LinkedIn is built on the foundation of people connecting to other professionals they know and trust. We want you to build a valuable network and make meaningful connections that will have a positive impact on your career. To get the most out of LinkedIn and your network, we require members to connect to others who they trust enough with their personal contact information. In addition to your email address, your connections can view your employment history, your recommendations and endorsements, and see your network updates that include Top Voices and Groups you're following. By connecting to only those who you know and trust, you'll better ensure you're protecting your employment information and sharing it with people who will find it relevant. We'd like to share some tips for inviting others to join your network. Utilizing these tips can significantly decrease the chances of your invitations being declined:
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Add a personal note to your invitations to help jog the recipient's memory. Briefly explain how you know them and why you'd like to add them to your network.
Note: The personal note option isn't available when you import your address book or add email addresses from the Add Connections feature.
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Making sure you have an updated profile photo is a great way to help someone identify you.
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You always have the ability to withdraw any invitations if you believe that particular people are likely to respond as not knowing who you are.
Invitation Restrictions
LinkedIn has policies in place to stop behavior that other people may find abusive. If you're required to enter an email address before sending an invitation, we've determined that your account is in violation of our User Agreement when sending invitations. The most common reason for an invitation restriction is sending too many invitations to people you don't know or sending too many in a short period of time. We may lift the restriction automatically if we deem your account to be no longer suspicious or abusive. However, if you receive further invitation restrictions after your first time, your account may be permanently required to enter the recipient's email address for all future invitations.
Tips to prevent restrictions:
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Only invite people that you personally know and who know you.
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Only invite those you'd recommend to others.
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Personalize your invitation message. Be sure to explain how you know them or why you want to connect.
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Add a current picture of yourself to your profile so people recognize you.
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Use an InMail if you don't know someone's email address.
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Use the Ignore button for invitations from someone you know but choose not to connect with.
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Only use the I Don't Know option when you truly don't know the member.