Having a strong presence on LinkedIn is crucial for building your personal brand and expanding your professional network. One important metric on LinkedIn is the number of followers you have. But how many followers should you aim for to be considered successful on the platform?
What Does Having LinkedIn Followers Mean?
On LinkedIn, followers are other users who subscribe to your profile updates and content. When you post an article, comment, or share an update, it will appear in your followers’ feeds. Followers serve as an engaged audience who can help expand the reach of your posts through likes, comments, and reshares.
In addition to seeing your content, your followers get a first look at any profile changes you make, such as adding new skills, experience, education, etc. In this way, followers stay up-to-date on your professional journey.
Having a high number of engaged followers signals that you have built a strong personal brand and are influential in your industry. Follower count is often seen as a metric of success and authority on LinkedIn.
What Is Considered a “Good” Number of LinkedIn Followers?
So what follower count should you aim for? Here are some benchmarks to evaluate the size of your follower base:
- 0-500 followers – You’re just getting started on LinkedIn. Focus on creating great content and engaging with your network.
- 500-2,000 followers – You have a respectable following. Keep providing value to move to the next tier.
- 2,000-5,000 followers – You have a strong presence and are considered an authority in your niche.
- 5,000-10,000 followers – You have achieved LinkedIn influencer status and have a targeted, engaged audience.
- 10,000+ followers – You have a mass following and have “made it” as a LinkedIn influencer.
However, it’s important to note that follower count isn’t everything. You want to attract targeted, engaged followers who are interested in your niche and content focus. 1,000 targeted followers are better than 10,000 random connections.
How Many Followers Do LinkedIn Influencers Have?
LinkedIn influencer status is granted to users who have large, engaged followings. Here are the average follower counts for different tiers of LinkedIn influencers:
Influencer Tier | Follower Range |
---|---|
Top Voice | 500,000+ followers |
Author | 20,000-100,000 followers |
Expert | 10,000-20,000 followers |
Thought Leader | 5,000-10,000 followers |
As you can see, achieving LinkedIn Top Voice or Author status requires obtaining hundreds of thousands or tens of thousands of engaged followers respectively. But most industry experts sit in the Thought Leader or Expert tiers with follower counts ranging from 5,000 to 20,000.
How Many Followers Are Realistic For Business Owners and Professionals?
For most business owners, entrepreneurs, and working professionals, a realistic goal is 1,000-5,000 engaged followers. Here are some follower count benchmarks to aim for:
- Entrepreneurs/Freelancers: 1,000-2,000 followers
- Small Business Owners: 2,000-5,000 followers
- Industry Experts: 5,000+ followers
- Company Page: 1,000-5,000 followers
Keep in mind that your follower goal can vary greatly depending on your industry and niche. For example, a tech entrepreneur may aim for 2,000-5,000 followers, while a restaurant owner might aim for 1,000-2,000 local foodie followers.
Tips to Gain More Quality Followers on LinkedIn
Gaining followers takes time and a strategic approach. Here are some best practices:
- Post valuable insights, articles, case studies, and news related to your niche.
- Comment thoughtfully on other posts and join Group conversations.
- Connect with those who engage with your content and share common interests.
- Leverage hashtags related to your industry to extend your reach.
- Ask customers, partners, employees and connections to follow your page.
- Promote your LinkedIn profile and content on other platforms.
- Engage regularly but authentically – don’t just post to sell.
- Interact with new followers by liking/commenting on their posts.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity of Followers
At the end of the day, quality followers who genuinely interest in your brand are preferable over a huge quantity of passive followers. 1,000 engaged followers are more valuable than 10,000 random connections.
Evaluate your follower base by the level of engagement your updates receive through likes, comments, and reshares. Concentrate your efforts on nurturing relationships with those who actively participate.
Conclusion
There are no absolute rules on the ideal number of LinkedIn followers. A range of 1,000-10,000 engaged followers is seen as a strong foundation for most professionals and businesses.
Focus first on providing value through your content, network authentically, and the followers will organically follow. But keep in mind that follower count is just one metric – the quality of your audience and engagement levels also matter.
By establishing yourself as a thoughtful leader in your industry, you can build a targeted follower base on LinkedIn that helps elevate your personal brand and company.