LinkedIn’s Associated Organization feature allows companies and brands to create dedicated pages to showcase their products, services, culture and job opportunities. These pages operate similarly to LinkedIn Company Pages, providing an online presence and enabling engagement with LinkedIn members.
Purpose of Associated Organization Pages
The main purposes of having an Associated Organization page on LinkedIn include:
- Increasing brand awareness – The page gives your organization wider visibility and discovery on LinkedIn.
- Displaying useful information – You can showcase organizational details like products/services, culture, values, team bios, job openings etc. This helps prospective employees and partners learn about your organization.
- Generating engagement – Followers of your page can like, comment on and share your content. This increases engagement. You can also run sponsored content campaigns to expand your reach.
- Recruiting talent – The careers tab allows you to showcase open positions in your organization. LinkedIn members looking for jobs can easily find and apply to relevant openings.
- Establishing thought leadership – Regularly publishing insightful content positions your organization as an authority in your industry.
Differences from Company Pages
While Associated Organization pages have much in common with LinkedIn Company Pages, there are some key differences:
- Company Pages are for businesses whereas Associated Organization pages are for brands, non-profits, universities, groups, events etc.
- Company Pages can have employees listed as working there while Associated Organization pages cannot.
- Company Pages have analytics on followers and page visitor demographics. Associated Organization pages lack this analytics capability.
- Company Pages can use Lead Gen Forms to collect leads while Associated Organization pages do not have this feature.
- Company Pages have access to Recruiter seat licenses for sourcing talent. Associated Organization pages cannot access these recruiter tools.
So in summary, Company Pages are specifically optimized for companies while Associated Organization pages cater to organizations that are not businesses per se. The capabilities differ slightly as a result.
Who Can Create Associated Organization Pages?
Here are some of the eligibility criteria to create an Associated Organization page on LinkedIn:
- The organization must represent an established institution, brand or group entity. It cannot be for an individual person.
- Pages can only be created and managed by an official representative of the organization.
- To apply, you need a personal LinkedIn profile in good standing. Company Pages admins can also apply on behalf of their organization.
- LinkedIn reviews all applications. Pages found promoting false information or illegal/unethical conduct may be removed.
Some common examples of entities that can leverage Associated Organization pages include:
- Brands and product lines
- Non-profit organizations
- Educational institutions and alumni associations
- Conferences, events and local meetup groups
- Industry associations
- Museums and cultural institutions
- Sports teams and leagues
Essentially any established organization with an interest in engaging professionally on LinkedIn is eligible. Personal branding pages for individuals are not allowed.
How to Create an Associated Organization Page
Here are step-by-step instructions to create an Associated Organization page on LinkedIn:
- Click on the Work icon from the top nav bar and select “Create an Organization page” under Create a page. You can also go directly to linkedin.com/pages/create
- Choose Associated Organization and click Next.
- Select the category that best represents your organization and click Next. Categories like Education, Non-profit, Alumni Org, Conference etc. are available.
- Enter your organization’s name and website URL. The name must accurately represent your organization.
- Agree to the LinkedIn terms of use and click Submit.
- LinkedIn will review your application and send an email once approved. This can take a few business days.
- Once approved, return to LinkedIn and navigate to the Pending tab under Organization Pages. From here you can launch your new Associated Organization page!
Some tips for the application process:
- Pick a category that accurately describes your organization.
- Only apply once using a single email address to avoid duplicate rejections.
- Use an work email from your official organization domain if possible.
- Be prepared to prove you are an authorized representative if asked.
That covers the step-by-step process for creating your Associated Organization presence on LinkedIn.
Setting Up Your Associated Organization Page
Once your page is approved, you can begin adding content and customizing it. Here are some tips for setting up a compelling Associated Organization page on LinkedIn:
Complete the Overview Tab
The Overview tab is the first thing people see when visiting your page. Be sure to thoroughly fill it out. Include details like:
- Organization description
- Founding date
- Industry
- Company size
- Website URL
- Social media links
- Contact info
Add logos, images and multimedia to make it more engaging.
