Export LinkedIn Contacts to Excel & Gmail: A Guide (2024)

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for professional networking, but managing your contacts can be challenging. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of downloading your LinkedIn contacts step-by-step, so you can easily access and utilize your valuable connections. Whether you're looking to backup your data, import contacts into your email platform, or analyze your network, this guide will help you navigate LinkedIn's data export capabilities with ease.

Understanding LinkedIn's Data Export Capabilities

LinkedIn offers a range of data export options, allowing you to download various types of information associated with your account. This includes your connections, messages, and even recommendations you've given or received. The specific data you can export is controlled by your privacy settings, which determine what information is accessible and how frequently you can request data downloads.

Here are the key points to keep in mind when exploring LinkedIn's data export capabilities:

• You can export data such as connections, messages, posts, and recommendations
• Privacy settings control what data is available for export
• There may be limitations on how often you can request data downloads
• Exported data is typically provided in a structured format, such as CSV or JSON files

To access your data export options, navigate to your account's privacy settings. From there, you can select the specific data categories you wish to download and initiate the export process. LinkedIn will then prepare your data and provide you with a download link, usually within a few hours to a day, depending on the volume of data requested.

If you are looking to scrape LinkedIn data for more detailed analysis, there are tools available to help you with that process as well.

Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting LinkedIn Connections

To export your LinkedIn connections, follow these simple steps:

1. Click on the "Me" icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and select "Settings & Privacy" from the dropdown menu.
2. In the left sidebar, click on "Data privacy" under the "Account preferences" section.
3. Scroll down to the "How LinkedIn uses your data" section and click on "Get a copy of your data."
4. Select "Want something in particular? Select the data files you're most interested in."
5. Choose "Connections" from the list of available data categories.
6. Click on "Request archive" to initiate the export process.

After requesting your data, you will receive an email from LinkedIn with a link to download your connections. Click on the link and enter your password to securely access and download the data file, which will be in CSV format.

Save time by using Bardeen's LinkedIn Data Scraper to automate extracting detailed LinkedIn profiles directly into your spreadsheets or CRM systems.

Keep in mind that the exported data will only include email addresses for connections who have allowed their contacts to see or download their email address. Additionally, some special characters may not be supported in the CSV file format.

Analyzing and Utilizing Exported LinkedIn Data

Once you have downloaded your LinkedIn connections data in CSV format, it's time to analyze and utilize the information to gain valuable insights. To open the CSV file, you can use spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or a text editor.

When you open the file, you'll see columns containing data such as first name, last name, email address, company, position, and the date you connected. To organize and analyze this data:

1. Sort the data by the columns that interest you most, such as company or position.
2. Use filters to narrow down the data based on specific criteria, like location or industry.
3. Create pivot tables to summarize the data and identify patterns or trends.

For networking purposes, you can use the organized data to:

• Identify potential contacts within your target companies or industries.
• Segment your connections based on their roles or expertise for targeted outreach.
• Prioritize your outreach efforts based on the strength of your relationships (e.g., first-degree connections).

For marketing purposes, you can:

• Analyze the companies and industries represented in your network to identify potential target audiences.
• Use the email addresses to create targeted email campaigns or custom audiences for social media advertising.
• Identify influencers or thought leaders within your network who can help amplify your marketing messages.

By leveraging spreadsheet software and basic data analysis techniques, you can gain valuable insights from your exported LinkedIn data to inform your networking and marketing strategies.

Integrating LinkedIn Contacts with Email Platforms

Importing your LinkedIn contacts into your email system can help streamline your communication and outreach efforts. Here's how to sync your LinkedIn contacts with popular email platforms like Gmail and Outlook:

1. Go to your LinkedIn settings and navigate to the "Account Preferences" section.
2. Look for the "Sync Contacts" option and select it.
3. Choose the email platform you want to sync with, such as Gmail or Outlook.
4. Follow the prompts to grant LinkedIn permission to access your email contacts.
5. Once the sync is complete, your LinkedIn contacts will be imported into your email platform.

To manage your imported contacts and use them for email campaigns:

• Create a separate contact group or label for your LinkedIn contacts to keep them organized.
• Review and clean up any duplicate or outdated contacts to ensure your email list is accurate.
• Segment your LinkedIn contacts based on factors like industry, job title, or location for targeted email campaigns.
• Use your email platform's features to create personalized email templates and track the success of your campaigns.

