One afternoon I cleaned up my LinkedIn network. Years earlier, I had joined a call to connect with as many entrepreneurs as possible. As a result, my connections included many people I had never spoken to. My feed grew busier, but when I needed help, I did not know whom to ask.
A connection is not an introduction
I often used LinkedIn to reach the right person at a company through a mutual contact. That revealed the difference: I could ask someone I knew for an introduction, but hardly a stranger. I did not know their relationship with the other person, and they had no reason to recommend me. The number on my profile increased, but the network did not necessarily become more useful.
I removed contacts I could no longer place. That was my choice, not a rule that you may only connect with people you have met face to face. New online contacts can be valuable when there has been a conversation, shared work or mutual interest.
Decide what your network is for
Do you want to exchange ideas, help people or ask for introductions? Look at which relationships actually support that purpose. LinkedIn itself recommends connecting for a clear professional reason. My cleanup taught me that the connection count is a means. A meaningful relationship develops through contact.