LinkedIn Follow-Up vs. Email: Which Works Better?

• LinkedIn is great for building professional relationships, leveraging real-time updates, and engaging through mutual connections. It works best for short, conversational messages.
• Email excels at formal communication, sharing detailed information, and managing large-scale outreach. It's ideal for proposals, attachments, and tracking performance with analytics.

Quick Comparison

Feature	LinkedIn	Email
Tone	Conversational, casual	Professional, formal
Message Length	Short (under 150 words)	Longer (up to 300 words)
Best Use	Networking, relationship-building	Detailed communication, proposals
Timing	9 AM - 4 PM (business hours)	10 AM - 2 PM (workday peak)
Strengths	Personalization, visibility	Scalability, analytics

Key Takeaway

Use LinkedIn for relationship-building and personal outreach, and email for detailed, formal communication. Combining both creates a well-rounded follow-up strategy that maximizes engagement.

LinkedIn vs. Cold email: Is Cold Outreach on Linkedin More ...

Why LinkedIn Follow-Ups Work

LinkedIn's professional focus makes it a powerful tool for connecting with prospects. Here's why follow-ups on this platform can be so effective.

Built-In Professional Context

LinkedIn operates in a professional space where users are already thinking about career growth and networking. When you send a message, prospects can instantly check out your profile, including your work history, mutual connections, and expertise. This transparency helps establish trust and credibility right from the start.

Up-to-Date Prospect Information

LinkedIn keeps you informed about key updates in a prospect's career, like role changes, recent posts, or milestones. This lets you craft follow-ups that feel personal and timely, referencing their latest activities. These tailored messages are more likely to grab attention and lead to higher engagement.

Increased Message Visibility

Since LinkedIn encourages regular activity, users often check their messages. This means your follow-ups are more likely to be seen and responded to quickly.

Leveraging Shared Connections

Mutual connections on LinkedIn serve as a natural introduction, adding credibility to your outreach. These shared ties can make your messages feel more personal and trustworthy.

Why Email Follow-Ups Work

Email plays a key role in building and maintaining strong relationships with prospects. While LinkedIn focuses on real-time networking, email stands out for its ability to deliver detailed and dependable communication.

A Go-To Business Tool

Email is a standard in professional settings. At Artemis Leads, we've noticed that decision-makers frequently check their inboxes during the workday, making it a reliable way to reach them. It's also the perfect medium for formal communication when you need to share important details.

Perfect for Detailed Communication

Need to send a detailed proposal or attach important documents? Email allows you to do this without the restrictions of other platforms, making it ideal for long-form messages.

Great for Large-Scale Outreach

Email platforms make it easy to manage large campaigns. With automation and contact management tools, you can keep your outreach organized and tailored to specific audiences.

Data That Drives Improvement

Email analytics are a game-changer. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and response times help you understand what works and where to adjust your follow-up strategy for better results.

LinkedIn vs. Email Follow-Ups

LinkedIn and email each serve unique purposes in B2B outreach. Understanding their differences can help you fine-tune your follow-up strategy for better results.

Message Format

LinkedIn messages thrive on brevity and a conversational tone, while email allows for more detailed and formatted communication.

Aspect	LinkedIn Messages	Email Messages
Length	150 words or less	Up to 300 words recommended
Tone	Conversational, social-focused	Professional, business-focused
Formatting	Simple (text only)	Rich text, HTML, attachments
Preview	First 2-3 lines visible	Subject line + preview text

The format is just one piece of the puzzle - timing is equally important.

Timing and Schedule

LinkedIn messages tend to perform better during standard business hours, especially between 9 AM and 4 PM local time. Emails, on the other hand, are effective throughout the workday, with peak performance between 10 AM and 2 PM.

Suggested follow-up intervals:

• LinkedIn: Space messages 3-5 business days apart.
• Email: Follow up 2-3 business days after the initial contact.

Personalization Tactics

LinkedIn gives you access to real-time profile data, making it easy to reference achievements or shared interests. Emails, however, are better for showcasing company-specific insights and engagement history.

Here are some email personalization ideas:

• Company details: Mention industry challenges or market position.
• Role-specific focus: Address department goals or professional duties.
• Engagement history: Highlight prior interactions or website activity.

Tailor these methods to align with your overall outreach plan.

Crafting Response Requests

LinkedIn is ideal for softer calls-to-action that spark conversation:

Emails are better suited for direct, actionable requests:

• Propose specific meeting times.
• Outline clear next steps with deadlines.
• Use structured options (e.g., "Please choose A, B, or C").

Follow-Up Methods That Work

LinkedIn Message Tips

When following up on LinkedIn, focus on building relationships and keeping your messages concise. Here are some practical tips:

• Do your homework: Check their recent activity, shared connections, or company updates before reaching out. This helps you tailor your message.
• Start a conversation: Reference mutual interests or trending topics to kick things off naturally.
• Add value: Share articles or posts that are relevant to the conversation and showcase your expertise.
• Keep it mobile-friendly: Use short paragraphs and clear formatting for easy reading on mobile devices.

Email Message Tips

Email follow-ups need to stand out in crowded inboxes. Here's how to make yours count:

• Craft a strong subject line: Use action-oriented language and keep it under 50 characters.
• Write compelling preview text: Start with a strong opening sentence to grab attention.
• Provide context: Begin with a quick recap of your previous interaction.
• Include a single CTA: End with one clear call-to-action to make the next step obvious.

Combining these email strategies with LinkedIn outreach creates a more cohesive and effective follow-up plan.

Using Both Channels Together

Using LinkedIn and email together can significantly boost engagement. For example, Artemis Leads uses a multi-channel approach to create multiple touchpoints that feel personal and genuine. Here’s how a coordinated strategy might look:

Timing	LinkedIn Action	Email Action
Week 1	Send a connection request	Send an introduction email
Week 2	Share relevant content	Follow up with industry insights
Week 3	Send a direct message	Share a value-focused email
Week 4	Comment on their post	Send a final follow-up email

To make this work:

• Keep your messaging consistent while adjusting your tone for each platform.
• Monitor responses to see which channel your prospect prefers.
• Use insights from one channel to guide your approach on the other.
• Space out your follow-ups to avoid overwhelming your prospect.

This balanced strategy ensures you stay on their radar without being overly persistent.

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Using both LinkedIn and email effectively can transform your follow-up strategy. Here's a quick recap:

• LinkedIn helps you connect in a professional space, gives you real-time updates on prospects, increases your visibility through profile views and mutual connections, and allows direct engagement via comments and reactions.
• Email offers a reliable way to send detailed, long-form messages, reach a larger audience, and track performance with analytics.

By combining these tools, you can create multiple, well-timed touchpoints to boost your chances of success. Artemis Leads' multichannel strategy is a great example of how LinkedIn and email together can drive better results.

How to Get Started

To put this dual-channel strategy into action:

• Use LinkedIn for relationship-building and email for sharing detailed proposals. Combine both when reaching out to decision-makers.
• Develop a clear plan with consistent messaging across platforms, schedule regular follow-ups, and track responses to refine your approach.

Related posts

• Cold Email vs LinkedIn DMs: ROI Comparison for B2B
• LinkedIn vs Email: Which Channel Converts Better for B2B?
• Email vs. LinkedIn: Best for Personalization at Scale
• Cold Email Timing vs. LinkedIn Outreach Timing