{"id":13338,"date":"2010-05-29T12:58:18","date_gmt":"2010-05-29T07:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=13338"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:02:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T07:32:54","slug":"linkedin-lion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a LinkedIn LION? Meaning, Pros and Cons (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Seen &#8220;LION&#8221; in someone&#8217;s LinkedIn headline and wondered what it means? A <strong>LinkedIn LION<\/strong> is a LinkedIn Open Networker: someone who accepts connection requests from almost anyone to grow their network. Guest author Patrick Curl, a proud LION, explained the idea in 2010. It&#8217;s still around in 2026, but LinkedIn has changed, so here&#8217;s what LION means today and whether open networking is a good idea.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/fanz\/134271077\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lions.jpg\" alt=\"LinkedIn LION open networker\" width=\"240\" height=\"153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lions.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lions-150x95.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> LION stands for LinkedIn Open Networker. LIONs accept most or all connection invitations, even from strangers, to widen their reach. It can help recruiters, salespeople and job seekers get found, but it also brings spam and fake profiles. Today many people simply use LinkedIn&#8217;s Follow mode and accept relevant connections instead.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae8b029ed121\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae8b029ed121\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#What_does_LION_mean_on_LinkedIn\" >What does LION mean on LinkedIn?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#Pros_of_being_a_LION\" >Pros of being a LION<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#Cons_of_open_networking\" >Cons of open networking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#How_to_become_a_LinkedIn_LION_if_you_want_to\" >How to become a LinkedIn LION (if you want to)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#Modern_alternatives_to_being_a_LION\" >Modern alternatives to being a LION<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#LinkedIn_etiquette_tips\" >LinkedIn etiquette tips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#Is_LION_an_official_LinkedIn_badge\" >Is LION an official LinkedIn badge?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#Should_I_accept_LinkedIn_requests_from_strangers\" >Should I accept LinkedIn requests from strangers?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/linkedin-lion\/#What_is_the_LinkedIn_connection_limit\" >What is the LinkedIn connection limit?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_LION_mean_on_LinkedIn\"><\/span>What does LION mean on LinkedIn?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>LION is an informal label, not an official LinkedIn feature. People add it to their headline or name to signal: &#8220;I&#8217;ll accept your invitation.&#8221; The idea is that a bigger network means more people within reach of your posts, searches and introductions.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pros_of_being_a_LION\"><\/span>Pros of being a LION<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bigger reach:<\/strong> more first-degree connections means more people see your posts and profile.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Better search visibility:<\/strong> you appear in more people&#8217;s search results as a closer connection.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Useful for some roles:<\/strong> recruiters, sales professionals, consultants and job seekers often benefit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cons_of_open_networking\"><\/span>Cons of open networking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spam and scams:<\/strong> fake recruiters, crypto pitches and phishing messages are common.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Noisier feed:<\/strong> irrelevant posts crowd out people you care about.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Connection limits:<\/strong> LinkedIn caps connections (currently 30,000), so heavy networkers eventually hit the ceiling.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weaker introductions:<\/strong> you can&#8217;t vouch for people you don&#8217;t know.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_become_a_LinkedIn_LION_if_you_want_to\"><\/span>How to become a LinkedIn LION (if you want to)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Add &#8220;LION&#8221; or &#8220;Open Networker&#8221; to your headline so people know you accept invitations.<\/li>\n<li>Accept pending invitations regularly, but still skip obvious fake or scam profiles.<\/li>\n<li>Join open networking groups to find other LIONs.<\/li>\n<li>Tighten your privacy settings: hide your email address and decide who can see your connections.<\/li>\n<li>Review your network every few months and remove accounts that send spam.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Modern_alternatives_to_being_a_LION\"><\/span>Modern alternatives to being a LION<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Turn on Follow as the primary button<\/strong> (creator mode settings) so people can follow your posts without connecting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accept relevant connections<\/strong> in your industry, region or interests.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Post useful content regularly<\/strong>; visibility now depends more on engagement than network size.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Personalise invitations<\/strong> you send with a short note about why you&#8217;re connecting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LinkedIn_etiquette_tips\"><\/span>LinkedIn etiquette tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Patrick suggested never reporting people who send you invitations; just ignore requests you don&#8217;t want. That still applies. Also check suspicious profiles before accepting: no photo, few connections and a generic job title are red flags.<\/p>\n<p>Building your professional presence? See how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/use-blogs-social-media-become-recognized-expert\/\">become a recognized expert with blogs and social media<\/a> and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/social-network-marketing\/\">social network marketing rules<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_LION_an_official_LinkedIn_badge\"><\/span>Is LION an official LinkedIn badge?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. It&#8217;s a label users add themselves.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_accept_LinkedIn_requests_from_strangers\"><\/span>Should I accept LinkedIn requests from strangers?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Accept people who are relevant to your work and look genuine. Ignore suspicious or irrelevant requests.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_LinkedIn_connection_limit\"><\/span>What is the LinkedIn connection limit?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>LinkedIn currently allows up to 30,000 first-degree connections; followers aren&#8217;t limited.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Patrick Curl, a social media consultant and LinkedIn open networker. Image by fanz under a CC licence. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seen &#8220;LION&#8221; in someone&#8217;s LinkedIn headline and wondered what it means? A LinkedIn LION is a LinkedIn Open Networker: someone&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[44],"class_list":["post-13338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-media","tag-guest-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13338"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64416,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13338\/revisions\/64416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}