New data shows which outreach tactics are doing the most reputational damage.<\/p>\n
How has the worst marketing changed over time?<\/p>\n
Each year, we ask 1000+ consumers about spam. With our partners at QuestionPro<\/a>, we measure the size of the spam problem in email, social media, DMs, text messages, phone calls and direct mail. It\u2019s an annual survey of the general population in the US.<\/p>\n Spam is everywhere, in every channel. You have very few ways to stop it.<\/p>\n Spam marketing is any unwanted, unsolicited message that appears in any marketing channel.<\/strong> The recipient did not request them and perceives them as having extremely low value. These messages are mostly advertising, bots, phishing and other scams.<\/p>\n With new data in 2025, we measure the size of the problem.<\/p>\n We saved that last question for the end of the report. Let\u2019s start with social media.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where spam trends have changed the most. Suddenly, X (Twitter) is the spammiest social network<\/strong>, overtaking Facebook, which was the spam leader for the last three years. This is a big shift, possibly caused by the changes to the X content moderation policies.<\/p>\n We posted a question about the pitch slap on LinkedIn. The feedback was huge. Dozens of people immediately complained about the problem. We\u2019ll share some of those comments here. For starters, just 19% of us get these messages every day? A lot of us are surprised these numbers aren\u2019t higher.<\/p>\n Talia Wolf\u00a0<\/a> Robin Visser<\/a> Prerna Mehta<\/a> Kathleen Marrero<\/a> Dave Boerger<\/a> Spammers are using social DMs for sales. Why? Because Cold DMs are the one channel with a 100% deliverability rate. It\u2019s perfectly fine to sell, but the pitch-slap hurts trust and risks their reputation. LinkedIn is not a cold calling platform, even if its most popular tool is called \u201cSales Navigator.\u201d<\/p>\n Timothy \u201cTim\u201d Hughes \u63d0\u59c6\u00b7\u4f11\u65af L.ISP<\/a> Many of these spam direct messages are automated. On LinkedIn, a bot sends connection requests, then if the request is accepted, it sends a pitch message. If the message is ignored, it sends another message. And so on until the automation runs out of pre-written messages.<\/p>\n But if the pitch is personal and relevant, it can work well\u2026<\/p>\n Suzanne Feinberg<\/a> But often, the warm up messages are disingenuous\u2026<\/p>\n Bernie Borges<\/a> Most of pitch slaps are people offering one of the following:<\/p>\n If you knew me, you\u2019d know how absurd these messages are. Sometimes they start with a mostly generic warm up message (\u201cI love your content\u2026\u201d). Often, the pitches are irrelevant because their targeting bots are off-target. They are just looking for specific words in our headlines, titles and bios.<\/p>\n Carla Johnson\u00a0<\/a> Knowing that they\u2019re bots, I never hesitate to delete these messages. They probably don\u2019t even notice. It\u2019s also perfectly appropriate to block and report these accounts.<\/p>\n So most of us ignore these, but there are many strategies for dealing with the problem. Here are five for dealing with a pitch slap, suggested by our fellow LinkedIn users and spam victims.<\/p>\n Cut them off. Because connection does not equal consent to spam.<\/p>\n John Sukowaty \ud83d\udcca<\/a> Dale Bertrand<\/a> Janice Mandel<\/a> Scott Dayton<\/a> Gail Gardner<\/a> Adam Turinas<\/a> Accept connection requests carefully. For some, this means ignoring requests from people who have sales-related job titles or \u201clead generation\u201d in their headline.<\/p>\n Jon Rivers<\/a> Stephen Tseng<\/a> Emily Call<\/a> Marjorie Clayman<\/a> A. Lee Judge<\/a> Samantha Schwartz\u00a0<\/a> Turnabout is fair play. If they expect you to hear their sales pitch, they should listen to yours. Any chance this could work?<\/p>\n Todd Jones<\/a> From the three-dot menu at the top of your LinkedIn messages, you can \u201cSet away message\u201d which will automatically send to anyone who messages you. You can use it to inform spammers that you\u2019re not interested in being pitched.<\/p>\n Stacey Moore<\/a> Or take the high road. Keep an open mind. The pitch may be considerate and thoughtful. The offer may be something that could help you.<\/p>\n Christopher Isit<\/a> Why? People deserve respect.<\/em><\/p>\n You never know when you\u2019ll need that service\u2014or that person. A great account manager can be a game-changer for MarTech support. Sometimes, the most persistent \u201cpitcher\u201d turns out to be a passionate marketer who shares incredible insights. That\u2019s someone I might want on my team.<\/em><\/p>\n Spam is annoying, but connection is still human, and I remember what it was like when I started out. If the outreach is earnest and personalized, I\u2019ll respond. The real problem isn\u2019t pitching, it\u2019s lazy, copy-paste spam\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Why not have some fun? If they want to schedule a time, suggest the 33rd of Novembruary. That\u2019s what Seth Turnoff<\/a> did in the post below. If you\u2019d like to see more posts like these, check out the #Jerkstore<\/a> hashtag.