How to Follow People on Facebook: A Guide for the Socially Savvy

So, you want to stay updated on someone’s public Facebook activity? Excellent choice! Whether you’re tracking industry leaders, keeping an eye on community influencers, or simply interested in a public figure, following them on Facebook is the way to go. It’s not about creeping; it’s about staying informed!

How to follow people on Facebook? It’s simple: Navigate to their profile, and if they allow it, you’ll see a “Follow” button. Click it! That’s it. If there’s no “Follow” button, it’s likely because they haven’t enabled public followers or they are already your friend. Let’s dive deeper into the nuances, shall we?

Understanding the Dynamics of Following on Facebook

Friendship vs. Following: Knowing the Difference

Think of Facebook friendships as a two-way street: both parties agree to connect and share their content with each other. Following, on the other hand, is a one-way relationship. You get to see their public posts and updates, even if they don’t add you as a friend. This is particularly useful for public figures or individuals who keep their friend list exclusive.

Enabling the Follow Feature: A Must for Aspiring Influencers

If you want people to follow you, you need to enable the public follow feature. By default, only friends can see your posts. To open up your profile to followers, go to your Facebook settings, then “Public Posts,” and set “Who Can Follow Me” to “Public.” This allows anyone, even those not on your friend list, to receive updates about your publicly shared content.

Privacy Considerations: What Followers Can and Can’t See

It’s crucial to understand what followers can and can’t see. They only see your public posts. Content shared with “Friends Only” or specific groups will remain private. Regularly review your privacy settings to ensure your desired level of visibility. You control what the world sees, so wield that power responsibly!

Step-by-Step Guide to Following Someone

Following someone on Facebook is straightforward. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Find the Person’s Profile: Use the search bar to locate the profile of the person you want to follow.
2. Look for the “Follow” Button: This button is usually located near the “Add Friend” button, often below their cover photo.
3. Click “Follow”: Once you click the button, you’re officially a follower!
4. Confirmation: You might receive a notification confirming that you’re now following the person.
5. Customize Notifications (Optional): Some profiles allow you to customize the notifications you receive from them. This helps you filter the content you see in your News Feed.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

“Follow” Button Not Visible: What to Do

If you don’t see the “Follow” button, it could be due to several reasons:

• They are already your friend: You’re automatically following friends.
• They haven’t enabled the Follow feature: As mentioned earlier, the person needs to make their profile publicly followable in their settings.
• Privacy Settings: They may have restricted who can follow them.
• Profile is Private: If it’s a completely private profile, you won’t be able to follow it, you’ll only be able to send a friend request.

Unfollowing Someone: Cutting the Digital Cord

Decided to unfollow someone? No problem! Simply revisit their profile and click the “Following” button (it will change to show that you are currently following). A dropdown menu will appear. Choose “Unfollow” and you’re done. No awkward explanations needed!

FAQs: Your Burning Facebook Following Questions Answered

Q1: Is following someone the same as being friends with them on Facebook?

No. Being friends is a two-way connection where both parties see each other’s posts (within their respective privacy settings). Following is a one-way connection where you see only the public posts of the person you’re following.

Q2: Can someone see if I follow them?

Yes, to a degree. They’ll see a number indicating how many followers they have. If you interact with their public posts (like, comment, share), they’ll see your name. However, they won’t receive a specific notification saying “John Doe started following you.”

Q3: Will I see everything someone posts if I follow them?

No. You’ll only see their publicly shared posts. Anything shared with “Friends Only” or specific groups will remain private and inaccessible to you as a follower.

Q4: How do I enable the “Follow” button on my own profile?

Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Public Posts. Change the “Who Can Follow Me” setting to “Public.”

Q5: Can I follow a Facebook Page instead of a personal profile?

Yes! Facebook Pages are designed to be followed. You’ll typically see a “Like” button on a Page, which effectively serves the same purpose as following (receiving updates in your News Feed). Some Pages also have a “Follow” button available.

Q6: What happens when I send someone a friend request and they accept? Am I still following them?

Yes! Once someone accepts your friend request, you automatically follow them. You’ll see their posts based on their privacy settings for friends.

Q7: Can I unfollow someone without unfriending them?

Absolutely! Unfollowing simply stops their public posts from appearing in your News Feed. It doesn’t affect your friendship status.

Q8: Does following someone cost anything?

No. Following on Facebook is entirely free. It’s a feature built into the platform.

Q9: How can I see a list of people I’m following?

Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t provide a direct, easily accessible list of only the people you follow but are not friends with. The best way to do this is to go to your News Feed Preferences and review the pages and people whose posts you see first.

Q10: If I follow someone, will they automatically follow me back?

No. Following is not reciprocal. They may choose to follow you back, but it’s entirely their decision.

Q11: What’s the difference between “liking” a Facebook Page and “following” it?

“Liking” a Page is similar to following it; both will show you updates from the Page in your News Feed. Some pages may offer both, so “liking” is more of a signal of support or interest, while “following” is mostly for getting updates.

Q12: Can I follow someone who has blocked me?

No. If someone has blocked you, you won’t be able to see their profile or follow them. The digital door is firmly closed.