What happens if you deactivate a LinkedIn company page?

LinkedIn company pages allow businesses to establish a presence on LinkedIn and engage with customers and prospects. However, there may come a time when a business wants to deactivate its LinkedIn company page. Deactivating a LinkedIn company page removes it from public view and limits its functionality, but the page can be reactivated at any time.

Why Would a Company Deactivate Its LinkedIn Page?

There are a few common reasons a company may want to deactivate its LinkedIn company page:

• The company is going out of business – If a company is closing down, it will likely want to deactivate its LinkedIn page.
• The company is rebranding – If a company is undergoing a rebranding, it may deactivate its old LinkedIn page and create a new one under the rebranded name.
• The company no longer wants a LinkedIn presence – A company may decide LinkedIn isn’t the right platform for its business needs.
• The page isn’t being maintained – If a LinkedIn page is outdated and no one is maintaining it, deactivating it may be the best option.
• Consolidating multiple pages – A company with multiple LinkedIn pages for sub-brands may decide to deactivate those pages and keep just one company page.

What Happens When You Deactivate a LinkedIn Company Page?

Here’s an overview of what happens when you deactivate a LinkedIn company page:

• The page is removed from LinkedIn search results – It will no longer appear when people search on LinkedIn.
• The company loses its followers – Any LinkedIn members who were following the company page will no longer see updates in their feeds.
• The company can no longer post content – No one will be able to post updates, images, videos, or news on behalf of the company.
• The page URL redirects to the LinkedIn homepage – If someone tries to access the deactivated page’s URL, they’ll be redirected to LinkedIn’s homepage.
• Analytics are reset – All analytics, like page views and follower counts, are erased from the page.
• Employees lose their administrator rights – Any employees who were page admins will no longer have access to manager the company page.

So in summary, deactivating a page removes the company’s presence, content, and analytics from LinkedIn. However, it does not delete the page entirely.

What Content and Data is Saved if You Deactivate a Page?

Deactivating a LinkedIn company page retains certain elements in a dormant state. Here’s what information is saved:

• Company name and information
• Company page URL and handle
• Historical page analytics and metrics
• Follower list
• Posted content and updates
• Products, services, and photo galleries
• Jobs listed
• Advertisements and ad campaigns
• Page configuration and settings

So all the underlying page content remains intact, it is just no longer publicly visible. This allows the page to be reactivated later if desired.

Can You Reactivate a Deactivated LinkedIn Company Page?

Yes, a deactivated LinkedIn company page can be reactivated at any time. To do so:

1. Log into LinkedIn and go to your company’s admin center.
2. Click Manage next to the deactivated page.
3. Choose Reactivate page from the menu.
4. The page will then return to active status and again be visible to the public.

Reactivating a page restores its content, followers, analytics, and visibility as if it was never deactivated in the first place. This makes deactivating a useful temporary solution if a company needs a break from LinkedIn.

What is the Impact of Deactivating a LinkedIn Page?

Deactivating a LinkedIn company page can have several impacts:

• Loss of followers & engagement: Followers will no longer see updates and may disengage from the brand.
• Decline in brand awareness: The page will no longer appear in LinkedIn search, losing brand visibility.
• Disruption of sales funnels: Any sales funnels driven through the LinkedIn page will be broken by deactivating it.
• SEO impact: The LinkedIn page URL will return 404 errors, potentially harming SEO if other sites link to it.
• Candidate outreach problems: The company won’t be able to advertise jobs or connect with prospects.

However, the impact largely depends on how integral LinkedIn is to the company’s marketing and sales. For some businesses, deactivating their page may have minimal impact if most of their processes run through their website or other platforms.

Best Practices for Deactivating a LinkedIn Page

If you do decide to deactivate your LinkedIn company page, here are some best practices to follow:

• Export your connections list – You can download a list of all your page followers to maintain those relationships.
• Communicate the change – Let your followers and employees know you are deactivating the page through other channels.
• Update your website – Remove any LinkedIn follow buttons or other links pointing to your page.
• Redirect your URL – Consider redirecting your LinkedIn page URL to your company website so visitors don’t hit a dead end.
• Claim your company name – Claim your company name on other social networks you will use going forward.

With some planning, you can deactivate your LinkedIn presence without severing all connections with your network. Be sure to communicate the change clearly across channels.

Conclusion

Deactivating a LinkedIn company page removes the page from public visibility and limits its functionality. However, all company information, content, and followers remain saved in a dormant state. A deactivated page can easily be reactivated at any time if desired. Before deactivating, be aware of the potential impacts on brand awareness, sales, and SEO. With clear communication and redirection, deactivating a LinkedIn presence doesn’t have to mean losing touch with your network.