LinkedIn SSI Score: What It Is, How to Check & Improve It
Learn what LinkedIn's Social Selling Index (SSI) score means, how to find yours, and proven strategies to improve it in 2026.
Your LinkedIn SSI (Social Selling Index) score is a 0-100 metric that measures how effectively you use the platform for professional networking and sales. Understanding this score helps you benchmark your LinkedIn activity—though as you'll discover, chasing a high SSI isn't always the right strategy.
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn SSI score is a 0-100 metric based on four pillars: professional brand, finding people, engaging with insights, and building relationships
- Average SSI score is 40-50; top performers score above 70, and the top 1% score above 75
- Check your score free at linkedin.com/sales/ssi (no Sales Navigator required)
- Important caveat: LinkedIn itself notes that high SSI doesn't always correlate with sales outcomes—authority and inbound strategies often matter more
What Is the LinkedIn SSI Score?
According to LinkedIn's official Sales Solutions page, the Social Selling Index measures how effectively you use LinkedIn for social selling across four key areas.
Introduced in 2014, LinkedIn developed the SSI by analyzing top-performing sales professionals' usage habits and identifying what connected their LinkedIn activities to sales success. The formula rewards consistent, strategic platform use.
The Four Pillars of SSI
Your total score (out of 100) comes from four equally weighted pillars, each worth up to 25 points:
| Pillar | What It Measures | Max Points |
|---|---|---|
| Establish Your Professional Brand | Profile completeness, content publishing, follower growth | 25 |
| Find the Right People | Search usage, profile views, prospect identification | 25 |
| Engage with Insights | Content sharing, engagement given/received, InMail response rates | 25 |
| Build Relationships | Connection quality, acceptance rates, network breadth | 25 |
How to Check Your LinkedIn SSI Score
Your SSI score is free to access—no Sales Navigator subscription required.
Method 1: Direct URL (Fastest)
- Log into LinkedIn
- Visit linkedin.com/sales/ssi
- View your current score and breakdown
Method 2: Via Sales Navigator
- Click your profile image in the top right
- Select "Social Selling Index" from the dropdown
- View your detailed dashboard
Your score updates daily based on your activity over the previous 90 days. According to Kaspr, most users see improvements within 2-4 weeks of consistent activity.
What's a Good LinkedIn SSI Score?
According to LinkedIn's global research:
| Score Range | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Below 30 | Low activity, incomplete profile |
| 40-50 | Average (most LinkedIn users) |
| 50-70 | Above average, active user |
| 70-75 | Strong performer, ahead of most peers |
| 75+ | Top 1% of LinkedIn users |
The SSI dashboard also shows how you rank compared to:
- Your industry peers: Others in your sector
- Your network: People in your connections
LinkedIn SSI Score Statistics: Does It Actually Matter?
LinkedIn's research highlights impressive correlations between high SSI and sales success:
The Research Claims
According to LinkedIn's published data:
- Social selling leaders create 45% more opportunities than peers with lower SSI
- High-SSI sellers are 51% more likely to reach quota
- 78% of social sellers outsell peers who don't use social media
- High scorers receive promotions 17 months faster (based on LinkedIn's analysis of 150,000+ professionals)
The Important Caveat
Here's what's often missing from SSI discussions: LinkedIn itself acknowledges that "a high SSI score doesn't always represent the efficacy of a salesperson or correlate with measurable sales outcomes."
Why? Because:
- The time and effort needed for high SSI scores can distract from closing deals
- SSI measures activity, not necessarily quality of that activity
- The sales landscape has evolved significantly since 2014
How to Improve Your LinkedIn SSI Score
If you want to increase your SSI (with the understanding that score isn't everything), here's how to optimize each pillar:
Pillar 1: Establish Your Professional Brand (25 points)
This pillar rewards profile completeness and content authority.
Quick wins:
- Complete all profile sections (headline, about, experience, skills)
- Add a professional headshot and custom banner
- Request endorsements for top skills
- Publish long-form posts or articles regularly
What LinkedIn tracks:
- Profile completion percentage
- Multimedia on your profile
- Endorsement count
- Followers gained from content
Pillar 2: Find the Right People (25 points)
This measures how actively you use LinkedIn's search and discovery features.
Quick wins:
- Use Advanced Search to find prospects
- View profiles of potential leads regularly
- Save leads in Sales Navigator (if available)
- Accept connection requests from relevant professionals
What LinkedIn tracks:
- Advanced searches performed
- Profile views per day
- How often prospects view your profile
- Days active on platform
Pillar 3: Engage with Insights (25 points)
This pillar rewards meaningful engagement with content.
