LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 810 million members worldwide. As a social media platform focused on career and business connections, LinkedIn offers users the ability to create professional profiles, connect with other professionals, find jobs, network, and more. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to search for and view other members’ profiles. This allows users to research companies, view someone’s background before an interview, and connect with new professional contacts. However, a common question is – can LinkedIn premium subscribers see who viewed their profile?
LinkedIn Basic vs. Premium
LinkedIn offers both free and paid subscription options. The basic, free account allows users to create a profile, connect with others, perform limited searches, and view profile visitors up to 3rd degree connections. Paid subscriptions include Premium Career, Premium Business, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter Lite. These paid plans unlock additional features like unlimited profile views, InMail messaging, advanced search filters, etc.
So when it comes to seeing who viewed your LinkedIn profile, there is a difference between what basic and premium members can access.
LinkedIn Basic
With a free LinkedIn account, users can see who viewed their profile but only for 1st degree connections. This means you can only see profile views from people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn. You will not be able to see views from 2nd or 3rd degree connections or non-connections. The profile visitor information is also limited to just the last 5 views.
LinkedIn Premium
Upgrading to a Premium account unlocks more visibility into who is viewing your LinkedIn profile. Here’s what LinkedIn Premium members can see:
- Viewers up to 3rd degree connections
- Name and headline of profile visitors
- Company information if available
- Viewer’s location by city/state
- Viewer’s industry
- Date and time profile was viewed
- Ability to filter profile visitors by relationship
The profile visitor tracking goes back 90 days for Premium members. You can also choose to turn off the ability for specific connections to know that you viewed their profile.
Can you see the actual search terms?
While Premium allows more visibility into who is looking at your profile, there is no ability to see the actual keywords or search terms someone used to find your profile.
For example, if someone searched on LinkedIn for “marketing manager Atlanta” and your profile showed up in the results, they would see that this person viewed their profile, but not the specifics of what was searched.
Limitations of LinkedIn Profile Views
While the Profile Views section gives Premium subscribers more information than basic members, there are still some limitations to what view data you can see:
- You can only see views from the last 90 days, not all-time views.
- Views are shown in batches rather than per person.
- You cannot see the number of times someone specific viewed your profile, only that they did view it.
- Anonymous LinkedIn members can elect to stay anonymous when viewing profiles.
- Only views of your Profile tab are tracked, not content views or other page visits.
Pro Tips for Using Profile View Data
For LinkedIn users with Premium accounts, profile view information can provide useful insights to help optimize your presence and build more connections. Here are some tips on making the most of your profile visitor analytics:
1. Prioritize connecting with recurring viewers
If you notice certain LinkedIn members viewing your profile frequently over the 90 day period, focus on connecting with those individuals first. Recurring profile views signal a stronger level of interest vs. one-time views.
2. Engage with viewers from target companies
Pay attention to viewers from companies you want to work for or do business with. Profile visits can identify decision makers and hiring managers already looking at your background.
3. Thank new viewers for visiting your profile
A quick message thanking new connections for visiting your profile and asking to connect goes a long way. This turns a cold viewer into a warm lead.
4. Consider viewers when updating your profile
Knowing which companies and titles are prominently viewing your profile can help focus your profile updates. For example, emphasizing skills or experience that resonates with frequent viewers.
5. Leverage visitor stats when applying for jobs
Being able to reference that you noticed a hiring manager from a target company viewed your LinkedIn profile multiple times can give you an edge when applying for jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who searches for me on LinkedIn?
You cannot see the keyword searches others use to find your profile. LinkedIn does allow Premium subscribers to see expanded information on who has viewed their Profile page over the last 90 days.
Does LinkedIn notify someone if you look at their profile?
By default, LinkedIn will notify connections when you view their profile. However, there is an option under Privacy & Settings to choose specific connections you want to stay anonymous to when viewing their profiles.
Can LinkedIn tell my current employer I’m job searching?
No, LinkedIn will not proactively notify your employer if you are searching for jobs while employed. Your employer would only know if you applied for roles at their company or if someone directly told them.
Is there a way to see who searched me on Google?
Google does not provide a way to see who is searching for your name or any search terms associated with you. There are third-party services that provide estimates but no exact search data.
Can recruiters on LinkedIn see if you viewed their profile?
Yes, recruiters and all other LinkedIn members can see when someone views their profile, unless that person chooses to remain anonymous from their Privacy settings.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn Premium unlocks more insights into who is viewing your professional profile compared to basic accounts. While not completely comprehensive, profile visitor data can inform stronger networking, lead generation, and job search strategies. Understanding these capabilities and limitations allows savvy LinkedIn users to maximize the value of their Premium membership.