Yes, it is possible to follow someone on Facebook without being friends with them. Facebook has a feature called “Follow” that allows you to subscribe to the public posts of any profile or Page without needing to send a friend request or be connected on the platform.
What is the Follow feature on Facebook?
The Follow feature on Facebook allows any user to subscribe to the public posts and updates of any profile or Page on the platform. When you follow someone, you will see their public posts in your News Feed just like posts from your friends.
Following does not require a mutual connection. You can follow any public profile or Page even if they do not follow you back. It simply allows you to see their public posts without needing to send a friend request.
Who can use the Follow feature?
The Follow feature is available to all Facebook users. Any profile can follow any other public profile or Page without sending a friend request. Pages cannot follow profiles – they can only be followed. Here are the details on who can follow who:
- Profiles can follow other profiles
- Profiles can follow Pages
- Pages can be followed by profiles
- Pages cannot follow profiles or other Pages
So in summary, any profile can follow any other public profile or Page. Pages can be followed but cannot follow other users themselves.
Is the Follow feature mutual?
No, following someone on Facebook is not mutual. When you follow someone, it does not require them to follow you back. You are simply subscribing to their public posts unilaterally.
Some key aspects of how the Facebook Follow feature works:
- You can follow someone without their approval
- They do not have to follow you back
- They are not notified when you follow them
- You can see their public posts in your News Feed
- They will not see your posts unless they also follow you
So in summary, the Follow feature is a one-way subscription to someone’s public posts. It does not create a mutual connection between profiles automatically.
How to follow someone on Facebook
Following someone on Facebook is easy and only takes a few steps:
- Go to the profile or Page you want to follow
- Click on the “Follow” button next to their name
- That’s it! You are now following their public posts
On a profile, the Follow button typically appears in the intro section below their name. On a Page, it will be in the top area to the right of the Page name.
Once you click Follow, you will see their public posts in your News Feed. You can unfollow at any time by clicking the “Following” button that will appear once you are following someone.
Following friends
You cannot Follow a friend. The Follow option only appears for profiles who you are not already connected to. This ensures you only see one copy of your friends’ posts in your News Feed from your direct friendship connection.
Private profiles
You cannot Follow private profiles. Only public profiles can be followed. If a profile has privacy settings enabled where posts are only visible to friends, you will not see the Follow option.
Benefits of following someone
There are a few benefits to following people on Facebook rather than sending friend requests:
- See their public posts
- Stay updated easily
- No mutual approval needed
- Less intrusive than friend request
Following allows a fairly straightforward way to keep up with someone’s public posts without needing to connect as friends. This can be useful for following influencers, businesses, groups, or acquaintances you don’t know well enough to friend.
See public posts
Following someone allows their public posts to appear in your News Feed. This lets you see their profile updates, links, photos, videos, and other content they post publicly.
Stay updated
Following provides an easy way to stay in the loop with someone’s latest updates. Rather than repeatedly visiting their profile, their posts will automatically appear in your feed so you can conveniently stay in touch.
No mutual approval
Unlike sending a friend request, following does not require the other person to approve the connection. You can unilaterally follow them without needing mutual consent.
Less intrusive
For acquaintances or public figures you don’t know very well, sending a friend request can seem intrusive. Following them allows you to stay updated without imposing a social connection.
Limitations of following someone
While the Follow feature has benefits, there are some limitations to be aware of:
- Only see public posts
- No ability to interact
- Doesn’t appear in their followers list
- You appear as a “fan” not a friend
Only see public posts
You can only see posts that the user has made public. Any posts they share only with friends will not be visible to followers.
No ability to interact
As a follower, you have limited ability to interact with the person’s profile. You can see Stories they post publicly but cannot reply. And you cannot comment on or react to their posts.
Doesn’t appear in their followers list
When you follow someone, it does not notify them or add you to their followers list. So it is anonymous – they will not know you have followed them.
Appear as a “fan”
If you comment on one of their public posts, rather than appearing as a friend, you will be labeled as a “fan.” So they will know you are only a follower not an actual Facebook friend.
Who to follow on Facebook
There are many kinds of profiles and Pages you may want to follow on Facebook. Some common examples include:
- Friends of friends
- Public figures
- Businesses and brands
- Entities like schools, clubs, teams
- Local stores and restaurants
- Influencers and content creators
Essentially any public profile or Page that you would find interesting but don’t necessarily want to friend can be followed. This allows you to easily expand the content you see beyond just close connections.
Friends of friends
Following friends of friends can be useful for getting to know extended social circles without forcing closer connections.
Public figures
Follow celebrities, politicians, journalists, developers, or other public figures you want to keep up with.
Businesses and brands
Follow companies to see their latest products, promos, content and job openings.
Entities
Schools, clubs, teams, non-profits and other entities often have public Pages you can follow for news and updates.
Local places
Follow nearby stores, restaurants, venues and organizations to learn about events and specials.
Influencers
Follow bloggers, content creators, developers, designers and other influencers who post publicly.
Profiles vs. Pages
An important distinction on Facebook is that profiles represent individual people while Pages represent entities like businesses, brands, organizations and public figures.
Profiles and Pages have some different functionality:
| Profile | Page |
|---|---|
| Represents an individual person | Represents a business, brand, entity, etc |
| Friends / Follows other profiles | Can only be followed, not follow other Pages |
| Posts appear in News Feed | Posts may appear lower in News Feed |
So while you follow both profiles and Pages in the same way, remember that Pages represent public entities while profiles are for individual people.
Following etiquette
While you can follow anyone on Facebook, there are some etiquette guidelines to keep in mind:
- Don’t follow ex-partners or former friends
- Avoid bombarding someone with likes/comments
- Unfollow rather than block if posts become irritating
- Don’t take it personally if your Follow is rejected
- Consider asking permission before following private accounts
Don’t follow ex-partners or former friends
Refrain from following former romantic partners or friends you are no longer close with. This can appear like you are keeping tabs on them.
Avoid bombarding with interactions
Flooding someone’s profile with likes and comments can come off as aggressive. Engage thoughtfully with their content.
Unfollow don’t block
If someone you follow starts posting irritating content, unfollowing discretely is better than blocking them.
Don’t take it personally if rejected
Some accounts block followers to maintain privacy. Don’t take it personally if your Follow is rejected.
Ask about private accounts
If you want to follow a private profile, consider asking them first before sending a Follow request.
Following with discretion
While Facebook following can be useful, it’s best exercised with discretion. Be judicious about who you follow, mindful of your interactions, and don’t use it to make unwanted contact.
Following with care and good judgment will provide fulfilling value without unwanted friction.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Follow feature provides a lightweight option for seeing someone’s public updates without needing an intrusive social connection. It can be useful for staying updated with acquaintances, public figures, businesses, and more.
However, following has limitations compared to Facebook friendships – you can only see public posts and have minimal interaction abilities. Rules of etiquette should also be followed when using the Follow feature to avoid unwanted contact.
Overall following allows greater flexibility in how you connect on Facebook. But regular friending still plays the pivotal role in building close relationships and enabling full interaction.