By integrating your LinkedIn contacts with your email system, you can easily stay in touch with your professional network and build a robust prospect list for networking, marketing, and business development purposes.

Save time by using this Bardeen playbook to auto-update LinkedIn profiles in Google Sheets.

Advanced Techniques: Using Third-Party Tools for LinkedIn Data

While LinkedIn's built-in data export features are useful, third-party tools can enhance the experience by providing additional data points and automation capabilities. Here are a few popular options:

• Evaboot: This browser extension simplifies the process of scraping LinkedIn data by adding an "Export with Evaboot" button directly in LinkedIn Sales Navigator. It allows you to extract information from filtered searches and create ready-to-use CSV files.

• Phantombuster: A powerful automation platform that offers over 50 LinkedIn scraping and automation workflows, Phantombuster can retrieve data from profiles, posts, and groups. It also integrates with LinkedIn integration tools.

When using third-party LinkedIn scraping tools, it's essential to consider the legal and ethical implications. While scraping publicly available data is generally permissible, it's crucial to respect LinkedIn's terms of service and avoid excessive or abusive scraping practices. Additionally, be mindful of data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA when handling scraped personal information.

To stay compliant and ethical, follow these guidelines:

1. Only scrape data that is publicly accessible and does not require login credentials.
2. Limit the frequency and volume of your scraping to avoid overloading LinkedIn's servers.
3. Use the scraped data responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
4. Disclose your scraping activities in your privacy policy and provide an opt-out mechanism if necessary.

By leveraging third-party LinkedIn scraping tools responsibly, you can gain valuable insights and streamline your data extraction process while respecting legal and ethical boundaries.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with LinkedIn Data Export

When exporting your LinkedIn contacts, you may encounter some common problems that can hinder the process. Here are a few issues you might face and how to resolve them:

1. Incomplete data: If your exported file doesn't contain all the expected information, try exporting smaller batches of contacts at a time. LinkedIn may limit the amount of data you can export in a single file.
2. Delayed delivery: LinkedIn can take up to 72 hours to generate and deliver your data export file. If you haven't received your file after this time, contact LinkedIn support for assistance.
3. Empty file: In some cases, users with over 4,000 connections may receive an empty file when attempting to export their contacts. To work around this issue, try accessing the export feature using this direct link: http://www.linkedin.com/connectionsnojs

To ensure a smooth data export process, follow these tips:

• Verify that you have the necessary permissions to export your data and that your account is in good standing.
• Clear your browser cache and close all other windows before initiating the export process.
• If you continue to experience issues, try using a different browser or device to request the data export.
• Reach out to LinkedIn's customer support if you encounter persistent problems or have questions about the export process.

You can also connect Microsoft Excel to LinkedIn to streamline your data management process and ensure a smooth export.

Use Bardeen to integrate Excel with LinkedIn and automate data management. Save time and simplify your workflow by clicking here.

By being aware of these common issues and following best practices, you can successfully export your LinkedIn contacts and make the most of your professional network data.

Downloading contacts from LinkedIn can be manually done following the steps provided above, but for a more streamlined and automated approach, Bardeen offers powerful automation capabilities. Automating this process can save you time, reduce manual errors, and allow for the seamless integration of LinkedIn data with other tools and platforms. Let's explore how Bardeen can make networking and data management on LinkedIn more efficient.

1. Copy LinkedIn profile to Coda, when I right-click: This playbook simplifies the process of storing LinkedIn profiles into a Coda table with just a right-click. It's particularly useful for researchers and recruiters looking to organize contacts efficiently.
2. Save LinkedIn profile to HubSpot as a new contact: Seamlessly transfer LinkedIn profile data to HubSpot as new contacts. This automation is a game-changer for sales and marketing professionals aiming to enhance their CRM data without manual input.
3. Save LinkedIn profile & company to HubSpot as a new contact: Elevate your CRM by not only adding new contacts from LinkedIn but also their associated companies to HubSpot. This playbook ensures a more comprehensive data collection for business development efforts.

Embrace the power of automation with Bardeen and transform your LinkedIn networking and data management tasks. Get started by downloading the Bardeen app at Bardeen.ai/download.