outreach runs automatically.

• Customize timing and intervals: Schedule follow-up messages at intervals of your choice to maintain engagement without overwhelming prospects.

Perfect for sales teams automating LinkedIn prospecting, B2B lead generation, and multi-touch outreach campaigns.

How teams use LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach

Sales reps and marketing teams use LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach to accelerate prospecting, personalize outreach at scale, and cultivate warm conversations with qualified leads.

• Cold prospecting made warm: Start with a LinkedIn search for your ideal customer profile, send personalized connection requests, then follow up automatically after acceptance to build rapport before the sales pitch.

• Multi-touch campaign automation: Layer connection requests, welcome messages, and timed follow-ups into a single automated sequence that runs day and night, keeping your pipeline full.

• Territory expansion: Sales teams targeting new markets or regions use this Automation to connect with hundreds of prospects weekly while staying compliant with LinkedIn's limits.

• Event and webinar follow-up: After hosting a webinar or attending an industry event, export attendees or post-engagers via LinkedIn search, then launch targeted outreach with relevant follow-ups.

• Account-based marketing: Marketing teams build search lists of decision-makers within target accounts, then nurture them with personalized LinkedIn touchpoints that drive meetings and demos.

Workflow Ideas to Get You Started

PhantomBuster Automations become more effective when combined into Workflows. Chain multiple steps together to build full prospecting sequences that run on autopilot.

Try it free and see how Workflows can transform your LinkedIn outreach.

Workflow Example: Find and engage new LinkedIn leads daily

Sales Navigator Search Export → LinkedIn Outreach

Why this works

Sales Navigator's dynamic filters (like 'posted recently') surface new prospects daily. Watcher mode keeps your pipeline constantly fed with fresh, engaged leads who recently became relevant, ensuring you're always reaching out to active prospects.

Who it's for

SDRs, BDRs, and sales teams who need a consistent flow of qualified prospects without relying on static lists.

How to build it

1. Set up your dynamic search in Sales Navigator Search Export using filters like 'Posted on LinkedIn' and enable Watcher mode to run daily.

2. Use LinkedIn Outreach for additional nurturing sequences after initial connection.

Outcome

Fresh prospects delivered and engaged on autopilot, keeping your pipeline constantly fed with high-intent leads.

See full playbook →

Workflow Example: Warm up leads before outreach

LinkedIn Profile Visitor → LinkedIn Auto Follow → LinkedIn Auto Liker → LinkedIn Outreach

Why this works

Social warming creates familiarity before you send connection requests. Prospects who've seen your name through profile visits, follows, and post likes are far more likely to accept your invitation and respond to your messages.

Who it's for

Sales reps and account executives who want to improve connection acceptance rates and build relationships before pitching.

How to build it

1. Use LinkedIn Profile Visitor to appear in prospects' "Who's Viewed Your Profile" list.

2. Chain LinkedIn Auto Follow to add another touchpoint in their notifications.

3. Run LinkedIn Auto Liker to like a few recent posts, showing genuine interest.

4. Launch LinkedIn Outreach to send personalized connection requests and follow-ups to warmed prospects.

Outcome

Higher acceptance rates and better response rates because prospects recognize your name before you reach out.

Workflow Example: Convert competitor post engagers into leads

LinkedIn Post Likers Export → LinkedIn Post Commenters Export → LinkedIn Profile Scraper → LinkedIn Outreach

Why this works

People engaging with competitor content are already interested in your industry. They're showing active intent, making them warmer prospects than cold lists. Enriching their profiles before outreach ensures your messaging is relevant and personalized.

Who it's for

Sales teams, ABM teams, and RevOps professionals targeting high-intent prospects who are already familiar with your market.

How to build it

1. Use LinkedIn Post Likers Export and LinkedIn Post Commenters Export to collect profiles interacting with competitor posts.

2. Run LinkedIn Profile Scraper to gather detailed profile info and professional emails for better personalization.

3. Launch LinkedIn Outreach to send personalized connection requests and follow-up messages to these warm leads.

Outcome

Higher conversion rates from prospects who are already engaged with your market, turning competitor engagement into your pipeline.

