LinkedIn groups are an excellent way for professionals and businesses to connect, engage in discussions, and share relevant content. While individual LinkedIn members can easily join groups, what about company pages – can they become members of LinkedIn groups too? Let’s take a quick look at the requirements and options for LinkedIn company pages when it comes to joining groups on the platform.
Can Company Pages Join LinkedIn Groups?
The short answer is yes, LinkedIn Company Pages can join LinkedIn groups. However, there are a few limitations and requirements to be aware of.
Firstly, only admin-approved Company Pages can join groups, not all Company Pages. The Page must be approved by LinkedIn to ensure it meets their guidelines.
Additionally, the admin of the Company Page must join the group on their personal LinkedIn profile first, before joining the group as their Company Page.
So in summary:
- The Company Page must be admin-approved by LinkedIn
- The admin must first join the group personally with their own LinkedIn profile
- Then the admin can add the Company Page as a member of the group
As long as those requirements are met, a Company Page can become a member of a LinkedIn group.
How to Join a LinkedIn Group as a Company Page
Here is a step-by-step guide for Company Page admins to join a LinkedIn group:
- Confirm your Company Page is admin-approved by LinkedIn (you’ll see a blue verified tick icon)
- Using your personal LinkedIn profile, find and join the group you want your Page to be a member of
- Once you’ve joined the group yourself, switch over to your Company Page
- Go to the LinkedIn group and click “Join group”
- LinkedIn will detect you already joined as an individual, and prompt you to join as your Company Page
- Click join and you’re done! Your Company Page is now a member of the group
It’s a relatively straightforward process once your Company Page has been approved by LinkedIn. The key things to remember are:
- Only approved Pages can join (have the blue verified tick)
- The admin must join the group first individually
- Then the Page can join the group after the admin has joined
Benefits of Joining Groups as a Company Page
There are some great benefits for brands joining LinkedIn groups with their Company Page, such as:
- Exposure and reach: Groups allow Pages to get in front of new audiences of relevant professionals.
- Thought leadership: By sharing insights and expertise, Pages can position themselves as industry thought leaders.
- Lead generation: Interacting within niche industry groups can create new sales opportunities.
- Recruitment: Connecting with talent within relevant groups aids recruitment efforts.
- Partnerships: Pages can foster strategic partnerships and business relationships through groups.
- Market research: Groups provide first-hand insights into target customer needs and pain points.
The amplification effect of reaching entire groups full of ideal prospects and connections makes having a Company Page join relevant LinkedIn groups a smart move.
Best Practices for Company Pages in Groups
To maximize the value of group memberships for Pages, admins should keep these tips in mind:
- Focus on a few niche groups instead of spreading across too many.
- Participate consistently – post, comment, like and share regularly.
- Avoid overt sales pitches – provide value to the group community.
- Leverage company updates to recap useful group discussions.
- Repurpose top-performing content from the Page into the group when relevant.
- Monitor group analytics to identify opportunities and optimize efforts.
Following these best practices will ensure your Company Page becomes a valued member of the LinkedIn groups it joins.
Limits on Number of Groups for Company Pages
LinkedIn does enforce some limits on the number of groups a single Company Page can join:
- Pages can only join up to 100 groups
- Of those 100 groups, only up to 50 can be marked as “Favorites”
Trying to join additional groups beyond these limits will result in error messages.
These limits ensure Pages spread their efforts across a focused, targeted set of groups for maximum impact, rather than thinly spreading themselves too widely.
Restrictions on Certain Types of Groups
While most groups are open for Company Pages to join, there are some restrictions in place:
- Closed/private groups – Pages cannot join groups that are closed to new members or require approval to join.
- Jobs and career advice groups – These groups are focused on individuals’ career progression so Company Pages are restricted from joining them.
- Alumni groups – These groups are for graduates of specific universities, so Pages are unable to join.
These restrictions make sense, as Pages would not provide value as members of these more exclusive or individually-focused groups.
Who Can See the Group Memberships?
When a Company Page joins a LinkedIn group, who can actually see that group membership?
The visibility depends on the group settings:
- For public groups, anyone can see the Page has joined.
- For private groups, only existing group members can see the Page has joined.
Group memberships will be displayed on the Page’s profile under the “Groups” section.
Individual LinkedIn members who are not in private groups won’t be able to see the Page has joined that specific private group.
Can Company Pages Post, Comment and Share in Groups?
Yes, LinkedIn Company Pages that join groups as members are able to:
- Post discussions and status updates
- Comment on other members’ posts
- Share useful articles, images, videos and documents
- Like and react to content
Pages have the same capabilities to actively participate in the group as individual members.
The ability to post their own updates directly within groups allows Pages to share relevant company news, examples of work, event promotions, case studies, infographics, and any other content that provides value.
Commenting and reacting to other members’ posts enables Pages to interact directly with prospects, build relationships, and be seen as active participants.
Overall, Company Pages can leverage groups in the same way as individual members when it comes to posting, engaging with content, and sharing updates.
Analytics for Company Pages in Groups
LinkedIn provides excellent analytics for Company Pages to assess the value and ROI of group memberships.
Key metrics Pages can track for groups include:
- Impressions – how many times your posts were seen
- Clicks – how many times viewers clicked on your content
- Reactions – how many likes, comments, shares etc.
- Followers – how many new followers you gained
- Mentions – how many times others mentioned you
Monitoring these metrics within each group allows Pages to see which groups are providing the best engagement and opportunities. Pages can use the insights to optimize efforts and double down on the most valuable groups.
Conclusion
Joining highly targeted LinkedIn groups with a Company Page can be a powerful tactic to increase exposure, establish thought leadership, generate leads, recruit talent and conduct market research.
While some restrictions are in place, most LinkedIn groups are open for approved Company Pages to join and participate in fully.
Focusing on a few niche groups, engaging consistently, and tracking performance are key to maximizing the value of group memberships for Company Pages.
When used strategically, LinkedIn groups provide an ideal platform for brands to connect with audiences and accelerate their business objectives.
