How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

written by Houston Golden
Founder & CEO, BAMF Media
April 17th, 2021
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One of the biggest steps you can take to influencer status is to add a follow button to your LinkedIn profile.

It tells people right off the bat that you’re a thought leader.

Why?

Because influencers and thought leaders are followed

In this, quick guide, we’ll show you how you can add a follow button to your LinkedIn profile, and what other benefits you get from implementing this today.

Let’s get at it!

The Difference Between a Follow and a Connect on LinkedIn

There’s a big difference between a connection and a follow on LinkedIn.

A connect on LinkedIn is usually a two-way interaction where you and the party that connects with you now share a relationship on the platform. This is provided that you approve the request – or if they approve yours.

On the other hand, a follow allows a user access to your account and posts regardless of you accept their request to connect with you or not.

The follow option seems to be a hybrid between the follow options of Twitter and Instagram, versus the “Add as a friend” option of Facebook.

What Are The Benefits of Using a “Follow” Button Instead of a Connect Button?

If your goal is to grow on LinkedIn then you should be looking at achieving influencer status, and influencers make it easy for their followers to follow them.

Here’s what.

The follow button subconsciously suggests to prospects that the profile that they’re on belongs to an influencer. And, it does this by just using one word.

It indirectly tells people that you’re not exactly trying to sell anything to them, but instead offering something of value, since they don’t even have to engage in a two-way connection, to begin with.

And, there’s more.

When you’re rapidly scaling, you also want a system in place that will help you go through people the number of requests that you have.

Having a follow button makes it easier for you to grow your influencer base because there is no need for you to approve their requests.

You can then focus on growing your “business connection” base by just having to go through people who have taken the time to connect with you.

Now some people might argue that it could be counterproductive to users who still want to gain a lot of connections in their industry, but I beg to differ.

Here’s the other thing.

You still have the message button prominently featured in your LinkedIn profile just in case people want to contact you directly.

If you have been following our LinkedIn profile optimization guides in the past, you’ll find that having CTAs in your header image or having a properly optimized summary will help direct business traffic to your funnel in any case.

Find out how to create LinkedIn summaries that convert in our guide!

Here’s another thing we noticed.

Having a follow button is less intrusive than a connect button.

Think about it, how many people on Facebook do you want to follow, but not connect or be friends with?

The follow button represents less commitment on the part of the prospect.

Will People Still Be Able to Connect With Me?

Yes, they can!

However, you have to click the three dots next to the “Message” option to find the “Connect” button.

Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile, How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

As we mentioned earlier, you still have the message button that’s prominently in place there and if you have an optimized profile it shouldn’t be a problem for prospects who are ready for conversion.

How Do You Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile?

It’s pretty simple to add a follow button on your LinkedIn profile. However, they’ve buried the option deep in your settings.

What you need to do is head over to the “Me” option on the upper-right hand side of LinkedIn and bring down the dropdown menu to access “Settings & Privacy”.

Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile, How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

Go to the “Visibility” tab on the left-hand side, and click on “Visibility of your LinkedIn activity” and scroll all the way down on the right-hand side till you find the “Followers” option.

Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile, How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

Once you click on “Followers” it will expand the options that you have.

Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile, How to Add a Follow Button to Your LinkedIn Profile

At the bottom, there will be an option for you to “Make follow primary”, click on that to move the slider to the right.

And, there you have it. “Follow” will now be the main option on your profile.

Takeaways

These little tweaks might not seem like a lot but they help in bringing out the most in your profile.

This is especially important if you’re aiming to be an influencer on LinkedIn.

Having the follow button has a deep psychological effect on a visitor to your page. Once they see that button, they’ll know that you’re someone whose opinion matters.

However, it doesn’t only serve an aesthetic purpose.

It also helps keep things organized, especially if you’re scaling at a rapid rate.

At BAMF, we like quick hacks that both serve an aesthetic and productive function, especially ones that serve to increase your standing as an influencer.

So, make your move.

What’s stopping you from telling people to “follow” you today?

About the Author

The name's Houston Golden. I'm the Founder & CEO of BAMF — a company I've grown from $0 (yes, really) to well over $5M+ in revenue over a span of 5 years.

How did I do it? Well, it's quite simple, really. I've helped hundreds of business owners and executives get major traction (because when they win, we win), I tell all on this blog.

Growth hacking is a state of mind. Follow along as I explore and expose the unknown growth strategies and tactics that will change the way you think about marketing.
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