How to Use PhantomBuster for LinkedIn Lead Generation in 2025: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you’re tired of cold calling, hiring overpriced list builders, or spending hours manually connecting with prospects on LinkedIn — welcome to your shortcut.
Hi, I’m Eli Mercer — solopreneur, AI strategist, and the guy who tries out all these automation tools so you (hopefully) don’t have to waste your time. I’ve run dozens of experiments across prospecting platforms, and today, I’m breaking down how to use PhantomBuster to automate LinkedIn lead generation — the smart and scalable way.
Let’s walk through exactly how to save hours each week, build smarter pipelines, and close more deals using PhantomBuster’s automations.
Why LinkedIn Is Still the Best Platform for B2B Lead Gen
If you’re selling to professionals or businesses in 2025, your prospects are on LinkedIn. It’s the largest business-focused network on the internet with over 900 million users — nearly all with job titles, industry info, and mutual connections.
But while LinkedIn is rich with data, pulling that info at scale, sending connections, or tracking follow-ups manually is incredibly time-consuming.
That’s where PhantomBuster comes in.
What Is PhantomBuster and Why Use It for LinkedIn?
PhantomBuster is a no-code automation tool built for lead generation and data scraping on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and more.
Its secret sauce? Pre-built “Phantoms” — little bots that perform specific tasks like scraping LinkedIn search results, sending connection requests, messaging 1st-degree connections, and auto-syncing data to your CRM.
Even better: Phantoms can be chained together into “Flows” — meaning you can set up an end-to-end LinkedIn prospecting funnel that runs while you sleep.
Benefits of Using PhantomBuster for LinkedIn:
- ⏳ Save hours per week scraping data, sending messages, and updating CRMs
- 🤖 Automate personalized outreach without coding
- ⚙️ Keep lead lists fresh with real-time job title or company changes
- ☁️ Cloud-based: runs even when your computer is off
- ✅ Easy to scale, even for solopreneurs or small teams
Step-by-Step: How to Use PhantomBuster for LinkedIn Outreach in 2025
Let’s break it down 🔍
This is a real-world, battle-tested workflow I use myself for B2B lead generation.
Step 1: Create a PhantomBuster Account and Connect LinkedIn
- Go to PhantomBuster and create your free trial account.
- Once inside, choose “Phantoms” from the dashboard.
- Select any LinkedIn Phantom (e.g., “LinkedIn Search Export”) and click “Use this Phantom.”
- Follow the instructions to connect your LinkedIn session cookie. It’s easy — PhantomBuster walks you through it.
- Save the Phantom so it’s ready to run.
💡 Pro Tip: Use a LinkedIn account with good standing (i.e., a few connections, filled-out profile). Don’t risk triggering LinkedIn’s anti-bot system with a fresh account.
Step 2: Use the LinkedIn Search Export Phantom to Build a Prospect List
- On LinkedIn, search for your target audience using filters (e.g., “VP Marketing” in SaaS companies).
- Copy the search URL with all your filters included.
- Go back to LinkedIn Search Export Phantom and paste the URL.
- Choose how many profiles you want exported.
- Click “Launch” — the Phantom starts extracting public data like name, title, profile URL, and company.
Within minutes, you have a spreadsheet of qualified leads. 🎯
Step 3: Auto-Send Connection Requests Using LinkedIn Network Booster
Now that you’ve got your list ⬆️
- Use the “LinkedIn Network Booster” Phantom.
- Upload the profile URLs from your exported CSV.
- Craft a custom message. Example:
“Hi {{firstName}}, came across your work in {{companyName}} — would love to connect!”
- Launch it.
⚠️ Pro Tip: Don’t spam. Limit to ~30–50 invites/day, spread out over time.
Step 4: Follow Up Automatically with Messaging Automations
PhantomBuster also has a “LinkedIn Message Sender” Phantom, perfect for sending follow-ups to 1st-degree connections.
Wait 1–2 days after someone accepts your connection. Then:
- Upload list of accepted connections (you can export these too).
- Write a follow-up message.
- Schedule and launch.
🔥 Want to build a multi-step outreach Flow? Use PhantomBuster Flows to auto-run everything:
- Export search → Auto-invite → Check who accepted → Auto-message
It’s as plug-and-play as automation gets.
Step 5: Sync Leads into Your CRM or Google Sheet
Each Phantom outputs clean CSV files. Connect them via Zapier, Make, or manually import into:
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- Notion
- Airtable
- Google Sheets
Set up automations to move new contacts into your CRM and tag them as “LinkedIn Outreach.”
Real Example: PhantomBuster in My Dinner Party Funnel 🍽️
For one of my B2B clients, I built a “digital dinner party” outreach campaign.
- Target: Event marketers at tech companies
- Strategy:
- Exported 100 leads using LinkedIn Search Export
- Sent personalized invites mentioning a new industry roundtable
- Followed up with a calendar link for those who accepted
- Result: 34% connected, 12 meetings booked in less than 10 days
💥 And all I did was review the list and tweak the script. PhantomBuster did the heavy lifting.
Try it for yourself here:
Best Practices & Compliance: How Not to Get Banned 😬
LinkedIn doesn’t officially love bots, so here’s how to stay safe:
- Stick to ~80 profiles/day max across all Phantoms
- Randomize time & frequency of automation runs
- Only message people you’re connected with
- Make your messages human — avoid spammy copy
- Warm up new accounts slowly
🚨 Warning: Automating too aggressively can result in account restrictions.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Even tools like PhantomBuster have hiccups. Here are the most common ones:
- Login issues: Happens if LinkedIn logs you out. Just reconnect your cookie.
- Phantom errors: Usually from input formatting. Double-check your CSV columns.
- Flow stalling: Automations can’t run without input. Schedule things in right order.
Stuck? PhantomBuster’s support is top-tier. Their docs are solid and their email support is fast.
FAQ: PhantomBuster for LinkedIn in 2025
Do I need a paid LinkedIn account?
Nope. Regular LinkedIn works fine, though Sales Navigator gives you better filters.
Is PhantomBuster safe to use?
Yes, when used within LinkedIn’s limits (30–70 actions/day is the sweet spot).
Do I need coding experience?
Zero. It’s all point-and-click, perfect for marketers or founders.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yep. No long-term contracts, and the free trial lets you test it risk-free.
Does this integrate with HubSpot or Salesforce?
It sure does. Export CSVs or use Zapier to sync records automatically.
Final Thoughts: Should You Use PhantomBuster for LinkedIn Lead Gen?
If you want to:
- Stop wasting hours manually connecting with leads
- Build targeted lists in minutes
- Automate outreach at a human speed
- Work smarter without hiring VAs or SDRs…
Then PhantomBuster is absolutely worth testing.
I’ve used it myself for real campaigns, and with the right setup, it’s a game-changer. Yes, there’s a learning curve. But even if you’re non-technical, you’ll pick it up quickly.
You’ve got automation grade tools sitting at your fingertips.
So go put them to work.
Thanks for reading — let me know how it works out for your biz. If you’re experimenting with other AI or SaaS tools and want honest reviews + growth workflows, check out more at NextGenAIFinder.
Until then, keep automating ✌️
— Eli Mercer