The most accurate term to talk about LinkedIn users is “LinkedIn members” or “LinkedIn members”. Then, the word changes depending on the relationship between the profiles: 1st degree relationship, 2nd degree relationship, subscriber, group member, out-of-network member, prospect, candidate, recruiter or potential client.

  • Remember“LinkedIn user” remains understandable in French, but LinkedIn officially speaks of members. For a sales or recruitment strategy, you have to go further and use the right term according to the signal observed.

Quick response

  • If you’re looking for the simple wordsay “LinkedIn member”.
  • If you are talking about a person connected to yousay “relationship” or “1st degree relationship”.
  • If the person follows your publications without being connectedsay “subscribe”.
  • If you work in prospectingsay “prospect” only when the person corresponds to your target and there is a commercial context. Not all LinkedIn members are prospects.
  • If you are recruitingsay “potential candidate” only when the profile corresponds to a position, a skill or a pool. Not all LinkedIn members are candidates.

LinkedIn terms to know

Term Practical definition When to use it
LinkedIn Member Person registered on LinkedIn General and official term
1st degree relationship Person connected directly to you Direct message, close network
2nd degree relationship Person connected to one of your connections Invitation, introduction, prospecting
3rd degree relationship Person connected to a 2nd degree relationship Broader search
Subscribe Person who follows your content Audience, content, influence
Group Member Person in the same LinkedIn group Communities and thematic conversations
Out of network member Member who does not fit into your close network Limited visibility, InMail sometimes possible

LinkedIn explains that your network is made up of 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree connections, your followers and members of your LinkedIn groups. The degree of relationship also influences what you can see and how you can interact.

Relationship, contact or subscriber: the differences

A LinkedIn connection is someone with whom you have agreed to a mutual connection. LinkedIn states that a 1st degree connection is a contact you know and trust professionally. You can message him directly on LinkedIn.

A subscriber is not necessarily a relationship. He can see your public posts in his feed depending on your settings, but that doesn’t mean you can send him a direct message for free. LinkedIn also specifies that first-degree relationships automatically follow your posts and articles, and that any member can follow you if your settings allow it.

A contact, in common parlance, can designate a LinkedIn relationship, a person imported from your address book or a prospect in your CRM. To avoid confusion, use “LinkedIn relationship” when the connection is mutual, and “CRM contact” when you are talking about a business listing.

Vocabulary matrix according to context

Context Term recommends Term to avoid
Informative article LinkedIn Member Premium user if that’s not the topic
Personal network LinkedIn Relationship Friend, unless it’s really personal
Content and audience Subscribe LinkedIn Relationship, if the connection is not mutual
B2B prospecting Qualified LinkedIn Prospect Lead if no qualifications exist
Recruitment Potential candidate Candidate if the person has nothing requested
Community management Member, subscriber, commentator Customer, without commercial proof
Sales reporting Lead, prospect, target account LinkedIn user vague

This precision matters for SEO and conversions. A page that talks about “members” answers general information. A page that talks about “LinkedIn prospects” must explain a qualification method. A page that talks about “subscribers” must address audience growth and publications.

Why vocabulary changes your strategy

Bad vocabulary creates bad actions. If you call all prospects’ LinkedIn members, you risk raising too broad. If you call all your subscribers connections, you are overestimating your ability to contact them. If you call all profile visitors leads, you turn a weak signal into certainty.

A clean B2B strategy separates four levels

  • LinkedIn member: person present on the platform;

  • signal: observable action such as visit, comment, reaction or response;

  • prospect: person who matches your ICP;

  • priority lead: prospect with several useful signals or a strong context.

It is this progression that avoids overly aggressive LinkedIn sequences.

How to use these terms in your SEO pages

For a blog or landing page, choose the word that matches the search intent:

  • “LinkedIn members” to explain the platform;

  • “LinkedIn relationships” to talk about networking and messaging;

  • “LinkedIn subscribers” to talk about content, audience and pages;

  • “LinkedIn prospects” to talk about sales, qualification and pipeline;

  • “LinkedIn candidates” to talk about recruitment;

  • “LinkedIn France users” for a statistical or market page.

This granularity helps the internal mesh. A glossary page like this should point to more useful pages once the intent becomes commercial or operational.

To continue

Common errors

  • Say “connected” to talk about all LinkedIn members.

  • Confuse subscriber and relationship.

  • Call a prospect a person who has neither need, nor fit, nor signal.

  • Call a candidate a person simply visible in a search.

  • Use “friend” in a professional context.

  • Mix CRM contact, LinkedIn relationship and subscriber in the same reporting.

  • Measure a LinkedIn audience without separating subscribers, impressions, comments and relationships.

FAQ

What are LinkedIn users officially called?

The most accurate general term is “LinkedIn members”. LinkedIn also uses the word “members” in its official help.

What is the difference between LinkedIn member and relationship?

A member is a person registered on LinkedIn. A relationship is a member with whom you have accepted a mutual connection, particularly a first degree relationship.

What is the difference between relationship and LinkedIn follower?

A relationship is a mutual connection. A subscriber follows your content, but is not necessarily connected to you. According to LinkedIn, first-degree connections automatically follow your posts, and other members can also follow you if your settings allow it.

Can we call LinkedIn users prospects?

Only in a commercial context qualifies. A member becomes a prospect when he corresponds to your target, has a probable need or shows relevant signals.

What is an out-of-network member?

This is a LinkedIn member who does not fit into your 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree relationships, your subscribers or your groups. LinkedIn may limit the visibility of certain fields for these profiles.

Useful sources

Remember the essential

LinkedIn users are members first. Then, the vocabulary depends on your relationship with them: relationship, subscriber, group member, out-of-network member, prospect or potential candidate.

If you want to transform this vocabulary into commercial or recruitment actions, test Yadulink to qualify the right LinkedIn members, follow the signals and prioritize useful follow-ups.