1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree connections
LinkedIn's distance labels: 1st = connected to you, 2nd = connected to your connections, 3rd = beyond that. Each degree changes what outreach is possible and how warm it lands.
The degrees are an economics system. Messaging 1st-degree connections is free and unlimited by invite caps — the cheapest volume in outbound, and the most neglected. 2nd degree is the sweet spot for invites: a mutual connection is visible social proof, and acceptance rates reflect it. 3rd degree is where research matters most — or where an InMail or a warm intro through the shared graph beats a cold invite.
LinkedBoost is the LinkedIn MCP for Claude — agent-run outreach with enforced limits and a human trigger on every send. See how it works →