In this lesson, you’ll learn how to participate on LinkedIn Groups, manage your groups, and create your own group.
LinkedIn Groups offer a way for like-minded individuals to share and discuss relevant topics related to the focus of the group. With LinkedIn Groups, you can network and share ideas with industry peers, discover job leads and recruit quality talent, promote your career or business, and learn about a wide range of professional topics.
Remember, to maximize the publicity potential of LinkedIn Groups, focus on visibility and sharing your expertise rather than overt sales or advertising.
LinkedIn Groups take many forms. There are groups for alumni, associations, non-profits, professional interests, corporations, general networking, conference attendees, and personal interests. Your group activity appears on the Group Updates section on your home page, providing additional visibility for your group actions and your groups.
LinkedIn imposes a limit of 50 group memberships per account holder. If you reach 50 groups and want to join another, you need to leave an existing group. Because of this limit, it’s important to consider carefully which groups will provide you with the most value and help you meet your goals.
One of the best ways to find a group to join is to search LinkedIn’s Groups Directory. To search the directory for potential groups to join, follow these steps:
- Click the Groups link on the left navigation menu to open the My Groups page.
- Click the Find a Group button. The Featured Groups page opens, shown in Figure 11.1.
- In the Search Groups box, enter keywords related to the group you want to find. For example, you could enter the name of a company, school, professional association, skill, or hobby.
- If you want to narrow your search results by category, click All Categories and select a category from the drop-down list. Options include groups for professional association members, alumni, corporate employees, conference attendees, non-profits, and general networking.
- If you want to narrow your search by language, click All Languages and select a language from the drop-down list.
- Click the Search button to open the Search Results page, which displays a preview of each group that matches your search criteria. The preview boxes include a group description, the group owner’s name, and the number of members. Click the group title to view more details, including a list of people in your network who already belong to this group.
- Click the Join This Group link on the Search Results page to open the Join Group page, as shown in Figure 11.2.
- If you want the group logo to appear in the Groups section on your profile, select the Group Logo check box. Placing this logo on your profile identifies you to fellow members.
- Specify the Contact Email for sending group announcements and updates.
- If you want to receive email updates of group activity, select the Digest Email check box. You can choose to have updates delivered on a daily basis or a weekly basis.
- To receive group announcements no more than once per week, select the Announcements check box.
- To allow other members of your group to send you messages on LinkedIn, select the Messages check box. (They won’t see your personal email address.)
- Click the Join Group button to join the group.
The My Groups page opens, which lists your current and pending groups. Group managers approve join requests manually unless the group was set up for automatic approval. Your status for a new group on the My Groups page is listed as pending approval. This status remains until the group manager approves you. If you want to follow up with the group owner about a join request, click the Send Message to the Group Manager link. If want to cancel your request to join the group, click the Withdraw Request link.
You can view a list of the groups you belong to by clicking the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu. The My Groups page opens, shown in Figure 11.3.
This page lists all your groups with the following links appearing below each group’s name:
• Go To. Click the Go To link and select one of the following options from the drop-down list: Overview, Subgroups, Discussions, Jobs, News, Updates, Members, or Settings.
• Actions. Click the Actions link and select one of the following actions: Share, Start a Discussion, or Leave Group.
You’ll learn more about accessing these group features later in this lesson.
If your request to join a group is still pending, you’ll see a notification in that group’s preview box. The links to specific tasks aren’t available until you’re approved for a group. If you are not yet approved, your options include emailing the group manager or withdrawing your request.
If you’re the group manager, a Manage link is also available.
For easy access to your groups, LinkedIn displays the first three groups in your My Groups list under the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu (see Figure 11.4).
If you’re a frequent participant in group activity, it’s a good idea to display your favorite groups on this navigation menu. You can also increase the number of displayed groups from 3 to as many as 10.
To change the display order of your groups, follow these steps:
- Click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu.
- Scroll to the bottom of the My Groups page and click the Change the Display Order of Your Groups link. The Groups Order and Display page opens, shown in Figure 11.5.
- Select the number of group links to display on the expanded left navigation menu. Options range from 1 to 10.
- Use the Order field to move each of your groups up or down until you reach your desired display order.
Note: Change Your Settings for Each of Your Groups
You can specify different settings for each of your groups. Click the Member Settings link to make changes to a particular group. See “Managing Group Settings” later in this lesson for more information.
