Can I hide the groups I’m in on LinkedIn?

Quick Answer

Yes, it is possible to hide the groups you are a member of on LinkedIn so they don’t show up on your profile. LinkedIn gives you the option to show or hide your group memberships. Just go to your profile, click “Edit profile,” select “Privacy & Settings,” and adjust the visibility settings for groups. You can choose to show all, some, or none of your groups.

Hiding All or Some Groups

Here are step-by-step instructions for hiding all or some of your LinkedIn groups:

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile page and click “Edit profile” at the top right.
2. In the left sidebar menu, click “Privacy & Settings.”
3. Under “Select what others see when you’ve joined a group,” choose “Your connections only” or “Only you” from the dropdown menu.
4. “Your connections only” will hide your groups from the public but show them to your 1st-degree connections.
5. “Only you” will completely hide your groups from your profile.
6. Scroll down and click “Save” at the bottom of the page.

Once you save these settings, your group memberships will no longer be visible on your profile page to the audiences you selected to hide them from. You can change these settings back at any time.

Showing Some Groups While Hiding Others

If you only want to show certain groups and hide the rest, follow these steps:

1. Go to your profile and click “Edit profile.”
2. Click “Privacy & Settings.”
3. Under “Select what others see when you’ve joined a group,” choose “Your connections only.”
4. Scroll down to the “Group Memberships” section.
5. For each group you want to hide, click the arrow next to the group and select “Visible to: Only you.”
6. For the groups you want to show, choose “Your connections” from the dropdown.
7. Click “Save” at the bottom.

This will hide the groups you selected while still showing the ones you want visible on your profile. You can customize exactly which groups are seen by your network.

Considerations

Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding whether to hide LinkedIn groups:

• Hiding groups can limit networking opportunities. Group members won’t know you’re both part of the same communities.
• It prevents people from identifying shared interests and experiences based on mutual group membership.
• However, it does enable you to join groups privately for research or learning without signaling it publicly.
• For recruiter or sales profiles, displaying some selected professional groups can positively showcase your expertise.
• Hiding groups can declutter your profile and emphasize other sections like Skills and Experience.

Overall, think about your goals for your LinkedIn presence when choosing whether to show or hide groups. Customizing visibility settings gives you control.

Impact on Group Activity and Admin Status

Hiding your LinkedIn groups has no effect on your activity within those groups or any admin status you hold. You can still fully participate and the groups will still appear in your LinkedIn feed. You just remain anonymous to the outside.

Finding Hidden Groups on LinkedIn

If you want to find groups you have hidden on LinkedIn to manage settings or visibility, there are a couple ways to locate them:

• Go to your profile edit page > Privacy & Settings, and scroll down to the “Group Memberships” section. This lists all groups you are in.
• On LinkedIn’s homepage, click “My Network” and select “Groups.” This shows groups you have joined, including hidden ones.
• Type keywords into LinkedIn’s main search bar. Hidden groups you are in may appear in the results.
• Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to search for groups and filter by “My Groups.”

Even if groups are hidden on your profile, LinkedIn still tracks your membership in the back end and provides ways to find them.

Showing Group Activity Without Listing Memberships

It is possible to share your group activity without listing the groups themselves on your profile. For example:

• In your experience summary, mention speaking at or moderating group events.
• Share links to discussions or posts you made in groups.
• List any leadership positions or roles within group communities.
• Mention notable groups when listing achievements or publications on your profile.

This allows you to highlight your group participation without revealing the actual groups. However, the groups could still potentially be identified through your mentions.

Alternative Places to Showcase Groups

In addition to your main LinkedIn profile, there are a few other places you can choose to showcase groups:

• Your LinkedIn Publisher page – You can feature groups here using articles, images, etc.
• SlideShare presentations – Include groups relevant to the content.
• Your blog or website – List and describe groups you are part of.
• Other social media profiles like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

These alternatives give you more flexibility to promote your group affiliations independently of your main LinkedIn profile.

Coordinating Personal and Company Pages

If you manage a company page on LinkedIn, you can coordinate the visibility settings with your personal profile:

• Show groups on your company page to highlight industry communities.
• Keep them hidden on your personal profile if you prefer.
• Or vice versa – display groups on your personal profile that your company is not involved with.
• Use the company page to showcase official groups and partnerships.
• Your personal profile can feature informal groups for your own professional development.

Take advantage of the separation between corporate and individual presences on LinkedIn. Customize group visibility accordingly.

Metrics on Hidden LinkedIn Groups

Here are some metrics and information you can still view about hidden LinkedIn groups that you remain a member of:

• Group name and description
• Number of members
• Names of managers and moderators
• Your join date
• Recent discussions and posts
• Group rules and recommendations
• Demographics data on members

While groups are not displayed publicly on your profile, you still have access to full info on their back-end pages. Stay updated even without showcasing membership.

Activity Within Hidden Groups

You can actively participate and track metrics within hidden LinkedIn groups:

• Number of your posts and comments
• Engagement on your posts such as likes, replies, shares
• Your reputation score and impact rankings in the group
• Mentions and replies from other members
• Polls created and voted on

Stay involved with a hidden group’s conversations. LinkedIn captures everything behind the scenes.

Performance as a Hidden Group Manager

As an admin or moderator of a hidden LinkedIn group, you can analyze performance:

• Member count growth over time
• Post frequency and volume
• Member engagement levels
• Demographics of who is joining
• Content themes and metrics
• Complaints or negative feedback

Monitor the group and continue improving it even without public visibility.

Conclusion

Hiding your LinkedIn groups is easy to do through the profile visibility settings. Just toggle their display to “Your connections only” or “Only you.” Consider your goals for showcasing groups vs. keeping affiliations private. While hidden, you can still participate actively and track group metrics. Coordinating visibility with company pages provides flexibility. Overall, customize LinkedIn groups to fit your professional preferences.