LinkedIn is making it easier to connect with people you’ve met in person. But getting someone onto your profile is only half the job.

We’ve all been there. You meet someone at an industry event, have a genuinely useful conversation and agree to connect on LinkedIn. Then the event finishes, the working week takes over and neither person gets around to following up.

LinkedIn’s new digital business cards are designed to make that process easier. Announced in October 2026, the feature allows users to create a personalised, scannable business card linked to their LinkedIn profile and store it in their phone’s digital wallet.

It’s a relatively small change, but it highlights something important about professional networking. The introduction might happen face to face, but the relationship often develops through what people discover about you afterwards.

And that’s where your LinkedIn profile and content need to do some work.

What Are LinkedIn Digital Business Cards?

LinkedIn digital business cards allow professionals to share their profiles using a personalised card containing their photograph, professional details and a scannable QR code.

Rather than searching for someone’s name, exchanging contact details or promising to connect later, people can scan the card and visit the relevant LinkedIn profile directly.

The feature is rolling out globally over the coming months, so it may not be available to every UK user immediately.

It’s worth remembering that LinkedIn has offered profile QR codes since 2018. What’s different is the personalised card design and the ability to keep it readily accessible in a phone’s digital wallet.

For business owners, estate agents, consultants and anyone regularly attending networking events, that convenience could make it easier to maintain contact after a conversation.

But there’s a catch. Making your profile easier to find doesn’t automatically make it worth visiting.

Your LinkedIn Profile Is Your Second First Impression

Imagine meeting an estate agent at a property industry conference. They come across as knowledgeable, approachable and genuinely passionate about their business.

You scan their digital business card and open their LinkedIn profile.

Their photograph is five years old, their headline simply says ‘Director’ and their most recent post is a generic company announcement from six months ago.

Suddenly, the impression created during that conversation has very little supporting evidence.

Now imagine the opposite. Their profile clearly explains what they do, their experience is easy to understand and their recent videos demonstrate the same expertise and personality you encountered in person.

That creates a much stronger connection between the conversation and the person behind the profile.

This is why LinkedIn personal branding matters. Your profile shouldn’t simply confirm your job title. It should help people understand why you’re worth remembering and what makes your perspective valuable.

Give People Something Worth Finding

One of the biggest mistakes professionals make on LinkedIn is treating their profile like an online CV and their content like an occasional company noticeboard.

Both have their place, but neither necessarily gives a new connection much reason to pay attention.

Useful content can change that.

An estate agent might share an honest perspective on what’s happening in their local market. A business owner could explain a difficult decision they’ve made or a lesson learned from working with clients. A consultant might answer a question that regularly comes up during meetings.

Video is particularly useful because it gives new connections another opportunity to experience the person they met. They can hear how someone communicates, understand their thinking and see their expertise demonstrated rather than simply described.

That familiarity can be valuable long after the original conversation has been forgotten.

Four Things to Check Before Sharing Your Profile

Before using LinkedIn’s digital business card, it’s worth reviewing the destination you’re sending people to.

Start with your headline. Does it clearly explain what you do and who you help? A job title alone rarely tells the whole story, particularly if your work covers several areas.

Look at your About section. It should sound like a person explaining their experience, not a collection of corporate phrases. Make it easy for somebody you’ve just met to understand your background and the problems you help solve.

Review your recent content. If someone visits your profile today, will they find useful insights, examples of your work or evidence of your expertise? You don’t need to publish daily, but your activity should support the impression you want to create.

Make the next step obvious. Whether that’s visiting your website, arranging a conversation or simply following your updates, people shouldn’t have to work particularly hard to understand how to stay connected.

A useful final test is to imagine somebody visiting your profile 48 hours after meeting you. Would they remember why the conversation was interesting?

If not, there’s probably room for improvement.

Don’t Let the Technology Replace the Follow-Up

Digital business cards remove some of the friction involved in exchanging details, but they don’t remove the need to build relationships.

A connection request isn’t the same as a meaningful professional relationship, and a profile visit isn’t a guaranteed business opportunity.

Following up with a short, personal message that refers to the conversation is still worthwhile. So is continuing to share content that gives people a reason to stay interested.

The businesses and professionals who benefit most from LinkedIn aren’t necessarily those collecting the largest number of connections. They’re the ones who make it worthwhile for people to remain connected.

LinkedIn’s latest feature makes the introduction easier. Your profile, content and follow-up determine whether anything useful happens afterwards.

Make it easy for people to find you, but give them a good reason to remember you.