Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or simply looking to grow your professional presence, you’ve probably heard the phrase “social selling” tossed around a lot recently, and for good reason. LinkedIn has revealed some eye-opening stats:
- 78% of social sellers outperform those who don’t use social media
- 51% are more likely to hit or exceed their quotas
- High performers generate 45% more opportunities
Clearly, if you’re not paying attention to your SSI, you could be leaving a lot on the table.
What is LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index?
LinkedIn’s SSI is a score out of 100 that measures how effectively you’re using LinkedIn to sell. It looks at your activity across four key areas:
- Establishing your professional brand
- Finding the right people
- Engaging with insights
- Building strong relationships
How is Your SSI Calculated?
1️⃣ Build a Professional Brand – Complete your profile, add a cover photo, gain endorsements, and share long-form content.
2️⃣ Find the Right People – Use advanced search filters, track profile views, and save prospects.
3️⃣ Engage with Insights – Participate in groups, reply to InMails, and engage with posts.
4️⃣ Build Strong Relationships – Grow your network of decision-makers.
Why Your SSI Score Matters
A higher SSI can mean:
- More visibility on LinkedIn
- Stronger personal branding
- Greater reach and network expansion
- Access to advanced LinkedIn insights
- Competitive advantage over peers
The Future of SSI: AI and Smart Alerts
LinkedIn is evolving SSI within its Sales Navigator tools. Recent updates include generative AI to help you:
- Surface company insights like funding rounds or leadership changes
- Draft personalised InMails and content more efficiently
How to Improve Your Social Selling Index
Here are proven strategies from leading experts:
1. Strengthen Your Personal Brand
Salesloft’s Jack Neicho emphasises that a personal brand is about credibility. Show up consistently with authenticity, expertise, and reliability through posts, comments, and timely responses.
2. Find the Right People
Use smart filters to find ideal contacts and avoid generic outreach. Jack uses “bottom-up selling” engaging with end-users and influencers first to build trust before reaching decision-makers.
3. Engage with Your Network
Morgan J Ingram recommends replying to every DM and comment, personalising connection requests, and using social listening to guide outreach. Daily engagement builds trust and boosts your SSI.
4. Measure and Strengthen Relationship Building
Obaid Durrani suggests tracking engagement, connection quality, and content performance. Consistency and thoughtful interactions turn connections into opportunities.
Practical Toolkit: SSI Improvement Checklist
Use this checklist as your action plan:
- ✅ Profile photo and banner updated
- ✅ The headline clearly explains your role and value
- ✅ 3+ recent posts shared in the last month
- ✅ 5+ comments on industry-relevant posts this week
- ✅ Personalised connection requests sent
- ✅ One long-form article published this month
- ✅ Joined and contributed to relevant LinkedIn Groups
- ✅ Connected with 5 new ideal prospects using filters
Template: Connection Message Example
Here’s a friendly, natural message template you can adapt:
“Hi [Name], I noticed we both have an interest in [topic/industry] and thought it’d be great to connect. I’m always keen to meet others in the space, exchange ideas, and learn from each other’s experiences. Looking forward to chatting soon!”
The Bottom Line
Think of your SSI as a reflection of smart, value-based activity. It’s not perfect, and LinkedIn’s algorithms will evolve, but it remains a valuable guide.
The key takeaway? Build trust, be consistent, and let your SSI reflect the strategic habits you’re already practising. Focus on insights and relationships, your score will follow naturally.
Ready to see how you compare? Visit LinkedIn to check your score.
Need help optimising your LinkedIn marketing? Get in touch with the Strategy Plus team today.
