LinkedIn Follow vs Connect: What's the Difference?

Following on LinkedIn is a one-way relationship where you see someone's posts without them seeing yours. Connecting is a two-way relationship with mutual access to posts, messaging, and networks. You can have unlimited followers but only 30,000 connections maximum.

Key Takeaways

• Follow = one-way: You see their content, they don't see yours
• Connect = two-way: Mutual access to posts, messages, and networks
• Limit difference: Unlimited followers vs. 30,000 max connections
• Weekly limits: 200 connection requests per week on basic accounts
• Strategy: Follow first to warm up prospects, then connect

LinkedIn Follow vs Connect: Quick Comparison

Feature	Follow	Connect
Relationship	One-way	Two-way (mutual)
See their posts	Yes	Yes
They see your posts	No	Yes
Direct messaging	No	Yes
Requires approval	No	Yes
Maximum allowed	Unlimited	30,000
Weekly limit	Unlimited	~200 requests

What Does Following Someone on LinkedIn Mean?

According to LinkedIn Help, following someone lets you see their posts, articles, and activity in your feed. It's a one-way street—you see their content, but they won't see yours unless they visit your profile or follow you back.

Benefits of Following

• No approval needed: Start seeing their content immediately
• No limits: Follow as many people as you want daily
• Low commitment: Learn from someone without building a relationship
• Stay informed: Track industry leaders and competitors
• Warm-up strategy: Engage with content before sending a connection request

When to Follow Instead of Connect

According to Breakcold, following is ideal when:

• You want to learn from industry thought leaders
• You don't know the person personally
• You want to stay updated on competitors or companies
• You're warming up a prospect before connecting
• The person has Creator Mode enabled (follow is often the default)

What Does Connecting on LinkedIn Mean?

According to Linked Helper, connecting creates a two-way, mutually agreed-upon relationship. You become 1st-degree connections, meaning you can directly message each other and see each other's posts.

Benefits of Connecting

• Direct messaging: Send messages without InMail credits
• Mutual visibility: Both see each other's posts and updates
• Network access: See their connections (depending on privacy settings)
• Endorsements: Can endorse and recommend each other
• Deeper relationships: Foundation for professional partnerships

When to Connect Instead of Follow

According to SalesRobot, connecting is better when:

• You know the person (colleague, client, met at event)
• You want to build a direct relationship
• You need to send messages for business opportunities
• You're actively networking in your industry
• You want mutual engagement on content

Important LinkedIn Limits to Know

Connection Request Limits

According to Octopus CRM, LinkedIn imposes these limits:

Account Type	Weekly Connection Limit
Basic (new accounts)	~100-150 requests
Basic (established)	~200 requests
Premium accounts	Up to 200+ requests

Exceeding these limits can result in temporary restrictions on your account.

Maximum Connections

• 30,000: Maximum 1st-degree connections allowed
• Once you hit 30,000, you can only accept requests, not send new ones
• Followers remain unlimited regardless of connection count

Following Limits

• Unlimited daily follows: No cap on how many people you can follow
• This makes following a safer strategy for broad outreach

The Follow-First Strategy for Networking

According to PhantomBuster, following first is an effective way to warm up prospects before connecting.

Why Follow-First Works

1. You appear in their notifications: They see you followed them
2. Engage with their content: Like, comment, and share their posts
3. Build familiarity: They start recognizing your name
4. Higher acceptance rate: When you eventually connect, they're more likely to accept

Step-by-Step Follow-First Process

1. Follow thought leaders, prospects, or industry peers
2. Engage genuinely with their content for 2-4 weeks
3. Send personalized connection request referencing your engagement
4. Continue engaging after they accept

Example connection message after following:

"Hi [Name], I've been following your posts on [topic] for a few weeks and found your perspective on [specific insight] really valuable. Would love to connect and continue learning from your content!"

What Happens When You Send a Connection Request?

According to LinkedIn Help, when you send a connection request:

1. You automatically follow the person
2. You start seeing their content in your feed
3. If they accept: You become 1st-degree connections
4. If they ignore/decline: You still follow them unless you unfollow

This means every connection request also creates a follow relationship.

Creator Mode and the Follow Button

According to Linked Helper, Creator Mode changes how your profile works:

What Changes with Creator Mode

• Default button: "Follow" replaces "Connect" as the primary button
• Follower count displayed: Shows followers instead of connections
• Content prioritized: Your posts may get more reach

Implications for Networking

• People visiting your profile will see "Follow" first
• To connect with you, they must click "More" → "Connect"
• This is intentional—creators want followers, not just connections

If you want people to connect more easily, consider whether Creator Mode aligns with your goals.

Connections vs. Followers: Which Matters More?

According to Kim Scaravelli on LinkedIn, both matter but serve different purposes:

When Connections Matter More

• Sales professionals: Need DM access to prospects
• Job seekers: Want mutual visibility with hiring managers
• Networkers: Building trust-based professional relationships
• B2B marketers: Engaging directly with decision-makers

When Followers Matter More

• Content creators: Want maximum reach for posts
• Thought leaders: Building influence beyond personal network
• Company pages: Followers are the primary metric
• Personal brands: Wider audience for visibility

The Bottom Line

According to Findymail:

• Connect with people you want conversations and relationships with
• Follow people who write interesting content you want to consume

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between following and connecting on LinkedIn?

Following is a one-way relationship where you see someone's posts but they don't see yours. Connecting is a two-way relationship where both parties see each other's content and can message directly. Connecting requires approval; following doesn't.

Should I follow or connect on LinkedIn?

Connect with people you know or want a direct relationship with—colleagues, clients, prospects you've interacted with. Follow people you want to learn from but don't need to message—industry leaders, influencers, thought leaders. When in doubt, follow first to warm up the relationship, then connect.

What happens if someone follows me on LinkedIn?

They can see your posts and activity in their feed, but you won't see theirs unless you follow them back. You'll receive a notification that they followed you. You can choose to follow back, ignore, or send them a connection request.

Can you message someone you follow on LinkedIn?

No. Following only gives you access to their content. To send direct messages, you need to either connect with them or use InMail (requires Premium). This is why connecting matters for sales and networking—it unlocks direct communication.

Does connecting automatically follow on LinkedIn?

Yes. When you send a connection request, you automatically follow that person. If they decline or ignore your request, you remain following them unless you manually unfollow. This means you'll see their content even if they never accept your request.

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