Become a Facebook Follower: A Comprehensive Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

Facebook, a social media giant, has evolved significantly since its inception. While the concept of ‘friending’ was initially its core function, the ‘follow’ feature has become increasingly important, especially for individuals and businesses aiming to build a wider audience and establish a public presence. Following someone on Facebook means you’ll see their public posts in your news feed without needing to be mutual friends. This guide will provide a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of how to become a follower on Facebook, covering various scenarios and offering helpful tips along the way.

Understanding the Difference: Friends vs. Followers

Before we dive into the ‘how-to,’ it’s essential to understand the fundamental difference between being friends and being followers on Facebook.

• Friends: When you send a friend request and it’s accepted, you and the other person can see each other’s posts, stories, and other shared content, depending on privacy settings. Friendships are mutual and require acceptance from both parties. You will also see things that are only shared with friends, for example, if a post is set to friends only, then only mutual friends can see it.
• Followers: When you follow someone, you’ll see their public posts in your news feed, even if you’re not friends. Following is a one-way relationship; the person you follow doesn’t need to accept or confirm the action. It is very common with celebrities, businesses or public figures. Only the content which is set to public will be visible to the follower.

The following feature is particularly useful for:

* **Keeping up with public figures:** Celebrities, politicians, authors, and other public figures often use the follow feature to broadcast their messages to a large audience.
* **Tracking businesses and brands:** Businesses use their Facebook pages to share updates, promotions, and news about their products or services. Following these pages allows customers to stay in the loop.
* **Engaging with thought leaders and experts:** Following thought leaders or experts in a particular field allows you to stay abreast of their ideas, insights, and perspectives.
* **Staying informed about events and organizations:** Organizations and event pages often use the follow function to keep interested people up to date.

Methods to Become a Follower on Facebook

There are several ways to start following someone on Facebook. Let’s explore each method in detail.

Method 1: Using the Follow Button on a Profile or Page

This is the most common and straightforward method.

1. Navigate to the Profile or Page: Open the Facebook app or website on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet). Using the search bar at the top, enter the name of the person or business page you wish to follow and locate the correct profile or page within the search results. Click on the name to navigate to it.
2. Locate the ‘Follow’ Button:
   • On a Profile: On a person’s profile page, you’ll typically find the ‘Follow’ button below their cover photo and to the right of the ‘Add Friend’ button (if it exists). Sometimes, if you’re already friends, you may see ‘Following’ instead. If you want to unfollow someone, this will be the place to do it, the ‘Following’ button means you are already a follower.
   • On a Page: On a Facebook Page, the ‘Follow’ button is usually located below the cover photo, often next to other action buttons like ‘Like’ or ‘Message’. It may appear different depending on your device and if the owner of the page allows following or not.
3. Click the ‘Follow’ Button: Simply click the ‘Follow’ button. You’ll see the button change to either ‘Following’ (if you are following a personal profile) or if you follow a page, it will show the ‘Following’ button and an indicator, for example, ‘You are following this page’. This confirms you are now a follower of that profile or page.
4. You are now following this person/page: You will now start seeing the public posts from the page or profile you are following in your news feed. You are done!

Method 2: Following From Suggested Posts in Your News Feed

Facebook often shows posts from people and pages that it thinks you might be interested in. These ‘suggested’ posts can be a convenient way to discover new accounts to follow.

1. Scroll Through Your News Feed: As you browse your Facebook news feed, look for posts labeled as ‘Suggested’ or ‘Recommended’. These are typically from individuals or pages that you are not yet following.
2. Locate the ‘Follow’ Option:
   • Within the Post: Often, there’s a ‘Follow’ button or a prompt to ‘Like’ the page or the post you are seeing directly beneath the post. If the suggested post is from an individual person, there will be the option to follow them directly from here too.
   • On the Profile/Page Name: Sometimes, it will only show the name of the profile or page. You will need to click on the name, which will take you to the profile or page where you can then click on the ‘Follow’ button as in Method 1.
3. Click the ‘Follow’ Button: Simply click the ‘Follow’ button. Now you’ll start seeing posts from that account in your feed.

