If you’re trying to fill a B2B sales pipeline, you already know LinkedIn is a goldmine—if only you could get the right leads out, fast. Manually copying names and emails is mind-numbing. Outsourcing it is hit or miss. This guide is for sales folks, founders, or anyone on a small team who wants to automate LinkedIn lead extraction without hiring a developer. We’ll walk through using Scrapestorm, a no-code scraping tool, and show you exactly what’s worth your time (and what isn’t).
Before You Start: A Quick Reality Check
Let’s get one thing straight: scraping LinkedIn is not officially allowed. Their terms of service ban automated data extraction. If you go overboard, you could get your account restricted or banned. That said, people do it every day, and Scrapestorm makes it technically easy. Just know the risks. Don’t use your main LinkedIn account if you can avoid it, and don’t try to pull thousands of profiles at once.
You’ll need: - A LinkedIn account (ideally not your “main” one) - A computer (Windows or Mac) - The Scrapestorm app (there’s a free version, but the paid one unlocks more features) - A realistic idea of how much data you actually need
Step 1: Install Scrapestorm and Get Set Up
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Download and Install
Go to the Scrapestorm website and grab the latest version for your operating system. The installation is straightforward—just follow the prompts. -
Create a Scrapestorm Account
You’ll need an account to use the app. The free version may limit how many rows you can export, so if you’re scraping more than a couple hundred leads, consider the paid plan. -
Familiarize Yourself With the Interface
Scrapestorm is built for non-coders, but the UI can be a little clunky. Spend five minutes clicking around. The main things you’ll use are: - The “Create Task” button
- The built-in browser
- The field selection tool
Pro tip:
If you’re new to scraping, Scrapestorm’s tutorials are actually helpful. Watch a short video, even if you usually hate those.
Step 2: Prep Your LinkedIn Searches
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Define Your Target List
Don’t just scrape random people—know who you want. Use LinkedIn’s search filters (location, industry, job title) to build a results page with high-quality prospects. -
Limit the Results
LinkedIn will only show you 1,000 results per search, and they paginate the results (usually 10 per page). Don’t try to scrape more than you can realistically use. -
Log In to LinkedIn in Scrapestorm
Open LinkedIn inside Scrapestorm’s built-in browser, then log in. This lets Scrapestorm access the data you see as a logged-in user.
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time trying to scrape info that’s not visible on the search results page (like emails or phone numbers). LinkedIn doesn’t show those unless you’re a connection, and tools that promise “email extraction” often just guess or recycle old data.
Step 3: Build a Scrapestorm Task for LinkedIn
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Start a New Task
Click “Create Task” and choose “Smart Mode” for web scraping (it’s easier for beginners). -
Paste in Your LinkedIn Search URL
Use the search you set up earlier. Scrapestorm will load the page inside its browser. -
Select the Data Fields
Click on a name in the results list. Scrapestorm will highlight similar elements. Select: - Name
- Job title
- Company
- Location
- LinkedIn profile URL
You can add more fields if you see them, but start simple.
- Set Up Pagination
This is where most people get tripped up. Scrapestorm needs to know how to click the “Next” button to move through pages. - Click “Pagination” in the task builder
- Point to the “Next” button on the LinkedIn search results
- Test it: Scrapestorm should move to page 2 when you run the preview
Pro tip:
If Scrapestorm keeps missing pages or skipping data, slow down the scrape speed in settings. LinkedIn will block you if you go too fast.
Step 4: Run the Scraping Task and Export Your Leads
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Preview Your Task
Always use the preview feature first. Make sure Scrapestorm grabs the right data from a few pages. -
Start the Scrape
Hit “Run.” The app will start moving through pages, pulling your chosen data. If LinkedIn pops up a captcha or blocks you, stop and try again later. -
Export Your Data
Once Scrapestorm finishes, export your results as a CSV or Excel file. That’s your raw lead list. -
Clean Up the Data
It’ll be messy—expect duplicates, missing fields, and the occasional weird character. Use Excel or Google Sheets to: - Remove duplicates
- Filter by job title or company
- Spot-check for junk
What doesn’t work:
Don’t expect to get emails or phone numbers. You’ll get names, job titles, companies, and profile URLs. For most B2B prospecting, that’s enough to start.
Step 5: Use Your Leads Responsibly
You’ve got a list—now what? Here’s where people mess up:
- Don’t spam them on LinkedIn. If you blast everyone with the same message, you’ll get flagged.
- Personalize your outreach. Use the info you scraped to write relevant messages.
- Don’t try to enrich emails unless you really need them. If you must, use a paid email enrichment tool like Hunter or Apollo—but know that accuracy is never 100%.
Pro tip:
Start small. Send a handful of personalized messages per day. Track what works, then scale up only if you’re getting good replies.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch Out For
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Scrapestorm is great for pulling structured data from search result pages.
It’s not magic—it can’t get you info LinkedIn doesn’t show. -
The risk of getting blocked is real, but manageable.
Go slow, use a secondary account, and don’t try to scrape thousands of profiles at once. -
Don’t believe tools or gurus promising “full contact info” from LinkedIn.
Most of that is scraped or guessed from old databases. -
Scrapestorm’s UI isn’t perfect.
Expect to wrestle with it, especially if LinkedIn changes their layout.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overthink it. Start with a small, high-quality search, scrape a few hundred leads, and see how it feels. If you hit snags (and you probably will), tweak your approach before going big. Most importantly: focus on quality, not just quantity. A few good conversations beat a thousand ignored messages every time.