LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 722 million users worldwide. As a professional networking site, LinkedIn allows users to create professional profiles, connect with other professionals, join groups, follow companies, and apply for jobs. Two key features on LinkedIn that allow users to find and connect with other users are profile views and searches. While both features allow users to discover new connections, there are some key differences between profile views and searches on LinkedIn that users should understand.
What is a Profile View on LinkedIn?
A profile view on LinkedIn occurs when another user views your profile. LinkedIn tracks profile views as a metric to gauge how many people have looked at your profile within a certain timeframe, such as the last 30 days. You can see who has viewed your profile within the last 90 days, although these users remain anonymous unless they are a 1st degree connection.
Profile views are a passive way to get discovered by others on LinkedIn. You do not have to actively search for people or companies – instead, your profile gets surfaced to users based on various algorithms and recommendations on the platform. Some key ways profile views can happen include:
- Appearing as a recommended connection
- Getting endorsed for skills by a connection
- Joining a new group
- Connecting with influential users who have many followers
- Having content go viral
- Being discovered via search
In general, having more profile views signals that your profile is being discovered by the right people organically. It shows your profile is optimized for visibility and relevance in LinkedIn’s recommendation engines.
What is a LinkedIn Search?
Unlike passive profile views, doing a search on LinkedIn is an active way to find people, jobs, content, companies, groups, and more information. Using the search bar at the top of LinkedIn, you can type in keywords to pull up relevant results. For example, you could search for:
- People – Search for connections by name, company, title, school
- Jobs – Find open positions by keyword, title, company
- Content – Lookup articles, posts, and media
- Companies – Research employers by name or industry
- Groups – Discover relevant communities to join
- Posts – Find the latest content published on LinkedIn
Searches allow you to actively “target” the types of profiles and information you want to find. While profile views depend on your profile organically surfacing in recommendations and search results, doing direct searches gives you more control to find exactly who or what you need.
Key Differences Between Profile Views and Searches
While both profile views and searches allow you to find and connect with other users, there are some important differences:
Discovery
- Profile Views – Passive way to get “found” and discovered by others
- Searches – Active way to intentionally find other people/information
Intent
- Profile Views – General interest in your brand and reputation
- Searches – Clear intent to find specific things
Metrics
- Profile Views – Key metric for gauging passive reach
- Searches – Harder to track and measure
Ongoing Engagement
- Profile Views – One-time event, user may never return
- Searches – Can convert searchers into ongoing relationships
Recommendations
- Profile Views – Depends on LinkedIn recommendation algorithms
- Searches – Self-directed without recommendations
Targeting
- Profile Views – Broad visibility to wide audience
- Searches – Precise targeting to niche audience
Best Practices for Profile Views vs. Searches
To take advantage of both profile views and searches, here are some best practices:
To Increase Profile Views:
- Complete your profile 100% with keywords
- Get endorsements for key skills from connections
- Join targeted industry/interest groups
- Publish engaging content regularly
- Connect with influential profiles and thought leaders
- Leverage personalized URL vanity name
To Optimize Searches:
- Keyword optimize your profile, especially headline and summary
- Includetarget keywords in your profile details
- Publish content with relevant keyword phrases
- Follow hashtags and topics to stay visible
- Engage with content from key audiences
- Join niche industry or interest groups
Conclusion
In summary, profile views and searches both enable you to expand your network and get discovered on LinkedIn – but in different ways. Having a strong profile and presence that attracts lots of passive profile views indicates you have built a visible personal brand and authority. But actively searching for targets allows precise discovery and outreach. Utilize both approaches as part of your overall LinkedIn networking strategy. Tracking your profile views and optimizing searches will help you connect with the right professionals and opportunities.
