LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. In addition to profiles, LinkedIn also allows users to create and share events. While most events on LinkedIn are public, there are options to make events private and limit them to a specific guest list. Here is an overview of how to create private events on LinkedIn.
What are LinkedIn Events?
LinkedIn Events allow members to publicize conferences, meetups, seminars, and other professional gatherings on the platform. Event hosts can provide key details like the event name, date/time, location, description, and registration options. These events then appear on members’ LinkedIn feeds and can be shared to expand their reach.
LinkedIn Events have several benefits for organizers and attendees alike:
- Event hosts can promote their events to LinkedIn’s audience of over 740 million members.
- Attendees can discover relevant professional events and network with others in their industry.
- Organizers can track guest registration, engage with attendees, and gain insights through LinkedIn’s analytics.
In addition to public events visible to all LinkedIn members, there is also an option to make LinkedIn Events private and accessible by invite only.
How to Create a Private LinkedIn Event
Here are the steps to create a private invite-only event on LinkedIn:
- Go to the Events page and click “Create event.” This option is visible under the “Interests and events” section of your homepage sidebar.
- Fill out details like the event name, time, location, description, etc. Make sure to toggle the option for “Private event” at the top of the form.
- When setting up registration, choose “Guest list only – invite only” under the visibility section.
- Continue completing any other desired event settings like adding a logo, cover image, tags, etc.
- Click “Create” to publish the private event. You’ll then be able to manage invites and the guest list.
Who Can See and Access a Private LinkedIn Event?
When an event is marked as private on LinkedIn, it will only be visible to users specifically invited to the event. The event and its details will not appear in public LinkedIn feeds or in search results.
Users must be invited directly by the event organizer either when first creating the event or later on. If a user has not been invited, they will not see or have access to the private event page.
Some key privileges based on invitation status include:
| Invitation Status | Can View Event | Can Register |
|---|---|---|
| Invited | Yes | Yes |
| Not Invited | No | No |
The event organizer has full control over the guest list and can send, revoke, and manage invitations as needed.
How Are Invitations Sent for Private Events?
Event organizers have a few options for how they send invites to their exclusive guest list. Invitations can be sent:
- Individually – Invites can be sent one-by-one by searching for and selecting specific connections to add to the guest list.
- To a group – If you already have an established LinkedIn group, you can invite the entire group at once by selecting it.
- Via a CSV import – You can upload a CSV file with the email addresses of invites to send in bulk.
- By sharing a registration link – A private registration link can be copied and shared to allow invitees to sign up themselves.
The event management page will give you a full overview of all pending, accepted, and declined invitations so you can keep track of your guest list.
Benefits of Creating Private LinkedIn Events
Here are some of the major upsides to making LinkedIn events private and invite-only:
- Exclusivity – The event has a sense of prestige, reserved only for selected guests.
- Control over attendance – The organizer can carefully curate the attendee list.
- Privacy – Event details are not searchable and public like a normal LinkedIn event page.
- Targeted networking – You can selectively invite key contacts and clients.
- Segmentedpromotion – Private events let you promote selectively to niche groups.
Overall, private events allow for more exclusivity, privacy, and control over with whom you are networking and engaging with through the event.
Use Cases for Private LinkedIn Events
Some examples of effective uses of private LinkedIn events include:
- Company conferences or retreats for employees only.
- Alumni or professional association events limited to members.
- Exclusive seminars or training sessions for clients.
- Invitation-only mixers or networking gatherings.
- VIP or premium experiences offered to top customers.
- Private workshops or courses with selective enrollment.
Private groups work well when you want to limit an event to a specific guest list, segment attendees by industry or interests, or provide an exclusive event experience.
Considerations for Private LinkedIn Events
There are a few important things to keep in mind when creating private LinkedIn events:
- Guest limits – Private events currently have a maximum capacity of 300 invited guests.
- Manual management – You will need to oversee invites and the guest list directly.
- Limited discovery – There’s less opportunity for organic discovery since events won’t appear in feeds.
- Analytics – Insights on private events are more limited compared to public events.
While private events offer more control, they also require more hands-on management from the organizer. You also lose some of the advantages of LinkedIn’s algorithmic promotion.
Conclusion
The option to make LinkedIn events private provides organizers an easy way to manage RSVPs and cultivate an exclusive guest list. Private events are only visible to invited members and offer benefits like selectivity, privacy, and targeted networking.
Private events are suited for situations where you want more control over attendees and promotion. Just keep in mind the limitations like manual management and reduced visibility. With strategic use of private event features, organizers can create valuable invite-only experiences on LinkedIn.
