LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools for professionals looking to prospect through its extensive search engine. However, to prevent users from abuse and spam, LinkedIn has implemented a \u201ccommercial use limit\u201d to ensure everybody has a positive experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, if you\u2019re looking to get after those potential prospects, you might need to think of creative ways to work around this limit. We\u2019ll discuss the reason behind the search limit, then its rough parameters, then give you a few options for continuing your prospecting efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Long story short, LinkedIn doesn\u2019t want people using their free accounts to exploit its tremendous database of professionals. Since free accounts are considered personal accounts, they want to discourage people from running an inordinate amount of searches or blasting out bulk invites to too many people in a given time period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn\u2019s User Agreement specifically says that individual accounts are intended for personal use only and not for “sending unsolicited emails, mail, or other communications, or for any commercial or marketing purposes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s not unreasonable. We\u2019re bombarded all day, every day, with ads and spam, and unwanted advances. So, it makes sense that LinkedIn is doing the best it can to prevent this kind of behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The issue is that may also cut into your prospecting or job-hunting efforts. So, let\u2019s take a look at roughly how many searches you can run and where the limits are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources tend to agree that this number is somewhere around 300 searches per month<\/strong>. Of course, there\u2019s no heads-up display with a counter you can keep track of, so it may be hard to know where you stand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is, however, a pop-up warning that you may have already seen (and that\u2019s why you\u2019re here), which is, \u201cYou\u2019re approaching the commercial use limit on search,\u201d followed by a suggestion to try one of LinkedIn\u2019s Premium services. More on that shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First of all, don\u2019t worry – there\u2019s nothing to panic about. This lockout isn\u2019t a full lockout of your account. It only applies to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, as mentioned above, the limit resets as of the 1st of the following month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That being said, if you\u2019ve reached the limit or are nearing it, here are a few ways to bypass the limit legitimately<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you could invest in one of LinkedIn\u2019s premium products, and then the commercial use limits disappear, but not everybody has the option or the budget to shell out for Sales Navigator or Recruiter Lite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what can you do? Here are some options that allow you to work around the problem with just a little bit more effort:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just in case you didn\u2019t know, the “People You May Know” page is a feature on LinkedIn that suggests potential connections based on your current network, job title, industry, and other factors. It’s essentially a list of people LinkedIn thinks you might know or be interested in connecting with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can access the “People You May Know” page by clicking on the “My Network” tab in the top menu bar and then selecting “People You May Know” from the dropdown menu. From there, you’ll be able to view a list of suggested connections, along with their job titles, industries, and locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you already know the contact\u2019s name that you\u2019d like to connect with, the system does not prevent you from searching their name. While this isn\u2019t something you can really scale, it\u2019s good to know that if you have a lead, the lock on your account won\u2019t prevent you from connecting through LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, browsing connections on your connected page that are first-degree contacts won\u2019t count against you. Again, this makes sense that you can reach out and connect with first-degree connections because there\u2019s a much lower chance a closer connection will be a spam risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It might be worth considering either investing in Sales Navigator or starting your free trial, especially if you\u2019re doing heavy prospecting. Many of its users argue that it pays for itself if you\u2019re making connections and growing your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part is that you can use tools like Wiza to supercharge your efforts and export lead contact information right from your LinkedIn search. Yes, even if it is a Sales Navigator or Recruiter Lite free trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wiza is an easy-to-use tool that, once you\u2019ve created a free account, allows you to obtain accurate, verified contact information for your prospects straight out of LinkedIn. You can run your search in LinkedIn, then download contact data directly through the app as a CSV. Have a CRM? Wiza integrates with many of the major platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive, so syncing your fresh data couldn’t be easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Wiza\u2019s real-time data point verification, you can get access to over 30 potential data points. And, with live SMTP verification, you can know if an email address is currently active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Export candidates directly from LinkedIn Recruiter or Recruiter Lite to find valid emails and phones numbers, and 30+ additional data points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sign up for your free account today and receive 20 email credits and 5 phone credits, on us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re ready to learn more, please reach out to us on live chat on our website<\/a> or shoot us an email at hello@wiza.co<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools for professionals looking to prospect through its extensive search engine. However, to prevent users from abuse and spam, LinkedIn has implemented a \u201ccommercial use limit\u201d to ensure everybody has a positive experience. But, if you\u2019re looking to get after those potential prospects, you might need to think […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Do I Do if I\u2019ve Reached the Commercial Use Limit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Can I Bypass the Commercial Use Limit If I\u2019m Locked (Or Almost Locked) Out?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Check Out Your \u201cPeople You May Know\u201d Page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Search for Contacts by Name<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Browse Your First Degree Connections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grab a Free Trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Wiza Can Help – Even With a Free Trial Version of LinkedIn Premium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Find Valid Contact Data with Wiza<\/h3>\n\n\n\n