- Click the Save Changes button to save your changes, which appear on the navigation menu.
Participating in discussions is one of the greatest values of joining a group. With LinkedIn Group Discussions, you can view discussion threads for relevant professional information, add a comment to a current discussion, or start your own discussion.
Caution: Focus on Quality, Professional Discussions
As with everything else on LinkedIn, focus on intelligent, meaningful comments that add value to a discussion. Don’t post a sales pitch or irrelevant comment just to lead people to your profile.
To view discussions for a group you belong to, you can
• Click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu. On the My Groups page, click the Discussion link in the preview box of your target group. The group opens with the Discussion tab selected.
• Click the actual group link on the expanded left navigation menu or the group logo on your profile page. The group page opens with the Overview tab selected. This tab displays a summary of recent discussions, but you can click the Discussions tab to view additional discussions.
The Discussion tab displays a preview of the discussions with the most recent activity. Each preview box includes the name and photo of the person who started the discussion, when it was posted, a link to add comments (plus the number of comments), and a link to follow the discussion.
Although Recent Activity is the default view for discussions, you can also click any of the links in the Discussions box on the left side of the page for additional views.
To add a comment to a discussion, follow these steps:
- Click the Add Comment link in the preview box of any discussion topic that appears on the Discussions tab. The Discussion page opens, displaying the original post and the comments of other LinkedIn members. If a comment already exists, this link displays the number of comments. For example, if two people posted comments, you will see the 2 Comments link instead of the Add Comment link.
- Enter your own comment in the Add a Comment text box, shown in Figure 11.6.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments in this discussion, select the Follow This Discussion check box. You can also view all the group activity you’re following by clicking the Following tab on the My Groups page.
- Click the Add Comment button to post your comment.
Tip: Reply Privately if You Don’t Want to Post a Comment
To reply privately to the original poster or anyone who posted a comment, click the Reply Privately link next to their name.
After you post a comment, LinkedIn gives you 15 minutes to revise it. Click the Edit Comment link below your comment to make any changes. Click the Delete Comment link to remove your comment from the discussion at any time.
To start your own discussion, follow these steps:
- Click the Start a Discussion link on the Discussions tab. The Start a Discussion page opens.
- Enter a Topic or Question for discussion. To encourage participation, keep the topic or question brief and focused.
- Enter Additional Details about your discussion topic. Do you want advice from other professionals? Are you seeking opinions on a newsworthy topic? Be specific about what you seek in member comments.
Note: Post Jobs on the Jobs Tab, Not the Discussion Tab
The Is This a Job Post? check box prompts you to consider whether your post is more appropriate for posting under the Jobs tab. See the “Using a Group’s Jobs Discussion Board” section later in this lesson for more information.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments in this discussion, select the Follow This Discussion check box.
- Click the Submit for Discussion button to post your discussion topic to the Discussions tab where other members can view and comment on it.
Submitting links to news articles and commenting on them is another good way to participate in a group. A news article is a link to an external site such as a newspaper or magazine article or a blog post that’s relevant to the topic of the group. For example, you could submit an article you just read in a major newspaper, or you could submit a great post from your favorite blog.
Submitting your own articles, blog posts, or media coverage is acceptable, but don’t overdo this feature as a promotional tool. Submit only the most informative, meaningful content that offers value to the members of your group.
To view news articles for a group you belong to, you can
• Click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu. On the My Groups page, select Go To, News in the preview box of your target group. The group opens with the News tab selected.
• Click the actual group link on the expanded left navigation menu, or the group logo on your profile page to open the group page with the Overview tab selected. Click the News tab to view news articles.
The News tab displays a preview of the news articles with the most activity. Each preview box includes the name of the news source, when it was posted, the number of views, a link to discuss, and the number of discussion comments, if any. You can also hover over the news article title to open a pop-up box with more details, including a brief summary and the name and photo of the person who submitted the news item.
Note: Alert LinkedIn of Inappropriate Posts
If a news article is inappropriate, click the Flag Article As link in this pop-up box to alert the LinkedIn staff. Examples of articles to flag include spam or advertisements.
Although Most Activity is the default view for discussion, you can access additional views by clicking any of the links in the News box on the left side of the page.
To view the actual news article, click its title link on the News tab. LinkedIn opens the external news item in a shared window.
