Tips for Creating and Managing Successful LinkedIn Groups
Your company LinkedIn page is up and running. You’ve done your research, joined a few groups, left a few groups and your contributions are, of course, among the most thoughtful in any group discussion. You are, all in all, a successful LinkedIn user. So, what now?
Once you’ve established yourself in group discussions and feel comfortable both creating and contributing to topics, you can turn your attention to the next project—creating your own LinkedIn Group.
The actual creation process is fairly simple. LinkedIn offers a Help Center that covers common topics, from how to create your group to how to invite members to join. Before you create your group, though, a plan is essential. You should only invest your time into a group if you’re confident that you have something different to offer.
LinkedIn is saturated with groups for every business, purpose and interest. Yours has to be specific, narrow and focused (and appealing!) to be successful. If you’re unsure that your group would have a unique angle, your time might be better served making your contributions to existing groups even more thoughtful.
If you see a need that your group could fill, however, forge ahead! Use these tips to ensure that your group is successful:
Name your group with targeted keywords
You know what your group’s target is, so make sure you use keywords to bring in the users you want. Your title and description are how they’ll find you, so choose your words carefully!
Watch your members and the discussions
LinkedIn brings together professionals with similar interests, but it also brings recruiters, promoters and scammers together. Make sure your group is a haven for the former, not the latter. Set your group so that you have to approve members and discussions.
Engage
One of the best parts about your own group is the opportunity to establish yourself as a leader. Don’t let your group lead itself! Post discussion topics, conduct polls, comment on every post and make sure that you’re a constant presence.
Creating and managing a LinkedIn group is a significant investment that can go a long way toward achieving recognition and trust. Your business is already in the market because it offers something new or different. Work to translate your unique approach into your LinkedIn groups, and your returns will be well worth your effort!
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Sarah Hamilton – SEO Writer/Editor
