How To Backup Your LinkedIn Data: Connections & Archived Data
If your computer has ever crashed, and you’ve lost a ton of data, you know the horror of losing your work and contacts.
I bet you never thought about backing up your contacts and data on LinkedIn!
What would happen in the unlikely event that LinkedIn were to crash? Would you still have that database of contacts?
Or, what if LinkedIn changes their infrastructure and allows only Premium members gain access to their connections? (Who ever thought Facebook Business Pages would become a “pay-to-play” business model?)
Better safe than sorry.
You can Archive Your Data (one file) and/or download your connections into a CSV file
Here’s how:
OPTION #1 Archive Your Data
Step 1: Mouse over your image in the top right hand side.
Scroll down Privacy & Settings and click on “Manage”. (Note: you may need to log in with your password again)
Step 2: Click on the Account Tab on the bottom left side
Step 3: Click on the link “Request an archive of your data”
Step 4: Click the Request Archive button.
Your data archive will include all the information LinkedIn has stored about you that you can’t access in other ways, including all your activity and account history, from who invited you to join, to the time of your latest login
Step 5: You will receive an email confirmation from LinkedIn Security
Step 6: You will receive an email link to access your Archived data in a zipped file.
According to LinkedIn, here is some of the information you’ll receive when you receive your Archived data
Account information:
- Registration information
- Login history including IP records
- Email address history and statuses
- Account history including account closures and reopens
Other information:
- Name information including the current name on your account and any previous name changes
- A list of your 1st degree connections
- Photos that have been uploaded to your account
- Endorsements you’ve received
- List of skills on your profile
- Recommendations given and received
- Group contributions
- Your search history
- Content you’ve posted, shared, liked, or commented on
- Mobile apps you’ve installed
- Ads you’ve clicked on
- The targeting criteria LinkedIn uses to show you ads
OPTION #2: Export Your Connections
Step 1: Click on “Connections” in the top navigation bar.
Step 2: Click on the “Wheel” (aka Settings)
Step 3: Click on the link “Export LinkedIn Connections”
Step 4: Export the appropriate file:
CSV or VCF for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo!Mail or Mac OS Address Book. (I simply choose Microsoft Outlook for a CSV file)
Step 5: Verify you’re not a robot by entering in a few numbers you see in a photographic image
Step 6: Export the appropriate file (I simply export to Microsoft Outlook because it’s a CSV file, which is compatible with Excel)
Your file will look a lot like this:
Other than having a backup and understanding what LinkedIn is tracking, here’s what else you can do with this data:
- Upload your list of email addresses and cross reference them to see who you can follow on Twitter
- Use this list of email addresses in Facebook’s Power Editor to tailor Ad Campaigns directly to your target audience (and lookalike audiences)
- Remember: you CANNOT automatically add these email addresses into your commercial email list – it’s illegal
It’s better to have this information backed up, even if you never use it. But if you can use this data, I’m sure it’s a wealth of information for targeting your prospects and clients.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN: Have you ever effectively targeted your audience based on data? Do you like to have a backup of your information “just in case”?
Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, Professor of Social Media, Corporate Social Media Trainer and Principal of PUNCH!media
Founded in 2009, with clients such as The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, and as a corporate instructor for the “Social Media Marketing Certificate” at The University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) Management Development Centre, Leslie works with organizations to help them gain confidence and develop a strong presence on LinkedIn and other Social Media sites.