To exit LinkedIn and move to the external site, click the Close [x] button in the upper-right corner of the screen. To return to the News tab, click your browser’s Back button.
To add a discussion comment to a news article, follow these steps:
- Click the Discuss link below the news article preview on the News tab. The News Discussion page opens, displaying the original post and the comments of other LinkedIn members.
- Enter your comment in the Add a Comment text box.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments in this discussion, select the Follow This Discussion check box.
- Click the Add Comment button to post your comment.
After you post a comment, LinkedIn gives you 15 minutes to revise it. Click the Edit Comment link below your comment to make any changes. Click the Delete Comment link to remove your comment from the discussion at any time.
To post a news article, follow these steps:
- Click the Submit a New Article link on the News tab. The Submit a News Article pop-up box opens.
- Enter the complete URL of the article you want to post.
- Click the Continue button. Figure 11.7 shows the Submit and Share a News Article page.
- LinkedIn suggests a Title for this article based on its original source, but you can edit this title if you want.
- LinkedIn suggests an article Summary based on its original source. Again, you can edit this text to better reflect the article’s content. LinkedIn displays only the first 250 characters.
- Enter the news Source (such as the name of a newspaper, magazine, or blog).
- In the Add Comment text box, let group members know why this article is relevant.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments for this news article, select the Follow This Discussion check box.
- Click the Add News Article button to post your article on the News tab where other members can view and comment on it.
If you’re recruiting for a position that would interest the members of a specific LinkedIn group, you can post your job on the group’s Jobs Discussion Board, located on the Jobs tab. This is also a great place for jobseekers to find targeted jobs.
Tip: Consider LinkedIn’s Other Job Search and Recruiting Tools
For more ways to search for and post jobs on LinkedIn, click the Jobs link on the top navigation menu. See Lesson 9, “Finding a Job,” and Web Lesson 1, “Recruiting Job Candidates,” for more information.
To view job postings for a group you belong to, you can
• Click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu. On the My Groups page, select Go To, Jobs in the preview box of your target group. The group opens with the Jobs tab selected.
• Click the actual group link on the expanded left navigation menu or the group logo on your profile to open the group page. Then, click the Jobs tab.
The Jobs tab displays a preview of the jobs with the most recent activity. Each preview box includes the name and photo of the person who posted the job, when it was posted, and links to add comments or follow a job’s comments.
Although Recent Activity is the default view, you can also click any of the links in the Jobs box on the right side of the page for additional views.
To view the actual job posting, select the Jobs tab and click the job title link.
To add a comment to a job posting you’re viewing, follow these steps:
- Enter your comment in the Add a Comment text box at the bottom of the job detail page.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments related to this job, select the Follow This Job check box.
- Click the Add Comment button to post your comment.
Tip: Reply Privately if You Don’t Want to Post a Comment
To reply privately to the original poster or anyone who posted a comment, click the Reply Privately link.
After you post a comment, LinkedIn gives you 15 minutes to revise it. Click the Edit Comment link below your comment to make any changes. Click the Delete Comment link to remove your comment from the discussion at any time.
To post a job, follow these steps:
- Select the Jobs tab and click the Post a Job link. The Post a Job page opens, shown in Figure 11.8.
- Enter a Job Title that clearly defines the nature of the job.
- Enter Additional Details about your job. If you don’t want potential candidates to contact you through LinkedIn, be sure to provide alternate contact information.
- If you want to receive email notification of any new comments related to the job you post, select the Follow This Job check box.
- Click the Post Job button to post your job to the Jobs tab.
To view the latest group updates, click the More tab on any group page and then select Updates from the drop-down list. The Updates page lists activity for the current and previous day, such as who joined the group, who started a discussion, who posted comments, and so forth. The default view is a summary. Click the Full View link to display more details. You can also click the Last Week and Two Weeks Ago links to view prior updates.
To view a list of group members, click the More tab on any group page and then select Members from the drop-down list. This page tells you how many members a group has and displays previews of each group member, starting with you. From there, LinkedIn lists your 1st degree connections, your 2nd degree connections, and, finally, all other members.
Depending on members’ settings and connection to you, their preview could include a photo, a profile link, a professional headline, their number of connections, and links to connect and send a message.
To search a group’s member list for members matching specific criteria, enter keywords in the Search Group box and click the Search button. You can also search groups from the quick search box on the top navigation menu. See Lesson 7, “Searching on LinkedIn,” for more information on searching for people.
