LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social networking sites with over 740 million members worldwide as of April 2021. With its massive user base, LinkedIn profiles tend to attract a lot of attention, especially if you are an active networker or job seeker.
A common question that many LinkedIn users have is – Is there a way to see who viewed my LinkedIn profile anonymously? LinkedIn shows you the number of profile views in the last 90 days. However, it does not reveal the names or identities of the viewers.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore if and how you can find out who viewed your LinkedIn profile anonymously.
Does LinkedIn let you see who viewed your profile?
The simple answer is – No, LinkedIn does not let you see who viewed your profile.
When you get profile views on LinkedIn, all you see is the total number of times your profile has been viewed in the last 90 days. There is no way to see the names, locations, companies, or any other details about those anonymous viewers within LinkedIn.
LinkedIn intentionally keeps profile viewers anonymous to respect privacy. As a professional platform, they do not want to reveal identities of profile viewers without consent.
Why does LinkedIn hide viewer identities?
Here are some of the main reasons why LinkedIn keeps profile viewers anonymous:
- To respect privacy expectations of users.
- To encourage open networking without fear of being watched.
- To prevent misuse of data for targeting or harassment.
- To avoid complications in business relationships.
- To keep the platform transparent and equitable for all members.
LinkedIn states in their privacy policy that they will not share any information about your profile viewers with third parties or even with you as a user. The only data shared is the aggregate number of profile views in a specific time period.
What information does LinkedIn show about your profile viewers?
Although LinkedIn keeps individual viewer identities anonymous, your account does show some basic analytics about who has viewed your profile:
- Total profile views – The total number of times your profile has been viewed in the last 90 days.
- Top locations – The top regions where your profile got the most views.
- Top companies – The top companies from where your profile got viewed.
- Top content – The top content pieces (like posts or articles) that got viewed along with your profile.
These analytics give you a broad idea of the audience that is interested in your profile. You can utilize these insights to customize your profile content further for your target viewers.
How to see more details about LinkedIn profile visitors?
While LinkedIn itself keeps profile viewers anonymous, there are some third-party tools and Chrome extensions that can help reveal more details about who viewed your LinkedIn profile.
However, most of these tools tend to use methods like tracking cookies, data scraping and aggregation which are against LinkedIn terms of service. Some paid tools make big claims about showing viewer identities, but user reviews suggest inconsistent results.
We recommend exercising caution as using any third-party services to access LinkedIn data could lead to account restriction or banning as per their user agreement policies.
Premium LinkedIn Account
Upgrading to a Premium LinkedIn account unlocks extra analytics about profile views under “Who’s viewed your profile”. It shows more granular data like levels, functions, companies and locations of viewers.
However, Premium accounts still do not show individual identities of anonymous profile viewers. But the more segmented analytics can provide better insights on your audience.
LinkedIn Recruiter Account
LinkedIn Recruiter accounts are specifically meant for talent acquisition professionals to access LinkedIn data. This recruiting-focused account can see full names and profiles of members who have viewed your Company Page or Showcase Pages.
However, the Recruiter account still cannot disclose identities of people viewing personal profiles. It only works for Company Pages viewed by LinkedIn members.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s premium tool for sales professionals to find prospects, leads and accounts. The Account Insights feature provides anonymized analytics on Company Page views and visitor details.
But for individual profile views, Sales Navigator also does not show any names or personal information of anonymous viewers due to privacy reasons.
Third-Party Browser Extensions
There are some third-party browser extensions like LinkedIn Profile Viewer, Who Viewed My LinkedIn Profile, RocketReach, etc. that claim to show you the people who viewed your profile.
However, LinkedIn strictly prohibits scraping or hacking user data via third-party tools. Most extensions actually compile users lists through basic data aggregation methods without linking to real profile views.
We advise against using any unauthorized browser extensions or apps for LinkedIn to avoid account restrictions or legal issues regarding data privacy policies.
How to see who viewed your LinkedIn profile legally?
If you are particular about knowing who exactly is interested in your LinkedIn profile, there are a couple of legitimate methods you can try.
Check Network Updates
People who view your LinkedIn profile directly are added to “Who’s viewed your updates” under Network Updates. You can filter to see only profile views in the last 90 days.
However, this would only show those viewers who visited your profile organically after viewing your content or updates. It will not include broader profile views.
Share Limited Profile Views
You can customize your LinkedIn profile share settings to only allow connections to view your full profile. For others, you can limit profile visibility and turn off public viewing.
This way, new profile views would only come from people connected to you on LinkedIn, making it easier to know who specifically is viewing your profile.
Use Profile Badges
LinkedIn Open Profile badges let you add customizable logos and graphics to your profile picture. When people view your profile, they see these badges which serve as virtual “business cards”.
You can add text like “Let’s connect” or “Say hello” on the badges. Some viewers may thus be inclined to introduce themselves, indirectly revealing they visited your profile.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lets you build stronger connections | Not everyone may message you |
| Personalizes your profile | Smaller audience reach |
| Indicates your openness to engage | Limits profile views |
Expert tips to increase LinkedIn profile views
While you may not be able to see identities of all your anonymous profile viewers, you can adopt some best practices to boost your overall profile visibility and views:
Complete your Profile 100%
A fully optimized profile has a much higher chance of appearing in search results and getting viewed by relevant audiences. Ensure you add professional headshot, headline, summary, experience, education, skills, recommendations etc.
Use targeted Keywords
Incorporate relevant keywords and phrases in your profile content to come up in searches by potential customers, partners, recruiters or industry colleagues.
Share Regular Long-form Content
Posting long-form content like articles enables you to showcase thought leadership and get discovered by a wider pool of professionals across the LinkedIn network.
Engage With Your Network
Being more active by commenting, liking, sharing content and updating your connections encourages your network to check out your profile more frequently.
Join Relevant Groups
Active participation in industry or interest-specific LinkedIn Groups positions you as an expert and drives group members to view your profile.
Implementing these tips can help increase genuine profile views from the audiences you want to target, even if you cannot see exactly who they are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any way to bypass LinkedIn privacy?
No, there are no legitimate methods to bypass LinkedIn’s privacy settings to see anonymous profile viewers. Hacking or scraping LinkedIn data is illegal and can get your account restricted.
Can I see who clicked my LinkedIn profile link?
No, LinkedIn does not show who clicked on a link to your profile that was shared via messaging or external websites. You can only see the total view count.
Does turning off profile view history increase views?
Turning off your profile view history in Settings & Privacy will not necessarily increase your profile views. It just ensures your own viewing history is not tracked.
Can Premium accounts see anonymous viewers?
No, even paid Premium LinkedIn accounts do not have the ability to view the names of anonymous profile visitors. Only aggregate data is provided.
Is there a viewer limit for LinkedIn profiles?
There is no viewer limit for LinkedIn profiles. Your profile can be viewed by anyone on LinkedIn as well as accessible via search engines for public viewing.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn keeps individual profile viewers anonymous, you can optimize your profile and activity to increase relevant profile views. Focus on building connections, thought leadership and engagement with your target audience.
Keep in mind that profile views indicate genuine interest in connecting with you professionally. Instead of focusing on viewer identities, use your valuable profile visibility to build your reputation and expand your network.
