If you search “LinkedIn SSI” on Google, you’ll find dozens of articles promising that a high score will make you visible, bring you clients, and transform your career.

The reality is more nuanced.

The Social Selling Index (SSI) is a metric LinkedIn created in 2014 to measure how effectively you use the platform for selling. But in 2026, after more than a decade of evolution, LinkedIn itself is pivoting toward other tools and the SSI no longer occupies the central place it once held.

Does that mean you should ignore it? No. But you need to understand what it actually measures, what it doesn’t, and how to use it without obsessing over the number.

This guide is designed for executives and founders who want concrete data, not another generic article.

How to Check Your LinkedIn SSI Right Now

Before any theory, check your score. The URL is direct and free:

linkedin.com/sales/ssi

You don’t need Sales Navigator. You don’t need a premium account. You just need to be logged into LinkedIn.

The dashboard will show you:

What You’ll Find in the SSI Dashboard

The panel is divided into four vertical sections, one for each pillar. Each section shows:

  1. Your current score in that pillar
  2. Your industry average for comparison
  3. Your network average (your direct connections)

You’ll also see your total score prominently at the top, along with your ranking within your industry and network.

The SSI updates daily, so if you make changes today, you’ll see the impact reflected tomorrow.

What Each SSI Pillar Actually Measures

The SSI consists of 4 pillars with 25 maximum points each. LinkedIn has never published the exact algorithm, but based on years of observation and official documentation, here’s what we know:

1. Establish Your Professional Brand (25 points)

This pillar measures how complete and attractive your profile is. LinkedIn evaluates:

How to improve it: Complete your profile to 100%. Publish content demonstrating your industry knowledge. Request recommendations from satisfied colleagues and clients.

To optimize your headline, check our headline guide for CEOs and founders. For the About section, review how to write an About that converts.

2. Find the Right People (25 points)

This pillar evaluates how well you use LinkedIn to find prospects and relevant connections:

How to improve it: Dedicate 10-15 minutes daily to searching and visiting profiles of people relevant to your business. Connect with decision makers, not just anyone who accepts.

3. Engage with Insights (25 points)

Here LinkedIn measures your content activity and engagement:

How to improve it: Publish 2-3 times per week with content relevant to your industry. Comment substantively on posts in your network. Share third-party content that adds value.

4. Build Relationships (25 points)

The final pillar measures the quality of your direct interactions:

How to improve it: Personalize every connection invitation. Maintain genuine conversations via message. Connect with people at or above your level.

The Uncomfortable Truth About SSI That Nobody Tells You

After years of inflating the importance of SSI, it’s time to be honest about its limitations.

Myth 1: SSI Directly Affects the Algorithm

Reality: There’s no evidence that LinkedIn uses SSI as a factor in its content distribution algorithm.

LinkedIn’s algorithm decides who sees your posts based on initial engagement, content relevance, and your audience’s historical behavior. SSI doesn’t appear in that equation.

A user with an SSI of 40 can have viral posts. A user with an SSI of 85 can have limited reach. SSI measures your platform usage, it doesn’t predict your visibility.

To understand what actually affects your reach, read our LinkedIn algorithm guide.

Myth 2: You Need 90+ to Succeed

Reality: A very high SSI sometimes indicates excessive time on the platform, not effectiveness.

The real benchmarks are:

If you’re a CEO with a business to run, an SSI of 65-75 probably indicates healthy LinkedIn usage. An SSI of 95 might indicate you’re spending too much time on the platform instead of on your business.

Myth 3: SSI Is Only for Salespeople

Reality: Although “Social Selling Index” has “selling” in the name, the pillars apply to any professional who wants to build presence on LinkedIn.

SSI isn’t exclusive to salespeople, but it was designed with B2B sales in mind.

Why LinkedIn Is Abandoning the SSI Focus

Here’s the most important piece of information in this guide, and the one no other article mentions:

LinkedIn is pivoting from SSI toward AI tools.

The official SSI page is now titled “From SSI to AI” and contains this revealing statement:

“A high SSI doesn’t always represent the effectiveness of a sales professional nor correlate with tangible business results.”

This isn’t an external critic. It’s LinkedIn saying their own metric has significant limitations.

The Evolution Toward AI Tools

Instead of SSI, LinkedIn is focusing its development resources on:

This doesn’t mean SSI will disappear tomorrow. But it does indicate where the platform is heading, and SSI isn’t the future.

How to Improve Your SSI as a Busy Executive

If after all this you still want to improve your SSI (and it makes sense as a profile optimization exercise), here are the 5 highest-impact actions with the lowest time investment:

The 5 Highest-Impact Actions

1. Complete your profile to 100% (1 hour, one time)

It’s the biggest multiplier. A complete profile can take you from 30 to 50 points with this action alone. Include:

2. Publish 2-3 times per week (30 minutes total)

You don’t need elaborate posts. They can be:

Consistency matters more than perfection.

3. Comment substantially on 3-5 posts daily (10 minutes)

Not “Great post” or emojis alone. Comments of 2-3 sentences that add perspective. This improves pillars 3 and 4 simultaneously.

4. Connect with 5 relevant people per week (15 minutes)

With a personalized message. Mention why you want to connect. This improves pillars 2 and 4.

5. Request 1-2 recommendations per month

From satisfied clients, colleagues, or partners. Recommendations are the most underrated factor of pillar 1.

Frequently Asked Questions About LinkedIn SSI

What is LinkedIn’s SSI and what is it for?

The Social Selling Index (SSI) is a LinkedIn metric that measures from 0 to 100 how effectively you use the platform to establish your professional brand, find relevant people, share content, and build relationships. It was created in 2014 primarily for B2B salespeople, but applies to any professional.

How do I check my LinkedIn SSI for free?

Go to linkedin.com/sales/ssi while logged into your account. You don’t need Sales Navigator or a premium account. The score updates daily.

Does SSI affect LinkedIn’s algorithm?

There’s no evidence that SSI directly influences the content distribution algorithm. They’re separate systems. You can have a low SSI and viral posts, or a high SSI and limited reach.

What is a good SSI on LinkedIn?

The global average is 40-50 points. An SSI of 60-70 indicates good performance. Between 70-75 you’re in the top of your industry. Above 75 is exceptional. Only 5% of users have 80+.

How often does SSI update?

Daily. If you make significant changes to your profile or activity today, you’ll see the impact reflected in your SSI tomorrow.

Do I need Sales Navigator to see my SSI?

No. The SSI page is free and accessible to any LinkedIn user. Sales Navigator offers additional prospecting features, but it’s not necessary to see your score.

Your SSI Is an Indicator, Not the Goal

I’ll end with the most important reflection:

SSI is useful as a diagnostic. It tells you if your profile is complete, if you’re active, if you’re connecting with relevant people. It’s a thermometer.

But the thermometer isn’t health itself.

Your goal isn’t a number. Your goal is:

SSI can help you identify which areas need work. But optimizing for SSI without a clear business objective is like optimizing your resume without knowing what job you want to apply for.

If you’re an executive looking to build presence on LinkedIn strategically, SSI is a good starting point for diagnosing your current situation. But don’t stop there.

Want a deeper diagnosis of your LinkedIn presence? Try our free LinkedIn Scorecard — it goes beyond SSI and evaluates factors that actually impact your visibility and opportunity generation.

Prefer to have someone write your LinkedIn content while you focus on your business? At Mazkara Studio we help founders and executives build their personal brand without sacrificing their time. Schedule a call →