To revise your settings for a group, click the More tab on any group page and then select My Settings from the drop-down list. The Settings page opens, which gives you the option to modify the visibility and contact options for a specific group.
The Settings page is identical to the Join a Group page. See “Joining a Group,” earlier in this lesson for more information on the settings you can modify on this page.
If you’re a member of a particular group that you think your connections would also enjoy, let them know about it by selecting Actions, Share on the My Groups page. As a reminder, you can click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu to open this page.
LinkedIn takes you to your inbox where you can send a group link to as many as 50 of your connections. For best results, let your connections know why you recommend this group or why it’s appropriate for them.
See Lesson 6, “Communicating with Other LinkedIn Members,” for more information about the inbox and sending messages.
If you decide that a group no longer meets your needs or you have to pare down your current group membership to make room for new groups, you can easily leave a group.
To do so, select Action, Leave Group on the My Groups page. LinkedIn displays a pop-up box asking you to confirm that you want to leave the group. Click the Yes, Leave Group button to remove the group from your My Groups page.
Creating your own group is a good way to develop a community for a topic, profession, or interest. Before you create a group, consider the following:
• Is there already a similar group on LinkedIn Groups? If so, how will your group differ? What value will you add?
• Is your proposed group an advertisement in disguise? Although many LinkedIn members do benefit from their participation with LinkedIn Groups, you need to create a group whose focus is providing value and community to its members. If you don’t, your group most likely won’t succeed.
• Do you have the time to maintain and support your group? If you don’t respond quickly to join requests and keep the activity going with your group, your group won’t flourish.
To create a new LinkedIn group, follow these steps:
- Click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu.
- On the My Groups page, click the Create a Group button. The Create a Group page opens, shown in Figure 11.9.
- Click the Browse button to select and upload a Large Logo or a Small Logo. Large logos are 100×50 pixels; in the PNG, JPEG, or GIF format; and a maximum size of 100 KB. Small logos are 60×30 pixels with the same size limitations and format types.
- Enter a Group Name. If your group also exists outside of LinkedIn, you can increase visibility by including the actual group name rather than just an acronym. For example, enter International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) instead of only IABC.
- Select a Group Type. Options include alumni, corporate, conference, networking, nonprofit, professional, or other groups. The Other group type is most appropriate for special interest or hobby groups that don’t fit into any other category.
- Enter a Summary of your group. In this text box, indicate your group’s focus, goals, and any membership benefits your group might provided for LinkedIn members. This summary appears in the Groups Directory.
- In the Full Description text box, enter more details to display on your group pages.
- If your group has an external website, enter the URL in the Website field.
- Enter the Group Owner Email. LinkedIn sends all messages about your group to this email address.
- In the Group Visibility section, indicate whether you want to list your group in the Groups Directory and allow group members to display your logo on their profiles. These options are great promotional tools for your group. Unless you have a specific need for privacy, it’s a good idea to make your group visible.
- Select the Group Access check box if you want LinkedIn to approve new group members automatically, without your approval. If you don’t select this option, LinkedIn sends you a message whenever someone requests to join your group, and you must approve the request manually. This requires extra effort on your part, but it helps you ensure that only qualified people join your group.
- If your group is for members who are located in a specific geographic location, select the Location check box. The Country and Postal Code fields appear so you can specify the exact location of your group.
- Select a Language for your group. English is the default language for groups, but LinkedIn offers numerous language choices.
- If you agree to the Terms of Service, select the Agreement check box. The Terms of Service cover your rights to provide LinkedIn with the email addresses of group members and LinkedIn’s rights to use the logo you upload.
- Click the Create Group button to create your group.
LinkedIn reviews your request to create a new group and approves the group if it meets LinkedIn guidelines.
After LinkedIn approves your group, you can start inviting and accepting members.
As a reminder, click the Groups link on the expanded left navigation menu to open the My Groups page where you can access all your LinkedIn groups. To manage your group, select the Manage tab on your group’s page.
On the Manage tab, you can
• Approve or reject requests to join your group.
• Send invitations to LinkedIn members asking them to join your group.
• Upload a pre-approved list of email addresses for your group in the CSV format. This option is useful if your group also exists outside of LinkedIn, and you know the members you want to pre-approve.