If you've ever tried to build a targeted outreach list from LinkedIn events, you know how annoying it is. LinkedIn doesn't hand over attendee info, and manual scraping gets old fast. This guide is for folks who want to use automation (without getting their account nuked) to pull attendee lists for real, actionable outreach—no fluff, no sales pitch.
Here's how to actually use Phantombuster—a tool for automating web tasks—to get those attendees, sort them, and avoid the usual headaches.
Why Scrape LinkedIn Event Attendees?
- Warm leads: Anyone who RSVP’d for an event is at least semi-interested in the topic. That’s gold compared to cold lists.
- Targeted lists, fast: You can find people with the right job titles, companies, or interests—no need to guess.
- Manual is a slog: Copy-pasting names for hours makes no sense when bots can do it in minutes.
But you should know: scraping LinkedIn is always a little risky. They don’t love automation tools, and if you’re careless, you could get restricted. I’ll flag the real issues and what actually works.
Step 1: What You Need Before You Start
Quick checklist:
- A LinkedIn account (the one that can access the event attendee list)
- A Phantombuster account (free trial is enough for small jobs)
- The URL of the LinkedIn event you want to scrape
- A plan for what you’ll do with the data (don’t scrape for fun—these lists go stale fast)
Pro tip: If your LinkedIn account is new, or you’ve been on a “connection spree,” cool it for a few days before scraping. LinkedIn notices sudden surges in activity.
Step 2: Set Up Your Phantombuster Account
- Sign up or log in at Phantombuster. The free plan gives you enough time for basic scraping.
- Install the Phantombuster browser extension. This lets you connect your LinkedIn session cookie, which is how Phantombuster acts as “you” on LinkedIn.
- Connect your LinkedIn session:
- Click your profile in Phantombuster, go to “Settings,” and add your LinkedIn session cookie.
- If you’re unsure how to get this, Phantombuster’s setup walks you through it—basically, you copy a cookie from your browser, paste it in, and you’re set.
Heads up: Never share your session cookie. Anyone who has it is “you” on LinkedIn.
Step 3: Find the Right LinkedIn Event URL
- Go to the event page on LinkedIn.
- Copy the URL from your browser. It should look like:
https://www.linkedin.com/events/1234567890/ - Don’t use the “invite” link—use the main event page.
If the event is private or you’re not marked as “attending,” you might not see the attendee list. You need access, so RSVP if you haven’t.
Step 4: Choose the Right Phantombuster “Phantom”
Phantombuster calls its bots “Phantoms.” The one you want is usually called LinkedIn Event Guests Export (names change, but search for “event” in their Phantom store).
- Click “Use this Phantom.”
- Paste your event URL in the required field.
- Optional: Set filters (like only scraping people with certain job titles). Most folks skip this at first—get the list, then filter later.
Don’t be greedy: If the event has thousands of attendees, break the job into chunks. Scraping too many in one go is a red flag for LinkedIn.
Step 5: Configure the Phantom (Settings That Matter)
A few settings are worth tweaking:
- Number of guests to scrape: Start small (100-200). You can always run it again.
- Launch frequency: Manual is safest. Don’t schedule it to run every hour unless you like living dangerously.
- Advanced settings: Skip these unless you know what you’re doing.
Save your settings.
Step 6: Run the Phantom and Download Results
- Click “Launch” and watch as Phantombuster does its thing. You’ll see live logs as it scrapes.
- When it’s done, download your results as a CSV.
You’ll usually get:
- Name
- Job title
- Company
- LinkedIn profile URL
Reality check: You probably won’t get emails. LinkedIn doesn’t expose that info, and any tool claiming otherwise is either guessing, using old data, or scraping elsewhere. For emails, you’ll need a separate enrichment tool.
Step 7: Clean and Filter Your List
Don’t just start blasting connection requests. Take a minute to:
- Remove duplicates. Sometimes people RSVP from multiple accounts.
- Spot-check profiles. Look for fake or burner accounts—there are always a few.
- Filter by job title, company, or location (Excel or Google Sheets is fine).
If you want to enrich with emails, use a tool like Hunter, Apollo, or similar—but expect hit-or-miss results.
Step 8: Do Outreach (Without Being a Spammer)
You’ve got a list. Now what?
- Personalize your connection requests. Mention the event—don’t pretend you didn’t scrape the list, but don’t be weird about it.
- Don’t mass-connect. LinkedIn limits how many invites you can send per week. Stay well below the limit (generally, under 100 per week is safe).
- Track responses. If you get ignored a lot, tweak your message.
What works:
- Short messages referencing the event
- Genuinely relevant follow-ups
- Giving, not just asking (share a resource, ask for input)
What doesn’t:
- Generic pitches (“Hey, let’s connect!”)
- Sending DMs to everyone before they accept
- Being pushy—people can sniff out automation
FAQs, Gotchas, and Real Talk
Will my LinkedIn account get banned?
Not if you’re careful and don’t go overboard. But there’s always some risk. Don’t use your main account if you can’t afford to lose it.
Can I get attendee emails?
Not directly from LinkedIn. Anyone selling “LinkedIn attendee emails” is either violating terms or just making them up. Use enrichment tools if you must, but don’t expect miracles.
Is Phantombuster foolproof?
No. LinkedIn is always tweaking things. Sometimes selectors break, or you’ll get partial data. Check your output every time.
How often can I do this?
Occasional scraping is fine. Daily or mass scraping is asking for trouble. Spread out your runs, and never schedule Phantombuster to act like a robot 24/7.
What to Ignore (And What’s Worth Your Time)
Ignore: - Chrome extensions that promise “unlimited” LinkedIn data—they’re usually less stable and riskier than Phantombuster. - People selling “done for you” attendee lists—these are stale or scraped badly. - Over-complicated enrichment workflows. If you’re spending hours cleaning a list, you’re probably overengineering it.
Worthwhile: - Testing Phantombuster on a small event first. - Building a system for outreach that feels human. - Keeping your LinkedIn activity believable—don’t connect with 500 people at once.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Scraping LinkedIn event attendees with Phantombuster isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overthink. Start small, see what kind of data you get, and don’t get greedy. Outreach works best when it’s targeted, personal, and not obviously automated. If it feels like you’re spamming, you probably are.
Most importantly: these tools change fast. Don’t build your entire outreach strategy on a single scraper. Use this as one arrow in your quiver, and keep things moving. Test, adjust, and—if you get stuck—don’t be afraid to go back to basics.