What is SSI?
If you've spotted a Social Selling Index score on your We-Connect dashboard, you might be wondering what it means. Simply put, it's LinkedIn's way of measuring how well you're using the platform for sales and professional networking.
Think of your SSI as a report card that shows how effectively you're building your professional presence and connecting with potential clients or partners.
The Four Building Blocks of Your SSI Score
Your SSI is calculated based on four key areas. Here's what each one means and how to improve it:
1. Building Your Professional Brand
What it measures: How well you present yourself on LinkedIn
How to improve it:
Complete every section of your LinkedIn profile with your target audience in mind
Share valuable posts and articles that showcase your expertise
Keep your profile up-to-date with relevant skills and accomplishments
Use a professional photo and compelling headline
Think of it as: Your digital first impression
2. Finding the Right People
What it measures: How well you identify and connect with relevant prospects
How to improve it:
Use LinkedIn's search filters to target the right audience
Maintain a high acceptance rate on your connection requests (people actually want to connect with you)
Get good response rates in your outreach campaigns
Leverage tools like Sales Navigator, Groups, Events, and relevant posts to find ideal connections
Think of it as: Your targeting accuracy
3. Engaging with Insights
What it measures: How actively you interact with content on the platform
How to improve it:
Like, comment on, and share posts from your connections
Join conversations in your feed
Participate in polls and discussions
React to updates from people in your network
Share articles or insights that add value to your community
Think of it as: Your conversation contribution
4. Building Relationships
What it measures: How well you develop and maintain professional connections
How to improve it:
Consistently grow your network with quality connections
Engage regularly with new contacts, not just existing ones
Build trust with decision-makers in your industry
Follow up with connections and nurture those relationships over time
Think of it as: Your relationship-building consistency
Why Should You Care About Your SSI?
Your SSI score isn't just a vanity metric. LinkedIn research has consistently shown that people with higher SSI scores achieve measurably better business results:
45% more sales opportunities compared to those with lower scores
51% higher likelihood of hitting their sales targets
78% of social sellers outperform colleagues who don't actively use social selling
In other words, a higher SSI often translates to tangible business outcomes: more meetings, more pipeline, and more closed deals.
Important Note: While LinkedIn is evolving SSI and integrating AI-driven insights into Sales Navigator, these core principles of social selling remain highly relevant. The fundamentals (building your brand, finding the right people, engaging authentically, and nurturing relationships) continue to drive results regardless of how LinkedIn measures them.
Reading Your SSI Score: A Real Example
Let's look at a sample SSI breakdown to understand what it tells you:
Total SSI Score: 50/100
Breaking it down by component:
Establish your professional brand: 17.39/25 ✓ Strong
Find the right people: 7.66/25 ✓ Strong
Engage with insights: 6.4/25 ⚠️ Needs work
Build relationships: 25/25 ✓ Excellent
What This Tells Us
The Good News: This account is doing well in three key areas. The profile owner has built a solid personal brand, effectively targets the right audience, and excels at building lasting relationships. Their outreach connects with people who are genuinely interested in what they offer.
The Opportunity: The weak spot is engagement. This person isn't interacting enough with other people's content. They're not liking posts, leaving comments, or joining conversations. It's a one-way street when it should be a two-way dialogue.
The Fix: To boost this score, the profile owner should:
Spend 10-15 minutes daily engaging with posts in their feed
Leave thoughtful comments (not just "Great post!")
Share and react to content from connections
Join discussions and participate in polls
Support others in their network by engaging with their updates
The Bottom Line
While this account shows strong branding and relationship skills, increasing daily engagement with others' content would create better balance. More importantly, it would boost visibility and establish the profile owner as an active, valued member of their professional community.
Quick Tips to Improve Your SSI
Be Complete: Fill out every section of your profile
Be Consistent: Engage on LinkedIn regularly, not sporadically
Be Selective: Connect with people who align with your goals
Be Generous: Share, comment, and support others in your network
Be Authentic: Post content that genuinely reflects your expertise
Be Active: Don't just broadcast, participate in conversations
Where to Find Your SSI Score
You can check your SSI score:
On your We-Connect dashboard
Directly on LinkedIn by visiting linkedin.com/sales/ssi
LinkedIn provides detailed breakdowns showing exactly where you stand in each of the four categories, plus how you compare to others in your industry and network.
Final Thoughts
Your Social Selling Index is essentially a health check for your LinkedIn presence. A low score isn't a failure. It's feedback showing you where to focus your efforts.
The goal isn't to game the system or obsess over numbers. Instead, use your SSI as a guide to build genuine connections, share valuable insights, and establish yourself as a trusted voice in your field. When you do those things well, the score takes care of itself.
Questions about your SSI or need help improving it? Reach out to customer support. We're here to help!