Quick Answer
To remove an affiliate page from LinkedIn, you need to go to your LinkedIn profile and navigate to the Admin section. From there, go to Company Pages and select the affiliate page you want to remove. Click on the gear icon next to the page name and select ‘Delete page’. This will permanently delete the affiliate page from LinkedIn.
Overview
LinkedIn allows users to create affiliate pages for their company to represent different brands, business units, or locations. These affiliate pages operate independently under the parent company page, with their own content, followers and analytics. They are a useful way to segment audiences and streamline marketing on LinkedIn.
However, there may come a time when you need to remove an affiliate page from your LinkedIn presence. For example, if the brand or business unit no longer exists, or you want to consolidate content under your main company page. Deleting an affiliate page permanently removes it from LinkedIn and is irreversible, so consider carefully before taking this action.
Here are the key things to know about removing a LinkedIn affiliate page:
You Must Be an Admin of the Page to Delete It
Only admins of the affiliate page have the ability to delete it. To check if you’re an admin, go to the page and look for the gear icon next to the page name. If the gear icon appears, you have admin access and can delete the page.
All Content Will Be Permanently Deleted
Deleting an affiliate page removes all of its content and analytics from LinkedIn. Any follower relationships, posts, jobs, etc. will be permanently gone. The page will not appear in search results or be findable on LinkedIn after deletion.
Followers Will Not Be Notified or Transferred
Followers of the affiliate page will not be notified or automatically transferred to follow your main company page after deletion. You will need to manually message followers if you want to redirect them.
The Page URL Will Become Available Again
The custom URL of your deleted affiliate page will become available to be claimed again. You or another company could reuse that URL for a new page.
Deletion is Irreversible
There is no way to retrieve or restore a deleted LinkedIn affiliate page. The action is permanent and cannot be undone.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to permanently delete an affiliate page from LinkedIn:
1. Navigate to the LinkedIn Affiliate Page
– Go to the LinkedIn page for the affiliate brand, business unit or location you want to delete.
– Make sure you are currently logged in to the account that is an admin for this page.
2. Click the Gear Icon Next to Page Name
– Near the top right of the page, click on the gear icon next to page name. This opens the page admin menu.
3. Select “Delete Page”
– In the admin menu that appears, click on the red “Delete page” option at the very bottom.
4. Confirm Deletion
– A popup will appear asking you to confirm that you want to permanently delete the page.
– Click the “Delete” button to proceed or “Cancel” to go back.
5. Check Deletion Status
– After clicking Delete, the page will enter a “pending delete” status.
– You can check the progress under Company Pages in the LinkedIn admin section.
– The pending delete period usually lasts around 48 hours before complete removal.
Important Considerations
Before deleting a LinkedIn affiliate page, keep these important considerations in mind:
Have a Transition Plan
Make sure you have a transition plan for existing followers and visitors who may be looking for that content. Use your main company page or individual employee profiles to direct them to new relevant content.
Review Analytics and Insights
Take time to review analytics and visitor demographics for the affiliate page before removing it. This could inform content strategy on your main company page going forward.
Export Key Content
Export any important posts, images or other content from the affiliate page that you may want to reuse or repurpose on other channels. Once deleted, this content will no longer be accessible.
Notify Stakeholders
Inform other admins, employees or teams that may be invested in the affiliate page about your plans to delete it. Make sure deletion aligns with company branding and communication strategies.
Pros of Deleting an Affiliate Page
There are some advantages to consolidating your LinkedIn presence under one main company page:
Simplified Branding and Messaging
Deleting affiliate pages can help unify and strengthen your overall brand on LinkedIn through a single company presence.
Increased Visibility
Engagement is consolidated under one page, hopefully increasing content visibility compared to segmenting audiences.
Streamlined Management
Fewer pages to manage can free up time and resources to enhance the main company profile.
Cons of Deleting an Affiliate Page
However, there are also a few potential drawbacks to weigh:
Loss of Niche Audience Tracking
You lose the ability to segment audiences and track engagement for specific brand affiliates.
Decline in Followers/Engagement
Followers of niche affiliate content may disengage if that content is removed or not migrated over.
Decreased Ability to Tailor Content
One company page makes it harder to craft content targeted to specific audiences.
Conclusion
Deleting a LinkedIn affiliate page is a permanent action that requires careful consideration of benefits and tradeoffs. Use the step-by-step process outlined here to smoothly remove an affiliate page when you have determined consolidation is the right strategy for your brand’s LinkedIn presence. Just remember to save any important content and notify stakeholders to align on a transition plan. With proper planning, you can successfully consolidate pages to strengthen your core LinkedIn company profile.