Optimize SEO
Include relevant target keywords in your page title, description, and overview content. This will help your page rank higher in LinkedIn search results.
Showcase Products and Services
Use the Products and Services tab to highlight what your organization offers. This allows prospective partners and customers to learn about your offerings.
Display Customer Testimonials
Social proof goes a long way. Collect and showcase positive customer reviews and testimonials. This builds credibility.
Share Company Culture
Give potential candidates a feel for your work culture by sharing photos, videos, and content about your values, people and perks. Use the Life tab for this.
Promote Job Openings
Use the Careers tab to list open positions. LinkedIn members can easily find and apply for relevant jobs in your organization.
Best Practices for Managing Your Page
Here are some top tips for administering your Associated Organization page:
- Post regularly – Share content at least 2-3X a week to stay top of mind.
- Respond to comments and messages – This shows followers you are engaged.
- Get co-admins – Work as a team to manage the page effectively.
- Promote your page – Encourage employees and partners to follow your page.
- Analyze performance – Review follower growth and engagement metrics to improve.
- Use insights – Leverage follower demographics and content analytics to post relevant content.
- Advertise – Invest in Sponsored Content and Jobs to expand your reach and results.
- Stay on brand – Ensure content aligns with your brand identity, values and voice.
By regularly posting engaging content and optimizing based on data and insights, you can build a vibrant community of followers for your Associated Organization on LinkedIn.
Benefits of Having an Associated Organization Page
Here are some of the top advantages and benefits of creating an Associated Organization page for your brand or institution on LinkedIn:
- Increased visibility – Get discovered by LinkedIn’s audience of over 740+ million professionals.
- Enhanced brand awareness – Position your brand as an authority in your niche.
- Deeper industry insights – Gain data into your followers and content performance.
- Greater employee engagement – Give employees a way to follow and engage with your brand.
- New partnership opportunities – Attract partners via your Products & Services tab.
- Improved recruiting – Attract and evaluate quality candidates for open roles.
- Higher thought leadership – Share insights to build reputation as an expert.
Investing time in cultivating your Associated Organization presence on LinkedIn can yield big returns for your brand’s awareness, reputation and ability to attract talent and partnerships.
Use Cases and Examples
Here are some examples of organizations leveraging LinkedIn’s Associated Organization pages effectively:
Non-Profits
- Promoting fundraising campaigns and events
- Volunteer and donor recruitment
- Increasing mission awareness
- Sharing impact stories
Alumni Organizations
- Connecting alumni
- Promoting alumni events
- Fundraising outreach
- Showcasing notable alumni
Conferences & Events
- Promoting conference details
- Driving ticket sales
- Sharing speaker announcements
- Event logistics and scheduling
Educational Institutions
- Promoting degree programs
- Student and faculty outreach
- Research updates and academic news
- Campus event postings
Associated Organization Pages vs. Showcase Pages
In addition to Associated Organization pages, LinkedIn also offers Showcase pages. Here is how they differ:
| Associated Organization Page | Showcase Page |
|---|---|
| For established organizations and institutions | For brands, products and initiatives |
| Robust overview and capabilities | Streamlined capabilities |
| Post jobs and promote content | Mostly share updates |
| Appear in searches and feed | Only visible via direct links |
In summary, Associated Organization pages are designed for formal organizations while Showcase pages have limited functionality optimized for campaigns and short-term initiatives.
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s Associated Organization page provides an excellent opportunity for non-profit organizations, alumni associations, conferences, educational institutions, and other established non-company entities to increase their visibility and engagement on LinkedIn.
By creating an Associated Organization page, organizations can share their mission, promote content and job openings, connect with members, boost recruitment, and establish thought leadership.
With a dedicated presence and effective content strategy, Associated Organization pages enable organizations to leverage the power of LinkedIn for greater brand awareness, partnerships, talent acquisition, and overall impact.