Having control over who can view your LinkedIn posts is an important part of managing your professional online presence. Here are some quick answers about how to limit the visibility of your LinkedIn posts so that you can share content without worrying about it being seen by the wrong people.
Should I make my LinkedIn posts private?
Making your LinkedIn posts private is the easiest way to control who can view them. When you post privately, your connections won’t be able to see your posts in their feed unless they are directly connected to you. Private posts will only visible to your 1st-degree connections.
How do I make a LinkedIn post private?
There are two ways to make a LinkedIn post private:
- When creating a new post, toggle the “Share with” switch from “Public” to “Connections only.” This will make the post private before you publish it.
- For existing posts, click the three dots next to the post and select “Change visibility.” Then choose “Connections only” and save your changes.
What’s the difference between public and private LinkedIn posts?
Public LinkedIn posts are visible to anyone, even people who aren’t connected to you. Private posts are only visible to your 1st-degree connections. Here is a comparison:
Public Post | Private Post |
---|---|
Visible to anyone on LinkedIn | Only visible to your 1st-degree connections |
Appears in followers’ feeds | Does not appear in followers’ feeds |
Helps expand your reach | Limits your reach to your network |
Can be reshared and commented on by anyone | Only your 1st-degree connections can interact |
Should I make all my LinkedIn posts private?
Making all your LinkedIn posts private limits your ability to expand your professional reach and build engagement. However, it ensures your posts are only visible to people you’re connected with.
Here are some best practices:
- Share professional updates, company news, and industry articles publicly to build reach
- Make personal posts, opinions, and sensitive topics private
- Use privacy settings strategically based on your goals for each post
Can I exclude specific connections from seeing my post?
Yes, you can prevent specific connections from seeing a private post. When you create the post, click “Customize visibility” and exclude connections as needed before publishing. You can also change the visibility after publishing.
Can I post anonymously on LinkedIn?
No, LinkedIn doesn’t allow anonymous posting. All posts are attached to your account and visible to at least your 1st-degree connections.
What happens if I change a post from public to private?
When you change a post from public to private, it becomes unavailable to people who aren’t your 1st-degree connections. Anyone who previously liked, commented on, or reshared your public post will still see it in their feed, but it won’t be visible on your profile to them.
Can someone who reshared my post continue seeing it?
Yes, anyone who has reshared or commented on your post can still see it even after you make it private. Their reshare or comment will be unchanged.
Will my post show up in Google search results if it’s private?
No, private LinkedIn posts will not appear in Google or other search engine results. Only your public posts have the potential to show up in search.
Can I restrict visibility by geography or company?
LinkedIn doesn’t currently allow you to limit post visibility by location or company. The only options are public, private, or customized to exclude specific connections.
What are some other ways to control my LinkedIn visibility?
In addition to post privacy settings, here are some other ways to manage what people see on your LinkedIn profile:
- Customize your public profile visibility in your settings
- Review and update the visibility of your LinkedIn activity
- Be selective about what information you include in your profile
- Use anonymous mode to privately view profiles without others knowing
Conclusion
Controlling the visibility of your LinkedIn posts is important for maintaining your professional reputation online. The platform provides options to easily make posts private or customize visibility. Strategically limiting visibility for certain posts allows you to share selectively with your network.
Best practices include posting professionally relevant content publicly and keeping personal opinions and sensitive information private. Also utilize other profile and activity visibility settings. With the right privacy settings, you can maximize the benefits of sharing on LinkedIn without worrying about who might see your posts.