‘Following’ is a term used across the social media sphere and represents the users whose content we sign up to follow and see more of.
But with Facebook geared more towards friendships and direct relationships, how exactly does ‘Following’ work and what do followers see?
What Is a Follower on Facebook?
The Follow function on Facebook is a relatively recent update that allows users to follow and subscribe to the content of other users, without having to request to become their friend.
It essentially acts as a stepping stone between being friends and not being friends on the app – unlocking access to content that the user shares with their followers, while giving them some semblance of a private profile too.
Who Can You Follow on Facebook?
You can follow pretty much anyone on Facebook, be it a high profile individual, a creator, or a friend.
It means that you do not miss their updates and new posts and can stay connected on the app even if you aren’t friends.
Users will likely find that those who want to build their presence on Facebook and establish a growing community will proactively encourage follows and will share lots of Public content that their followers can see and engage with. Private users are more likely to set their ‘Follow’ feature to ‘Friends Only’, preventing those who they don’t know and aren’t friends with from being able to see and stay up to date with their posts.
How to Follow Someone on Facebook
If a user has activated the ‘Follow’ tool, then you will be able to find it on their profile. Clicking on the ‘Follow’ button will bring their posts and updates into your feed, even without you needing to become friends with them.
It is important to recognise that following someone is not the same as being friends with them. While Facebook friendship is a two-way connection, that allows the two of you to communicate directly and see each other’s updates, following someone is a one-way process. The user who you follow will not see any of your content unless they follow you as well.
Should I Allow Users to Follow Me on Facebook?
The answer to this depends on what you want to achieve via your Facebook presence and profile.
If you are establishing a Facebook community and want to build a growing brand, then allowing followers will put your name and content in front of a wider audience.
You can also consider creating a page to separate your public content away from your private profile. Users can follow pages in a similar way, staying up to date with the content that you want them to access and see.
We hope this helps and inspires you to start using that ‘Follow’ button more often! Facebook is all about sharing and discovering valuable and entertaining content and building meaningful relationships. Following prolific users and those who you admire is just one of the ways that you can stay in the loop.