Method 3: Following Through Search Results

If you’re searching for a specific person or brand, you can follow them directly from the search results page.

1. Use the Search Bar: Type the name of the person, page, brand, or business that you wish to follow in the search bar at the top of the page.
2. Browse the Search Results: Facebook will display a list of results that match your search query. Locate the correct profile or page in the results.
3. Locate the ‘Follow’ Button: Many times you will see a ‘Follow’ button directly in the search results under the profile or page’s name. If you do not see it, then click on the name to access their page/profile.
4. Click ‘Follow’: If you found the ‘Follow’ button in the search results, then click it to follow the profile/page. If you clicked the name of the profile/page, then locate the button (typically below the cover image), and click it. You are now a follower.

Method 4: Following Via a Shared Link

Sometimes you may see a Facebook post shared by a friend which is from a page/person you do not follow. The shared post might come with a link to follow the profile/page.

1. Click on the Link: If you see a post from a person/page that you want to follow, click on the name of the user or page which is linked, which will lead you to the profile/page.
2. Locate the ‘Follow’ Button: Once on the profile/page, locate the ‘Follow’ button below the cover photo, or next to other action buttons.
3. Click ‘Follow’: Click on the follow button, and you are now a follower.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While the process is generally straightforward, you might encounter some issues. Here are some common problems and how to address them:

• ‘Follow’ Button Not Visible:
  • Privacy Settings: Some users may have privacy settings that prevent non-friends from following them. You may only be able to send a friend request in this case.
  • Page Disabled: Some pages might be temporarily disabled or deleted, which will make the follow function unavailable.
• Button Greyed Out or Inactive:
  • Account Issues: If your account has restrictions or is suspended, some buttons will be inactive. Ensure your account is working correctly.
  • Facebook Bugs: Sometimes, glitches may prevent buttons from working. Try restarting the app or refreshing the webpage.
• Not Seeing Posts in Your Feed:
  • Algorithmic Curation: Facebook’s algorithm might not always show posts from every account you follow. Adjusting your feed preferences might help, or interact more frequently with content from the people/pages you want to see more of.
  • Low Post Frequency: If the profile/page does not post often, it will not appear in your news feed very often.
  • Spam Content: Facebook might hide what it deems as spam or low-quality content from your feed.
• Unfollowing Accidentally:
  • Double check buttons: There is an ‘Unfollow’ button in the same place as the ‘Follow’ button. If you accidentally click it, you will have to follow the profile/page again.
  • Check your newsfeed: If you stop seeing posts from someone, check to see if you still follow them, the ‘Following’ button should be active in case you are following the profile/page.

Tips for Managing Your Followed Accounts

Now that you’re proficient in following accounts, here are some tips to help you manage your feed and your followed profiles more effectively:

• Organize Your Feed: Use Facebook’s news feed preferences to prioritize the accounts you want to see more often. You can choose to see things from your followed profiles or pages first, or you can opt to see new posts or other categories of posts first.
• Unfollow When Necessary: If you find that some followed accounts no longer align with your interests or post too frequently, it’s okay to unfollow them. This helps keep your feed relevant and clutter-free.
• Mute Notifications: If you’re following a very active page but don’t want to receive constant notifications, mute them. You can still see the page’s posts in your feed but without the constant alerts.
• Use Interest Lists: Create interest lists to group followed profiles and pages by category. This makes it easier to access specific content and can help organize your followed accounts in a way that makes sense to you.
• Engage Positively: When you like or share posts from your followed accounts, they become more visible to you and your network. This can also encourage content creators to produce the type of content you want to see.

Conclusion

Becoming a follower on Facebook is a simple yet powerful way to customize your feed, stay informed, and connect with the people, pages and businesses you care about. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to follow new profiles and pages effectively and manage the accounts you follow in a way that aligns with your interests. Remember to explore the various methods and utilize Facebook’s features to maximize your experience. Whether you’re looking to track the activities of a specific person, keep up with a brand, or explore a niche topic, Facebook’s follow feature provides a versatile solution to expand your social media engagement.

Happy following!