Workflow Example: Enrich and sync leads to your CRM

LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach → LinkedIn Profile Scraper → AI LinkedIn Profile Enricher → HubSpot Contact Sender

Why this works

Connecting with prospects is just the first step. Enriching their profiles with AI-powered qualification and syncing them to your CRM ensures your sales team has complete, actionable data for follow-up and pipeline tracking.

Who it's for

Sales managers, RevOps teams, and sales reps who need clean, enriched data flowing directly into their CRM for accurate forecasting and prioritization.

How to build it

1. Run LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach to send connection requests and follow-ups to your target list.

2. Use LinkedIn Profile Scraper to gather detailed profile info and professional emails for accepted connections.

3. Apply AI LinkedIn Profile Enricher to qualify leads against your ICP and score them for prioritization.

4. Sync qualified leads to HubSpot using HubSpot Contact Sender for seamless CRM integration.

Outcome

Complete, enriched contact records in your CRM, ready for personalized outreach and accurate pipeline forecasting.

Important: Follow safe usage. See our LinkedIn limits guide and automation safety resources for details.

How to auto-send connection requests and follow-up messages on LinkedIn

This Automation will extract a list of profiles from a LinkedIn search, send them a connection request with a personalized message, then send them up to 2 more follow-up messages at scheduled intervals of your choice if they have not responded.

It all happens automatically in just five easy steps:

1. Connect to your LinkedIn account using your session cookie.

2. Pre-write and personalize the connection request message.

3. Pre-write and personalize the follow-up message(s) you want to send.

4. Launch the Automation and let it run automatically to start sending connection requests and follow-up message sequences.

5. Keep a record of all the profiles you've invited and messaged in a resulting spreadsheet.

Check out the Tutorial for a detailed walkthrough with screenshots and setup tips.

Best practices

Get the most out of this Automation while staying safe and compliant.

Stay within LinkedIn's limits: LinkedIn implements different limitations for different users, and may be running A/B tests on certain features. Free plan users are limited to only 200 characters in their invitation messages, instead of 300 characters for Premium users. We recommend trying out your character limitations in a manual connection request before setting up the Automation.

Understand connection request caps: Some users are limited to only 5 connection requests with a message per month, while users with LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator accounts have higher limits than free LinkedIn users. Always test manually first to confirm your current limits. For more details, read New LinkedIn Limits 2025: Connections, Messages, Views & How to Scale Safely.

Keep list sizes manageable: While this Automation accepts up to three LinkedIn Search URLs or one Sales Navigator Search URL and 5,000 profiles, we recommend keeping your lists closer to 3,000 for faster runs and better replies. Smaller batches allow you to test messaging, monitor acceptance rates, and adjust quickly.

Personalize your messaging: Use LinkedIn profile data like first name, company, or role in your connection request and follow-up templates. Personalized outreach converts better and reduces the risk of being flagged as spam.

Schedule follow-ups thoughtfully: Space out your follow-up messages by at least 2-3 days to avoid overwhelming new connections. Send up to 2 more follow-up messages at scheduled intervals if they have not responded, but respect their silence if they don't engage.

Monitor your account health: If you receive a LinkedIn automation tool warning or notice your account is restricted, pause your campaigns immediately and review LinkedIn Automation Tool Warning: What You Need to Know for guidance on staying safe.

Why should you automate your LinkedIn lead generation strategy and outreach campaigns?

Manual LinkedIn prospecting is effective when it's just a handful of profiles, but following up at scale is nearly impossible without automation. Every step in the outreach process counts, and there's no reason you can't centralize and perfect each one simultaneously.

1. Find your target audience

Starting with a curated LinkedIn search is key. Define your ideal customer profile so you can fill your CRM with the right people and reach them with a relevant sales or marketing pitch.

2. Convert them into connections

LinkedIn profiles are of limited use on their own. By auto-connecting with your leads, you speed up the lead generation process by getting your name and company noticed, turning cold prospects into warm connections.

3. Send a message at the most opportune time

When you contact someone you've freshly connected with, you're cementing yourself in their minds. Make the content count by keeping it personal and making your business attractive. Follow-up sequences help you stay top-of-mind without manual effort.

