LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 722 million members worldwide as of October 2022. Many people use LinkedIn to network, find jobs, share content, and build their professional brand. In addition to individual profiles, LinkedIn also allows companies and organizations to create LinkedIn Company Pages to share updates, products, job openings, and more.
One of the key features of LinkedIn is LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn Groups allow members with similar interests or professional backgrounds to come together in an online community. There are groups for industries, professions, universities, geographic regions, hobbies, and more. Members can have discussions, ask questions, share content, and make connections within these groups.
This raises the question – can businesses join LinkedIn Groups in addition to having a Company Page? Let’s take a closer look at whether companies and organizations can become members of LinkedIn Groups.
Can Businesses Have a LinkedIn Profile and Join Groups?
The answer is yes, businesses and organizations can both have a LinkedIn Company Page as well as join relevant LinkedIn Groups.
While individual LinkedIn member profiles are for individual people, Company Pages represent businesses and organizations. Company Pages allow brands to share content, news, job postings, and information about their products and services.
In addition to having a Company Page, businesses can also join LinkedIn Groups related to their industry, location, products, services, and more. Within these groups, company representatives can participate in discussions, share relevant content, connect with customers and partners, advertise job openings, and keep up with the latest news and trends related to their business.
So in summary – yes, businesses can absolutely have a LinkedIn Company Page to represent their brand, as well as join relevant LinkedIn Groups to connect with their target demographics. The two are not mutually exclusive and can be used in tandem as part of a business’s LinkedIn and overall social media strategy.
What are the Benefits for Businesses Joining LinkedIn Groups?
There are many potential benefits for companies joining industry, network, alumni, and interest groups on LinkedIn:
Connect with Professionals in Your Niche
Joining groups related to your field allows you to connect with prospects, partners, and professionals you want to reach. This gives you a direct channel for networking.
Share Content & Increase Visibility
You can post and share articles, images, videos, and other updates to increase your brand’s visibility and reach new audiences. Position yourself as a thought leader.
Gain Industry Insights
See what trends, challenges, and opportunities others in your niche are talking about. This can provide valuable insights for your own business.
Research the Competition
Join groups your competitors are in to see what they’re sharing and learn more about their marketing approach.
Find New Partners & Customers
Groups make it easy to identify and connect with prospects that would benefit from your products/services.
Get Feedback & Ideas
Ask group members for suggestions on things like new products, features, or ways to improve. Crowdsource opinions.
Recruit New Employees
Post job openings and find qualified candidates in industry-specific groups.
Brand Awareness
Increase awareness for your brand by engaging in groups aligned with your target audience.
Thought Leadership
Demonstrate your expertise by contributing valuable insights and content within your niche groups.
So in summary, actively participating in LinkedIn Groups can help businesses network, connect with prospects, increase brand visibility, gain market insights, recruit talent, and more. The right groups are extremely valuable communities.
Best Practices for Businesses Using LinkedIn Groups
Here are some best practices for companies joining and engaging with LinkedIn Groups:
Choose Relevant Groups Carefully
– Don’t randomly join groups. Seek ones directly relevant to your industry, products, services, company culture, location, etc.
– Look at group member demographics. Is this audience a good fit for you?
Assign a Designated Group Manager
– Have 1-2 employees responsible for managing your group presence and interactions. Don’t delegate to too many.
Craft a Group Engagement Strategy
– Decide how frequently you’ll post, types of content you’ll share, ways to add value for that audience.
Contribute Valuable Insights
– Comment and post helpful resources and insights. Don’t overly self-promote. Become a trusted member.
Follow Group Rules
– Review and follow all group guidelines to avoid having posts declined or removed.
Post Consistently
– Set a posting cadence (1-2X per week) so you stay top of mind in the group. Go into settings to toggle notifications on/off.
Monitor Discussions
– Keep a pulse on group discussions/activity so you can chime in on relevant threads.
Engage With Other Members
– React and respond to posts, ask and answer questions, get to know key members. Form connections.
