There are a few common reasons why LinkedIn may not allow you to create a company page. The most likely explanations are that you don’t meet the requirements, there is already a page for your company, or there is an issue with your account status. Let’s explore each of these possibilities in more detail.
You Don’t Meet the Requirements
LinkedIn has specific requirements that need to be met in order to create a company page. Here are the key criteria:
- You must be an employee of the company you want to create a page for. LinkedIn will verify this based on your email domain and profile details.
- The company must be operating and have at least 3 employees listed on LinkedIn (including yourself).
- Your personal account must be in good standing, with no restrictions or violations.
If you don’t meet these requirements, LinkedIn will not allow you to create a company page. Double check that your profile is up to date with your current employment details. Make sure there are at least 2 other employees from your company with LinkedIn profiles. And confirm your personal account status is in good standing.
There is Already a Page for Your Company
Before allowing you to create a new company page, LinkedIn will check to see if one already exists. LinkedIn does not allow duplicate pages for the same business.
Search for your company name on LinkedIn to see if there is an existing page. There may already be a page that another employee created previously. If so, you will not be able create a new one.
However, you can request to manage the current page for your company. On the existing page, look for the “Manage” button and submit a request to become an administrator. Once approved, you’ll be able to edit and post on the page as needed.
Account Status Issues
In some cases, restrictions on your personal LinkedIn account can prevent you from creating a company page. Here are some common account status issues that could be blocking you:
- Being locked out of your account due to suspicious activity.
- Violating LinkedIn’s User Agreement with inappropriate content or behavior.
- Having an unverified email address or incomplete profile information.
- Being temporarily restricted due to spam or abuse reports.
Check your account status under Settings & Privacy to see if any restrictions are in place. You may need to update your profile, verify your email, or clear up any policy violations before being allowed to create a company page.
Requirements to Create a LinkedIn Company Page
Let’s take a deeper dive into the requirements LinkedIn has in place for creating company pages:
Verification as an Employee
The most basic requirement is that you must verify you are an official employee of the company in order to create a LinkedIn page on its behalf. Here are the ways LinkedIn confirms this:
- Your email address should match the company domain (e.g. @company.com)
- Your profile should have your current position listed as working at that company.
- You are connected to other employees from the same company on LinkedIn.
During the page creation process, if your employment cannot be verified, LinkedIn will ask you to submit proof through an online request form.
Minimum of 3 Employees on LinkedIn
In addition to yourself, there must be at least 2 other employees from your company with existing LinkedIn profiles. LinkedIn does this to confirm it is a real and operating business.
Before creating a page, make sure at least 3 profiles (including yours) are found when searching for your company name on LinkedIn. If not, invite colleagues to join LinkedIn before proceeding.
Company Must Be Operating
LinkedIn will verify that your company has an active online presence outside of LinkedIn. This includes having a website, social media pages, or listings on other databases and directories.
If your company is brand new with minimal web presence, LinkedIn may require additional proof it is operating, like business registration documents. An inactive or non-operational business is not eligible for a company page.
Good Account Standing
Your personal LinkedIn profile must be in good standing to create a page. That means:
- Your account is not locked, suspended or restricted.
- You do not have violations of LinkedIn’s policies.
- Your profile is complete with accurate details.
- You do not have a history of reported spam or abusive behavior.
LinkedIn will thoroughly vet your account status before allowing page creation privileges. Any red flags could lead to a rejection.
Troubleshooting LinkedIn Company Page Creation
If LinkedIn is denying your request to create a company page, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Confirm Employment Status
Double check that your employment details on your profile match the company you are trying to create a page for. Your position title, duration of employment, and description of responsibilities should clearly indicate you currently work there.
If needed, upload a photo of your employee ID badge or business card as proof to LinkedIn.
Update Profile and Connections
Ensure your profile is complete with industry, education, contact info, and a professional photo added. Also connect with at least 10-15 colleagues from your company on LinkedIn.
A complete profile with connections improves your credibility as an employee when requesting to manage a company page.
Invite Employees to Join LinkedIn
If you see less than 3 profiles on LinkedIn for your company, invite coworkers to create accounts. Send emails, post flyers, or mention it at meetings to get more employees to join.
Once at least 3 have profiles, this fulfillment of the employee minimum requirement should allow you to create a page.
Request Access to Existing Page
Before attempting to create a company page, always search LinkedIn to see if one already exists. If there is a current page, ask to become an administrator through the “Manage” button.
The existing administrators may allow you access rather than letting you create a duplicate page.
Fix Account Restrictions
Check your account status and resolve any restrictions, violations, or incomplete details blocking you from accessing LinkedIn Company Pages features.
Getting back into good standing by updating info, verifying your email, and clearing any penalties can remove the creation limit.
Appeal Rejection Decision
If your company page request gets rejected after trying all troubleshooting tips, you can appeal the decision. LinkedIn has an online form to explain your situation and provide any documentation needed.
Highlight reasons why their requirements have now been met in your appeal to get the rejection overturned.
Best Practices for LinkedIn Company Pages
Once you have successfully created a LinkedIn Company Page, here are some best practices to manage and optimize it:
Complete Company Details
Fill out all sections like overview, website, industry, company size, headquarters, and specialties. This provides helpful context about your business.
Organize with Showcase Pages
Use Showcase Pages to highlight specific divisions, initiatives, events, and projects within your organization.
Post Regular Updates
Publish employee stories, company news, job openings, and other content on a regular basis. Aim for 2-3 posts per week to stay engaged.
Respond to Comments
Be proactive in replying to any comments, questions, or reviews on your page. Quick responses build relationships with potential customers.
Share Multimedia Content
Incorporate articles, images, infographics, videos, and presentations to create visual interest for visitors.
Promote Your Page
Increase followers by promoting your page through emails, websites, events, and employee networks. Leverage cross-promotion across your social platforms.
Analyze Metrics
Use LinkedIn’s Company Page analytics to track follower growth, post engagement, website clicks, and visitor demographics. Learn what content resonates most.
Be Active in LinkedIn Groups
Have employees join and actively participate in relevant LinkedIn Groups to extend your company’s reach and position team members as thought leaders.
| Best Practice | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Complete company details | Provides helpful context about your business |
| Organize with Showcase Pages | Highlights specific initiatives, projects, and events |
| Post regular updates | Keeps followers engaged with new content |
| Respond to comments | Builds relationships with potential customers |
| Share multimedia | Creates visual interest for visitors |
| Promote your page | Increases followers and reach |
| Analyze metrics | Provides insights on content performance |
| Be active in Groups | Extends company reach and thought leadership |
Conclusion
In summary, the main reasons LinkedIn may prohibit you from creating a company page are not meeting the requirements, duplication of an existing page, or personal account restrictions. Carefully evaluate that you satisfy the criteria, leverage troubleshooting tips, and use best practices if able to successfully create a page for your company. With a properly optimized LinkedIn Company Page, you can increase brand awareness, highlight key initiatives, attract talent, and connect with customers and partners. Just be sure to put in the work to keep your page actively maintained, as a stale presence can negatively impact your brand reputation.