Quick wins:
- Share industry-relevant articles with commentary
- Comment thoughtfully on others' posts
- Respond to all comments on your content
- Maintain good InMail response rates
What LinkedIn tracks:
- Engagement given and received
- Shares of your content
- InMail response rate
- Consistency of engagement
Pillar 4: Build Relationships (25 points)
This measures the quality and growth of your network.
Quick wins:
- Connect with decision-makers in your target market
- Maintain high connection acceptance rates
- Build relationships with industry leaders
- Connect with internal stakeholders (for sales teams)
What LinkedIn tracks:
- Total connections and quality
- Business leaders in your network
- Connection acceptance rate
- Internal connections (for B2B sellers)
Why SSI Isn't the Whole Story: The Inbound Alternative
While improving your SSI can increase visibility, there's a fundamental problem with the SSI-first approach: it optimizes for activity volume rather than strategic outcomes.
The SSI Trap
Chasing a high SSI often leads to:
- Sending connection requests to hit daily targets (quantity over quality)
- Engaging with random content to boost activity metrics
- Focusing on vanity metrics instead of qualified leads
- Burnout from constant platform activity
The Inbound Authority Approach
Instead of optimizing for SSI, consider building inbound authority that attracts qualified prospects to you:
| SSI-Focused Approach | Inbound Authority Approach |
|---|---|
| Send 50 connection requests daily | Build authority so prospects connect with you |
| Comment on everything for visibility | Comment strategically on ideal clients' posts |
| Publish content to boost follower count | Publish content that attracts qualified leads |
| Measure success by SSI score | Measure success by inbound conversations |
According to HubSpot research, inbound leads convert at 14.6% compared to just 1.7% for outbound—an 8x improvement that no SSI score can replicate.
SSI vs. Real Business Outcomes
Here's what actually drives LinkedIn business results:
Metrics That Matter More Than SSI
| Metric | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Profile view-to-connection rate | Are the right people finding you? |
| Inbound message quality | Are prospects reaching out ready to buy? |
| Connection-to-conversation rate | Are connections turning into opportunities? |
| Content engagement depth | Are ideal clients engaging with your insights? |
LinkedIn's Own Evolution
Notably, LinkedIn is shifting focus from SSI to AI-powered tools in Sales Navigator. The platform recognizes that the 2014-era metric doesn't fully capture modern B2B sales dynamics.
How to Use SSI Strategically
Rather than chasing a high score, use SSI as a diagnostic tool:
Monthly SSI Audit
- Check your score at linkedin.com/sales/ssi
- Identify which pillar is lowest
- Make targeted improvements
- Track if improvements correlate with actual lead quality
SSI Benchmarking
Use the "compared to your industry" and "compared to your network" rankings to understand:
- Whether you're visible enough in your space
- Where competitors might be outpacing you
- Which activities to prioritize
Don't Obsess
According to Expandi's research, consistent daily activity beats sporadic effort. Small, strategic actions compound over 30-60 days. But those actions should serve your business goals—not just your SSI score.
How ConnectSafely.ai Builds Authority (Not Just SSI)
ConnectSafely.ai helps you build genuine LinkedIn authority that attracts inbound leads—which naturally improves your SSI as a byproduct:
- Strategic engagement on high-value posts increases "Engage with Insights" pillar
- Authority content boosts your "Professional Brand" pillar
- Quality connections from inbound interest strengthens "Build Relationships" pillar
- Zero risk because all engagement is platform-compliant
The difference: Instead of optimizing for the score, you're optimizing for business outcomes. The SSI improvement is just a side effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my LinkedIn SSI score for free?
Visit linkedin.com/sales/ssi while logged into LinkedIn. No Sales Navigator subscription is required. Your score updates daily based on your activity over the previous 90 days.
What is a good LinkedIn SSI score?
The average LinkedIn user scores between 40-50. A score above 70 puts you ahead of most peers, and 75+ places you in the top 1% of LinkedIn users globally. However, a high score doesn't guarantee sales success.
Does LinkedIn SSI score affect my visibility?
A high SSI indicates active platform use, which may signal to the algorithm that you're an engaged user. However, LinkedIn's algorithm primarily rewards content quality and engagement, not SSI scores directly.
How long does it take to improve my LinkedIn SSI score?
Most users see SSI improvements within 2-4 weeks of consistent daily activity. Significant gains in all four pillars typically take 3-6 months of sustained, strategic effort.
Is LinkedIn SSI score still relevant in 2026?
SSI remains a useful diagnostic tool, but LinkedIn itself is de-emphasizing it in favor of AI-powered sales tools. Focus on building authority and generating inbound leads rather than optimizing for the score.
Can I improve my SSI without Sales Navigator?
Yes. All four SSI pillars can be improved with a free LinkedIn account. Sales Navigator provides additional tools but isn't required to achieve a high SSI score or effective LinkedIn presence.
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