<\/p>\n Lukasz Klekowski\u00a0<\/a> This approach destroys trust faster than it builds business. Conversion rates are abysmal. People are becoming connection-request adverse. We\u2019re training an entire platform to ignore genuine outreach.<\/em><\/p>\n Real engagement. Comment on posts. Add value first. Build relationships before pitches. Crazy concept, right?<\/em><\/p>\n LinkedIn was supposed to be the professional network. A place where business relationships mattered. Not a hunting ground for aggressive automation. Now I simply send a link back to the spammers and ask for their thoughts on it. Not once have I received a reply!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Enough about social spam. Let\u2019s move on to email, where the spam problem isn\u2019t improving.<\/p>\n\n
Social media spam<\/h2>\n
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Spam isn\u2019t just in social streams. It\u2019s in our direct messages. A lot of us get spammed every day in DMs. Here on LinkedIn, it starts with a connection requisition. Accept the connection\u2026 immediately get a pitch message. This is called a \u201cpitch slap.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Bar](\"https:\/\/www.orbitmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Do-you-get-spam-direct-messages-on-social-media_.webp\"\/)
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<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis happens to me 9 out of 10 requests. It\u2019s relentless \u201c<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cI wonder if this problem is more prolific in certain industries. I\u2019m shocked at how many people said this never happens to them. Probably 50% of the follow requests I accept end up in a sales pitch.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cConnect today, get a pitch in 120 seconds. This crowd treats LinkedIn like a cold-calling machine. Feels spammy, not strategic.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s constant. Accept a request, and two minutes later, you\u2019re hit with \u2018Can I put 30 mins on your calendar?\u2019 The pitch isn\u2019t even the problem; it\u2019s the entitlement, because a cold DM isn\u2019t sales; it\u2019s digital loitering.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cThe worst is that later I get a notification on my phone \u2013 when I\u2019m in the middle of something else, like feeding a sick family member or pet \u2013 and it seems like it\u2019s important, so I click on it, only to find it\u2019s a newsletter or live event related to someone I\u2019ve never met before. THIS WAS NOT WORTHY OF A NOTIFICATION.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cPeople think that LinkedIn is sales media \u2026when in fact it\u2019s social media.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cWhen someone connects, I try not to pitch in my DM response \u2013 rather explain how our relationship will be beneficial. For instance, we connect with lawyers regarding notarizations. Our DM usually contains our expertise. Then we explain that we would be happy to act as an expert for this skill (no charge of course). We are successful in not only communicating with that lawyer, but if we are patient and send only very specific information on news in the industry or insights into helping them \u2013 they end up actually being our client.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cTwo trends I\u2019ve observed: 1. More connection requests from people I don\u2019t know without a personal note. 2. The latest tactic in DM after connecting is two or three friendly questions about \u201cwhat lights you up.\u201d Then, the pitch slap!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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\u201cBecause I have the word \u201carchitect\u201d in my profile, as in Innovation Architect, so many are even more irrelevant. One financial planner\u2019s spam went into great detail about how his wife was an architect and he was sure that we\u2019d have so much in common and want to build a mutually beneficial business partnership because we have so much in common.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
1. Delete, mute, block, remove connection<\/h3>\n
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\u201c\u2026connect request \u2026and get a pitch DM two minutes later\u201d = egg on my face for not seeing it coming. out of pure spite, immediate ignore, unfollow, disconnect.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll admit I just accept every connection and then mute them if they send me a pitch in the first message.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gotten to the point where I can tell if a connection request is genuine or a prelude to a DM pitch based on the profile. If it references sales, acquisition etc. (and many do), I usually delete the request. If I do accept and a DM pitch follows, I delete and block. Maybe that\u2019s harsh, but I want a valuable network, not a bunch of people who just want to sell me something. I don\u2019t get a ton of these anymore. Maybe because I act on them?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cI get these requests at least once a day. Most are transparent and clumsy in their approach, and those hit the trash bin immediately. Some are more clever. They\u2019ll drop a name we have in common or an event we attended, and they come across as an authentic network connection request that I accept. Then \n
