We all use search engines to find information about people at any time, thanks to the Internet. But what if you use Google and type someone’s name, which takes you to their LinkedIn profile? Will LinkedIn tell that person that you searched for their details? And how does all that work?
I’ll answer all that, but keep in mind that Google is not going to tell anyone that you searched for them. However, in some cases, when you use that person’s computer or phone for a search, then, they can see your search history. So, that’s the only exception here when we talk about seeing other people’s profiles on the web.
LinkedIn visibility
LinkedIn is one of the most popular places on the Internet that people use. So, they have accounts on the platform. Thus, others can find them through Google or in other ways. Now, when talking about Google, when you type the person’s name into the search engine, it will show you their social profile, including LinkedIn.
After that, when you start visiting their profile page, the system won’t tell the account owner that you searched for them using Google.
In other words, the searches on Google are kept hidden from that user. So, they don’t get notified that you searched for them.
When does a LinkedIn user know about your visit?
Lots of people think that LinkedIn tells users who visited their profile. But that’s only valid if the person has a premium subscription on the platform. In fact, paid accounts on the app have the privilege of knowing who checked their profiles. But in all cases, that’s only valid if the visitor has a LinkedIn account. So, guest visitors on LinkedIn are not tracked as they don’t have a name or a username there. The account visibility settings let the account owner configure who can view their details internally and through search engines.
There is, for sure, a dedicated analytics tool there for pages. So their administrators can see who visited their content if they enabled advanced analytics. However, that’s not the case with accounts.
Google, as a search engine, won’t tell that person that you searched for them. That’s anonymously done through the algorithm.
Can you view someone’s LinkedIn profile without an account?
Talking about privacy on social media, LinkedIn has two options:
- Public profiles
- Private profiles
In the first one, you can see the user’s account details, but only the basic ones. On the second one, you won’t get into the profiles page unless you login.
That means if you accidentally visited a person’s profile and you already logged in, then, yes, it’s possible that the user knows about that if they’re on a premium plan. Otherwise, they don’t see your visit, as that is only reserved for paid users on the LinkedIn network. That being said, the network allows free users to see the first 5 profiles of people who have viewed their profiles. But that’s not always valid for every occasion.
How to see profiles without being tracked?
Even if LinkedIn can offer some sort of tracking about who views someone’s profile, there are tricks to avoid that. Now, it happens that people may need a special piece of information about someone online. So, when they Google names or usernames and see the LinkedIn details, they should do all that within the Google search engine. Here is how to do that:
First, make sure you’re logged out of your existing account on LinkedIn. Next, type the full name of the LinkedIn user and add words like education, location, or whatever details you need. By doing that, you provide Google with the data you need to get into the search results. Consequently, you read them directly without the need to check out the account behind them.
Also, there is an advanced search filter you can use. The next is one example of a search about someone; just replace the words with your preferred ones:
"Their name" site:linkedin.com, cityThat means we need to know the city where someone works or lives through their LinkedIn page. Then, if Google has any of that data, you’ll see it in the SERP details. Repeat that search with each piece of information you’re looking for, like age, etc.
Please note that not every user’s account on LinkedIn is indexed by a search engine. Some users prefer keeping their details private. So, they block search engines from listing their hidden profile details. Others block guest visits and only users who have LinkedIn accounts can view them. All that means is that there are many factors that can block you from finding information on the platform or allow you to get it.
Combine different search engines
This is the strategy for those who spend a lot of time searching for people’s details online. What you can do is use a people search engine that can help you discover details about LinkedIn users anonymously. Thanks to private searches, you can find the details you need without leaving your online dashboard.
These options work differently than Google, as they collect the data from various resources. Google and Bing find the information through their bot crawling. However, advanced search engines have access to hundreds, if not more, of resources. That could include private databases, social media accounts, forums, blogs, etc…
That way, you don’t have to use Google to learn more about people for any goal. Other options are there that can save you time and effort. But before going with any of these solutions, verify them first. Some people search databases for outdated data in the US. For that reason, always look for those who update their databases frequently.
Check their other social media accounts instead
If you still don’t want to leave any trace of your visit to someone on LinkedIn, why not try other websites?
For instance, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok allow people to view user’s profiles without logging in or registering. Even more, these social media sites may offer more information than what you expect from LinkedIn. Also, Snapchat can help with that if you know some basic details about the person you need to learn more about.
Instagram offers business accounts that are similar to LinkedIn in terms of details. Some users there may list their experience and work locations, job titles, education, and much more. As a result, it’s easier to discover this useful information when you need it without worrying about your privacy.
Conclusion
Depending on how you visit the profile of someone on LinkedIn, they can’t always see that you searched for them. But for Google, that’s totally different; users on the platform won’t tell that you typed their name in Google, as that is not the same as Linkedin. But in some cases, if you want to prevent others from seeing your visit to their account on social media, it’s a good idea to use people search tools. That way, you get what you want to find as details without being tracked.
