How do I take over a LinkedIn company page?

Taking over a LinkedIn company page can be a great way to gain control of your business’s presence on the professional social media platform. However, the process requires some strategic planning and execution. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through all the steps needed to successfully take over an existing LinkedIn company page.

Understanding LinkedIn Company Pages

On LinkedIn, company pages operate similarly to individual profile pages. They allow businesses to establish an online presence, share updates, connect with followers, and promote their products or services. Companies can only create one LinkedIn page per business entity. Some key facts about LinkedIn company pages include:

• Pages showcase important company details like description, location, website, industry, company size, founding year, etc.
• Followers can get company updates in their feed and engage with posts
• Pages allow showcasing products/services, job listings, company culture and achievements
• Analytics provide insight into page visitors and follower demographics
• Companies can communicate with and advertise to LinkedIn’s audience of 750+ million professionals

Overall, LinkedIn company pages are an impactful tool for branding, recruitment, lead generation, and thought leadership. But without proper administration, their potential is squandered. Let’s look at how to take over an existing page.

Step 1: Verify You Have the Right to Take Over the Page

Before starting the takeover process, it’s important to verify you have the authority to claim the company’s LinkedIn page. Here are some common scenarios:

• You work for the company: Get official confirmation from your manager or HR department that you are authorized to manage the LinkedIn page on the company’s behalf.
• You are a founder/executive: As a company leader, you have inherent authority to claim your business’s LinkedIn presence.
• You manage social media: If social media management is part of your job description, the LinkedIn page should fall under your purview.
• You are taking over marketing: Marketing ownership changes often come with the territory of managing a company’s LinkedIn presence.

The key is ensuring that you have clearly defined rights from the company to take over the page. Otherwise, your claim may be denied by LinkedIn during the takeover process.

Step 2: Figure Out Who Currently Manages the Page

Before requesting a LinkedIn company page takeover, you need to know who currently has admin access. Here are some tips for researching the page’s current manager:

• Check the page’s “About” section for names of administrators or posters
• Look for contact info on the page like email addresses or social media handles
• Search LinkedIn for employees who may manage social media or marketing
• Look for page updates or LinkedIn posts that may be written by the admin
• See if you can identify the admin’s LinkedIn profile pic on page posts
• Use LinkedIn’s page analytics to view post echoes and identify contributor names

Once you identify (or make an educated guess about) who manages the page, make a note of their information. This will be useful when submitting your takeover request to LinkedIn.

Step 3: Reach Out to the Current Admin

Before going through LinkedIn to force a page takeover, it is wise to directly reach out to the current admin first. Here are some tips for effectively contacting them:

• Clearly explain who you are, your job, and why you need access to the page.
• Ask if they would be willing to voluntarily add you as an admin, or transfer the page fully to you.
• Mention that you have company approval for the takeover to establish credibility.
• Keep emails friendly and conversational to avoid friction or resistance.
• Offer to collaborate or get their input on the transition plan.
• Provide a deadline for when you plan to submit a formal takeover request.

Ideally, the current admin will be cooperative and willing to hand over the reins. Having their buy-in makes the transition much easier vs. a contested takeover.

Step 4: Request Access as a Page Admin

If the current page manager does not voluntarily add you as an admin, the next step is requesting access directly through LinkedIn:

1. Visit the LinkedIn company page and click “Report/Change Admins” at the bottom
2. Select “I need admin access to this page”
3. Enter your name, email, job title, and LinkedIn profile URL
4. Provide details on why you need admin access
5. Click “Request Access” to submit the request to LinkedIn

LinkedIn will follow up via email to confirm your request. You may need to provide additional verification like a company email address, letter from your HR department, or business documentation.

Step 5: Request a Full Page Transfer

If you need full control of the LinkedIn company page, you can request a complete transfer of ownership instead of just admin access. Here is the process:

1. Go to the LinkedIn page and click “Report/Change Admins”
2. Select “Claim this page for my company”
3. Enter your info and details on why your company needs the page
4. Provide the name of the current admin if possible
5. Click “Claim Page” to submit transfer request

LinkedIn will verify if you have the authority to take over the page for your company. So be ready to provide supporting documents or information.

Tips for Transfer Request Success

• Provide as much detail as possible on why the transfer is needed
• Have documentation ready to establish proof and urgency of your request
• Be prepared to explain why the current admin cannot manage the page
• Emphasize how you plan to manage the page better for the company’s benefit
• If current admin is unresponsive, detail your communication attempts

With persuasive and well-evidenced requests, you are more likely to have LinkedIn approve the full transfer of the company page ownership.

Step 6: Submit an Urgent Takeover Request

If you need immediate access to the LinkedIn company page, you can submit an urgent admin transfer or takeover request:

1. Go to LinkedIn’s Help Center and search for “Urgent Admin Request”
2. Complete the online form detailing your situation
3. Explain why urgent access is critical for your company
4. Provide specifics on how customers, employees or reputation are at risk
5. Emphasize how you plan to resolve issues if given control

LinkedIn states that urgent requests are addressed within one business day, so this is fastest option for time-sensitive cases.

Step 7: Manage Notifications and Follow-up

After submitting your LinkedIn company page takeover request, stay on top of notifications and follow-up items from LinkedIn. Tips for managing communications:

• Check notifications and respond promptly to any questions from LinkedIn
• Provide any additional verification documents as needed
• If request is approved, confirm receipt of admin access
• Notify current admins of the change if applicable
• Let company leaders or stakeholders know the transition is complete
• Implement your new strategy for managing the LinkedIn page

Staying organized and communicative throughout the takeover process will help ensure a smooth transition to your administration of the company’s LinkedIn presence.

Conclusion

Taking over an existing LinkedIn company page allows you to refresh and optimize your business’s social media presence. But commandeering another user’s page should be handled carefully and strategically. Follow this comprehensive guide to ensure you have the proper authority, evidence, and process to successfully take control of your company’s LinkedIn page.

With the right approach, you can not only gain access to the LinkedIn company page, but avoid conflicts and collaborate with other stakeholders. So be thorough in your preparation, communications and documentation when planning your LinkedIn company page takeover.