How to Use the LinkedIn Search to Outreach

*For a workflow targeting 10–20 LinkedIn leads, the full process typically takes around 5–15 minutes total, including exporting search results, sending connection requests, and follow-up messages, plus a few extra seconds for the workflow to process.

Step 1: Choose which profiles to invite

Select the source you want to extract from. This can be either:

• A LinkedIn search URL
• Or a Sales Navigator search URL.

If you provide a Sales Navigator profile URL, connection requests and follow-up messages will still be sent through your regular LinkedIn account.

Step 2: Connect your LinkedIn account

To let the automation act on your behalf:

1. Install the PhantomBuster browser extension and connect your LinkedIn session in one click.
2. If you’re not using Chrome or Firefox, you can retrieve your session cookie manually, see our cookie guide.

Check your browser user agent
Make sure your browser is up to date before connecting your account. 
→ If your Chrome or Firefox version is outdated, your session cookie may expire much more quickly, and you’ll need to reconnect often.

Step 3: Customize your connection request message

If you skip this step, invites will be sent without a message.

To add a personal message to your invite:

1. Tick Customize your LinkedIn connection request message to open the message field.
2. Enter your message:
   • Regular plan allows 200 characters, and 5 personalized invites per month.
   • Premium accounts allow the full 300 characters with unlimited personalized invites.

Watch the character counter in the bottom-right corner of the message box to track your usage. This helps you stay within limits and avoid your message being cut off. Keep in mind that placeholder tags also count toward the limit, so leave room for both the tag itself and the replaced text.

• Placeholder tags:
  • All available tags appear at the bottom of the message box.
  • Click on a tag to insert it, or use the + icon to see the full list.
• Formatting restrictions:
  • Emojis are not supported.
  • Hyperlinks are not supported: any pasted link will appear as plain text.

Step 4: Write and schedule follow-up messages

After a connection request is accepted, you can automatically send up to 3 follow-up messages on LinkedIn.

To send follow-up messages after your connection requests are accepted:

1. Tick Schedule a first follow-up message to access the scheduling options and open the message field.
2. Define when to send it:
   • Choose the delay, between 0 and 15 days (e.g. “Send 1st follow-up after at least 2 days”).
   • Messages are only sent if the person accepts your connection and hasn’t replied.
3. Enter your message:
   • Write your message in the “Your message” field (up to 8,000 characters).
   • Click on the tags listed below the message box to insert them automatically.
   • Click the + icon to see all available tags.

   • Watch the character counter in the bottom-right corner of the message box to track your usage.

4. Attach files (optional): 
   Add documents or images to your message:
   • Maximum combined file size = 20 MB.
   • Hyperlinks are not supported → if you paste a link, it will appear as plain text.
5. Add up to two more follow-ups, each with its own delay and message content.
   • These will only send if the contact hasn’t replied to any earlier message.

Step 5: Choose how many invites to send per day

You can adjust how many invitations to send and when to send them.

• Daily invitation limit (Optional):
  • Default = 20.
  • LinkedIn allows up to 100 invites per week but we recommend 20 invites per weekday to stay within safe limits.
    → Learn more in our LinkedIn rate limits guide.
• You’ll typically see your first batch of leads processed within 3–6 minutes after launching the Workflow.

The Workflow automatically spreads actions throughout the working day, according to your account’s timezone. It does not include customizable Launch settings.

Step 6 (Optional): Advanced settings

Advanced settings are available if you want to fine-tune how your Workflow runs, but by default they’re already optimized for most use cases.

We recommend leaving them as they are unless a guide specifically instructs you to change something.

→ For a detailed overview of all advanced options (like execution limits, retries, email notifications, proxies, webhooks, and file management), see our Advanced settings guide.

Launch and results

When you’re ready:

• Toggle the ON/OFF switch to start your Workflow.
• PhantomBuster will start extracting leads from your LinkedIn or Sales Navigator search automatically.

Filter your results and launch outreach

After extraction, you’ll see your leads appear in the Workflow console.

1. Use the Outreach queue filter to refine your audience: for instance, by location, title, or company type.
   
2. Review your filtered leads and confirm they match your ICP.
3. Toggle on your LinkedIn outreach to start sending invites and messages automatically.
   

Once launched, PhantomBuster will now send your messages and track engagement.

Track your results and metrics

Your Workflow dashboard shows live performance under Tabs & Key metrics, including:

• Invitations sent
• Invitations accepted
• Follow-up messages sent
• Replies received
• Skipped or failed invites

Use this data to track conversion rates and optimize your outreach content.

Understand execution timing

This Workflow combines several Phantoms that work together to extract profiles and send your outreach messages. Because these steps happen in sequence, invitations and follow-ups are not sent immediately after launch.

Here’s what happens behind the scenes:

• The Workflow first gathers the profile URLs from your LinkedIn or Sales Navigator search.
• It then prepares your outreach queue based on those results.
• Once extraction is complete, it starts sending connection requests and follow-up messages automatically.

You’ll typically see the first actions appear within a few minutes after launch. This delay is normal, it ensures your account stays safe and within LinkedIn’s activity limits.

Pause, edit, or delete your Workflow

You can manage your Workflow anytime from your PhantomBuster Dashboard:

• Pause: Toggle off your Workflow to pause automation instantly.
  
• Edit or Delete: Click the three-dot menu (…) to edit settings or delete it entirely.
  

What you give (Input) and What you get (Output)

This section gives you a detailed breakdown of everything you need to provide to run this Workflow, and everything you’ll receive once it completes.

What you give (Input)

Type	Description
LinkedIn cookie	Your LinkedIn session cookie
User agent	Your browser’s user agent. This is detected automatically when you connect your LinkedIn account using the PhantomBuster browser extension (Chrome or Firefox).
LinkedIn searches	LinkedIn search URLs
Sales Navigator searches	Sales Navigator search URLs
Sales Navigator lists	Sales Navigator list URLs

What you get (Output)

Type	Description
profileUrl	Profile Url
firstName	First Name
lastName	Last Name
fullName	Full Name
headline	Headline
location	Location
summary	Summary
imgUrl	Img Url
schoolName	School Name
connectionsCount	Connections Count
followersCount	Followers Count
connectionDegree	Connection Degree
companyName	Company Name
companyUrl	Company Url
companyId	Company Id
logoUrl	Logo Url
website	Website
industry	Industry
companySize	Company Size
headquarters	Headquarters
type	Type
founded	Founded
specialties	Specialties
industryCode	Industry Code
emailAddress	Email Address
emailQualification	Email Qualification

Tips and troubleshooting

Common pitfalls

• Search URL issues → Make sure your LinkedIn or Sales Navigator search URL is correct and fully loaded before starting.
• Message length → Premium accounts allow the full 300 characters with unlimited personalized invites. Regular plan tops out at 200 characters and 5 personalized invites per month.
• No custom scheduling → This Workflow doesn’t have Launch settings.
• If the Workflow stops working:
  • Errors may not always appear in the Dashboard.
  • To check hidden errors and execution details, open the Logs section from the console page of your automation. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Troubleshoot Errors in Workflows.

If you run into issues

• Browse the Fix Issues & Troubleshoot Errors section for solutions to common problems.
• Review our Automation Rate Limits by Platform guide.
• Check our Best Practices for Social Media Automation guide.

Suggested automations

• LinkedIn Profile Scraper: Enrich extracted profiles with additional data like location and industry.
• LinkedIn Auto Liker: Engage with your prospects’ content to warm up connections.
• LinkedIn Auto Commenter: Leave relevant comments to increase visibility before outreach.