\u201cIt happens. And I often reply with \u201cdoes that work for you\u201d? They seem to be oblivious to why people didn\u2019t connect so they could start pitching. One pitch that is relevant is tolerable. More than one will get them disconnected.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pet peeve. If I suspect someone is going to pitch also I will let them know when I accept their request not to. If someone does it I disconnect and block them. I used to put a disclaimer on my connection requests promising that I would not pitch slap.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n2. Avoid new connections \u2026at a cost<\/h3>\n
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\u201cMy rule: If your first DM is a cold pitch, a Calendly link, or a 14-paragraph \u201cabout us\u201d message\u2026 we\u2019re done. If you can\u2019t be bothered to build a real conversation before selling to me, I definitely don\u2019t trust you with my network of connections.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve started treating my LinkedIn DMs like a spam folder. It means I probably ignore legitimate opportunities. The real cost of this automation spam isn\u2019t annoyance. It\u2019s the death of real networking.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cI would imagine a person\u2019s job title factors into this. I\u2019ve actually stopped accepting connections that have sales in their title because I know it\u2019s going to result in a pitch!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cUnfortunately yes, and it\u2019s now costing me connections with good people because any time I get a DM or a compliment I have to raise a Vulcan eyebrow of doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cSince LinkedIn prompts you to \u201cadd a message\u201d with an invite, users tend to \u201cadd a pitch\u201d instead. This results in an immediate pitch-slap the moment you accept. For that reason, I tend not to accept invites that have messages in the first place.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\u201cIt was WORSE when I was job hunting. I think some sort of bot was reaching out every day offering to analyze my resume. I ignore my inbox for weeks at a time, and yes, I\u2019ve missed actual messages from my contacts and opportunities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n3. Pitch them back<\/h3>\n
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\u201cSometimes I will counter pitch and it often doesn\u2019t get a favorable response. Most of the time they are playing numbers, they are looking for signs of life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n4. Set an auto-reply<\/h3>\n
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\u201cI dislike it so much that I use an auto-reply.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.orbitmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stacey-moore-linkedin.png\"\/)
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<\/p>\n5. Treat them with dignity and respect<\/h3>\n
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\u201cYes, I get spammy pitches every week, but I still lean toward a humanistic, empathetic approach (with a caveat). If someone makes an effort to connect meaningfully (shared career interests, thoughtful intro, posts that add value) I\u2019ll accept. Even if I suspect a pitch is coming, I\u2019ll engage if the service is relevant or reply with \u201cnot now, but I\u2019ll keep you in mind\u201d because it could be useful down the road.<\/em><\/p>\n6. Mess with the pitch slappers<\/h3>\n
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However you respond to DM spam, it\u2019s a big problem. One of our commiserators summarized the pitch slap and the impact on trust.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe three types flooding your inbox:<\/em><\/p>\n\n
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Email spam<\/h2>\n
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Text message and phone spam<\/h2>\n![\"Bar](\"https:\/\/www.orbitmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Do-you-get-spam-text-messages_.webp\"\/)
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Here\u2019s a spam message that I believe was written by AI. This was a cold outreach email with no option to unsubscribe. That\u2019s spam. And the writing looks very suspicious. Take a look. Do you think a human wrote this?<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.orbitmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/calendar-spam.png\"\/)
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<\/p>\n