4. Save your precious time

When you're in the thick of lead generation, using a LinkedIn automation tool to take care of the whole sequence allows you to focus on the meaty follow-up with those who are responsive. Less time laboring, more time closing deals.

With PhantomBuster, you can generate leads on LinkedIn without breaking a sweat.

Frequently asked questions

Here are the most common questions about using LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach, from setup and compliance to data quality and comparisons.

How do I get started with LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach?

Connect your LinkedIn account using your session cookie, paste your LinkedIn search URLs, write your connection request and follow-up message templates, then launch the Automation. The full setup takes about 10 minutes. For a step-by-step walkthrough with screenshots, see the LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach tutorial.

How does this compare to other LinkedIn outreach tools?

Unlike tools that rely on static databases or third-party enrichment, this Automation pulls fresh, live data directly from LinkedIn searches and sends personalized connection requests in real time. You control the targeting, messaging, and timing, making it far more flexible and accurate than pre-built lead lists.

For a deeper comparison, check out 10 Best LinkedIn Automation Tools in 2025.

What are the LinkedIn limits I need to know about?

LinkedIn applies different limits based on account type and may run A/B tests on features. Free Plan users are limited to only 200 characters in invitation messages, whereas Premium ones can reach 300 characters. Some accounts are capped at 5 connection requests with a message per month. Users with LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator accounts have higher limits than free LinkedIn users. Always test manually first to confirm your current limits. Read New LinkedIn Limits 2025 for the latest details.

How many profiles can I process, and how fast does it run?

This Automation accepts up to three LinkedIn Search URLs or one Sales Navigator Search URL. Execution speed depends on LinkedIn rate limits and your account type, but most campaigns process hundreds of profiles daily while staying compliant. All of this takes place in the cloud, so your browser and computer can stay closed.

Can I customize the follow-up message sequence?

Yes. You can send up to 2 more follow-up messages at scheduled intervals of your choice if they have not responded. Pre-write and personalize each message template before launching, and the Automation will send them automatically based on your timing preferences. This keeps your outreach consistent without manual effort.

Is this Automation safe and compliant with LinkedIn's terms?

PhantomBuster mimics human behavior to stay under LinkedIn's radar, but you must follow best practices to keep your account safe. Stay within your account's connection request and message limits, personalize your outreach, and avoid sending mass messages. For detailed guidance, read LinkedIn Automation Tool Warning: What You Need to Know and LinkedIn Account Restricted? Here's How to Fix It.

Can I chain this with other Automations or integrate it into my CRM?

Yes. You can chain this Automation with other PhantomBuster tools to build full prospecting workflows, such as warming up leads before connecting or enriching profiles after they accept your request. You can also export the resulting spreadsheet to Google Sheets, HubSpot, Salesforce, or any CRM via API. For workflow inspiration, explore Find and engage new LinkedIn leads daily and Craft personalized AI outreach to ICPs.

How is this different from the LinkedIn Outreach Automation?

LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach includes search extraction, connection requests, and follow-up sequences in one flow, making it ideal for end-to-end campaigns. If you already have a list of profiles and only need to send invites and follow-ups, use LinkedIn Outreach instead. If you want to extract search results without sending messages, try LinkedIn Search Export.

What if I want to use Sales Navigator searches instead?

Use the Sales Navigator Search to Lead Outreach Automation instead. It works the same way but is optimized for Sales Navigator's advanced search filters and lead lists, giving you access to more precise targeting and higher daily limits.

Can I track who accepted my connection requests and who responded?

Yes. The Automation keeps a record of all the profiles you've invited and messaged in a resulting spreadsheet, including Profile URL, First Name, and 26 more data points. You can track acceptance rates, monitor responses, and sync this data into your CRM for follow-up tracking. For a complete guide on LinkedIn outreach metrics, read LinkedIn Outreach 101: Complete Guide For 2025.

Ready to try it?

Start prospecting smarter today.

Try LinkedIn Search to Lead Outreach free with no setup or coding required. Extract leads from LinkedIn searches, send personalized connection requests, and automate follow-up sequences while you focus on closing deals. Get started in minutes and see why thousands of sales teams trust PhantomBuster for LinkedIn lead generation.