Use Polls or Questions to Spark Discussion
– Create polls and questions to engage members and get them talking about topics that matter to your brand.
Partner With or Sponsor Group Owners
– Consider sponsoring or partnering with the group owner on meetups, events, and other initiatives.
Analyze and Refine Your Approach
– Track your group engagement analytics. See what posts and strategies perform best. Refine as you go.
Examples of Successful Brands Using LinkedIn Groups
Many major brands actively leverage LinkedIn Groups as part of their marketing strategy. Here are a few standout examples:
HubSpot
The inbound marketing platform frequently engages with the Official HubSpot LinkedIn Group which has over 177,000 members. Employees share content, field questions, host Q&As, and more.
Hootsuite
The social media management tool has an employee dedicated to managing their presence in the Hootsuite Linkedin Group. He regularly shares content and interacts with the 166,000+ members.
Salesforce
The CRM giant leverages their official LinkedIn group to share company updates, content, job listings, and events with over 728,000 engaged members.
Mailchimp
The email marketing platform posts guides, case studies, and updates to the growing MailChimp LinkedIn Group. Employees actively answer member questions too.
Moz
The SEO software company uses their LinkedIn group to promote content, job openings, and events. They also survey members and host occasional Q&As with over 155,000 members.
So in summary, leading SaaS and tech brands are tapping into LinkedIn Groups at scale to increase brand visibility, highlight thought leadership, and foster customer relationships. It can be a powerful channel when leveraged strategically.
4 Steps for Businesses to Start Using LinkedIn Groups
If your business isn’t currently tapping into LinkedIn Groups, here is a simple 4 step process to begin leveraging this valuable platform:
1. Identify Target Groups
Search for and browse groups related to your industry, products, location, company culture, university, and topics your audience cares about. Look for sizeable groups with highly engaged members.
2. Request to Join
Click the blue “Join Group” button on desktop or the + icon on mobile to submit your request. Most will approve you if you have a complete company profile.
3. Complete Your Company Profile
To increase chances of getting approved, make sure your LinkedIn Company Page is fully fleshed out. Include your description, locations, website link, and employee headcounts.
4. Start Engaging
Once approved, dive right into discussions where you can add value. Post helpful articles, images, links, or insights. Comment and react to other member posts.
Also be sure to review any guidelines from the group admin on posting cadence, type of content to share, etc.
Common LinkedIn Group Mistakes to Avoid
While LinkedIn Groups present a big opportunity, there are also some common mistakes brands should avoid:
Being Too Promotional
Don’t make every post an overt ad or pushy promotion. Offer value first through helpful content and insights.
Not Following Group Guidelines
Make sure to review and follow all rules set by the group owner regarding post frequency, content, quality, etc.
Not Monitoring Discussions
Log in regularly to engage with members by reacting, commenting, answering questions, and posting. Don’t be passive.
Irrelevant Content
Make sure any content you share is interesting and relevant to that particular group’s focus and audience.
Underutilizing Analytics
Use the data available in LinkedIn to identify your best and worst performing posts. Learn what works.
Automated ‘Bot’ Messages
Messages that look robotic or automated will turn members off. Take time to craft authentic, personalized responses.
Avoid these missteps, focus on value, and leverage groups strategically to grow your brand and community on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Groups present an extremely valuable, yet often overlooked opportunity for businesses to connect with prospective customers, partners, and talent.
In addition to a Company Page, organizations can join relevant industry, alumni, networking, and shared interest groups. Within these groups, brands can share helpful content, demonstrate thought leadership, get feedback on products and ideas, recruit employees, and foster customer relationships.
With over 2 million groups, LinkedIn makes it possible to connect with niche audiences aligned with your brand and goals. This gives your company a platform to increase visibility, network, gain insights, and build credibility.
By identifying and engaging with the right groups using an effective strategy – while avoiding common mistakes – businesses can tap into this powerful component of the LinkedIn ecosystem. Approach thoughtfully and consistently, and LinkedIn Groups can become a game-changer for expanding your reach.
