LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

19
Maria Laura My Groups: White House (Official), KIVA, Green Sandip My Groups: CIO Forum, Forrester Steve My Groups: Citi Network, Social Media Mafia My Groups: Apple Users, Cornell Alumni Alex My Groups: IBM, LegalNYC, Harvard ALumni Guide to Creating Successful Communities LINKEDIN GROUPS

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LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

Transcript of LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

Page 1: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

Copyright © 2009 LinkedIn Corporation. All rights reserved.

Start a LinkedIn Group

http://learn.linkedin.com/group-management

Learn about Custom Groups

http://advertising.linkedin.com/customgroup

Maria

LauraMy Groups: White House (Official), KIVA, Green

SandipMy Groups: CIO Forum, Forrester

SteveMy Groups: Citi Network, Social Media Mafia

My Groups: Apple Users, Cornell Alumni

AlexMy Groups: IBM, LegalNYC, Harvard ALumni

Guide to Creating Successful Communities

LINKEDIN GROUPS

Linked in Advertising®

Page 2: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

APPENDIX

2

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What is a LinkedIn Group

Why create a LinkedIn Group

17Conclusion

How to create a LinkedIn Group 4

6

10

12

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16

1

Step 1. Make a Plan

Step 2. Set Up Your Group

Step 3. Enhance Your Group

Step 4. Open the Doors

Step 5. Build Engagement

Step 6. Moderate Your Group

CONTENTS

page 1 is at the back of cover page 2

Page 3: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

WHY CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUPWHAT IS A LINKEDIN GROUP

WHAT IS A LINKEDIN GROUP

WHY CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

inkedIn Groups enable marketers to establish

their own community within the larger LinkedIn

business network in a seamless and organic way.

Marketers can easily deliver relevant messages

and efficiently engage with their audience of

potential customers

LinkedIn Groups are a great tool for brands to:

Enable the conversationMembers join groups so they can engage with

like-minded professionals

Create long-term interaction with customers and prospectsOngoing discussions and collaboration produce a

vital and lasting community

Generate viral, sustainable growthGroups are organically viral creating growth

opportunities for the long-run

inkedIn Groups are communities of like-minded

professionals who share a common experience,

passion, interest, affiliation, or goal. Groups

provide members with a private and focused

space to discuss relevant topics, share news

stories, network, and collaborate with others.

There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn

organized around a wide range of topics – from

virtualization to entrepreneurship to sustainable

design. Members frequently belong to multiple

groups that align with different aspects of their

professional life, such as university alumni groups,

trade groups, conference groups, and networking

groups.

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WHY CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUPWHAT IS A LINKEDIN GROUP

WHAT IS A LINKEDIN GROUP

WHY CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

inkedIn Groups enable marketers to establish

their own community within the larger LinkedIn

business network in a seamless and organic way.

Marketers can easily deliver relevant messages

and efficiently engage with their audience of

potential customers

LinkedIn Groups are a great tool for brands to:

Enable the conversationMembers join groups so they can engage with

like-minded professionals

Create long-term interaction with customers and prospectsOngoing discussions and collaboration produce a

vital and lasting community

Generate viral, sustainable growthGroups are organically viral creating growth

opportunities for the long-run

inkedIn Groups are communities of like-minded

professionals who share a common experience,

passion, interest, affiliation, or goal. Groups

provide members with a private and focused

space to discuss relevant topics, share news

stories, network, and collaborate with others.

There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn

organized around a wide range of topics – from

virtualization to entrepreneurship to sustainable

design. Members frequently belong to multiple

groups that align with different aspects of their

professional life, such as university alumni groups,

trade groups, conference groups, and networking

groups.

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MAKE A PLAN

efore starting a group there are some key things

you’ll want to consider. Taking the time to think

through your short and long term strategy will go a

long way towards making your group successful.

STEP 1. MAKE A PLANHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Managing a LinkedIn Group will require time to build

engagement and moderate. It is important to identify a

primary contact either in or affiliated with your company

who will coordinate all activities for your group. It is also

helpful to enlist others in your company to help build

engagement in the early phase. Plan to ensure people at

your company can make time to do this for at least six

months to nurture and grow the group.

Who will manage the group

Your objective will drive the rest of your decisions. What are

you trying to achieve with the group? What do you want to

communicate? Are you trying to build brand awareness? Do

you want a venue for customers to discuss your products?

Are you trying to expose non-customers to your product?

What is your objective

Your audience will have a big impact on how you set up

your group. Who are you trying to reach? Customers,

prospects, potential partners, influencers, employees, etc.

Who is your audience

A topic-based group (e.g., “The IT Corner” by Acme

Computer) is a great way to build broader engagement with

your audience. Pick a topic related to your brand that will

allow for more diverse conversations and draw participation

from non-customers as well.

What is your message

• Set a clear objective

• Select your topic carefully

• Establish a content team

• Commit to six months

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TOP TIPS

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Page 6: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

MAKE A PLAN

efore starting a group there are some key things

you’ll want to consider. Taking the time to think

through your short and long term strategy will go a

long way towards making your group successful.

STEP 1. MAKE A PLANHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Managing a LinkedIn Group will require time to build

engagement and moderate. It is important to identify a

primary contact either in or affiliated with your company

who will coordinate all activities for your group. It is also

helpful to enlist others in your company to help build

engagement in the early phase. Plan to ensure people at

your company can make time to do this for at least six

months to nurture and grow the group.

Who will manage the group

Your objective will drive the rest of your decisions. What are

you trying to achieve with the group? What do you want to

communicate? Are you trying to build brand awareness? Do

you want a venue for customers to discuss your products?

Are you trying to expose non-customers to your product?

What is your objective

Your audience will have a big impact on how you set up

your group. Who are you trying to reach? Customers,

prospects, potential partners, influencers, employees, etc.

Who is your audience

A topic-based group (e.g., “The IT Corner” by Acme

Computer) is a great way to build broader engagement with

your audience. Pick a topic related to your brand that will

allow for more diverse conversations and draw participation

from non-customers as well.

What is your message

• Set a clear objective

• Select your topic carefully

• Establish a content team

• Commit to six months

B

5

TOP TIPS

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2 ow that you have determined the purpose of the

Group and who will be managing it, you can move

on to the set up phase.

SET UP YOUR GROUP

STEP 2. SETUP YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

When creating a group, you will be asked to set access

controls. Open groups automatically accept any member

that wants to be part of the group. Closed groups require

the group owner to invite, pre-approve, or individually

approve members before they are allowed to participate.

Open groups are popular for brands because they remove

barriers to join and tend to grow faster. Closed groups give

you more control over who is in the group but take more

time to manage and as a result can ramp up slowly.

Open vs Closed Group

The name and description of your group will help people

identify and find you. To highlight your brand, include your

company name in the Group name. Choose a logo that

quickly conveys the topic of your group, and keep in mind

its small size on-screen. Avoid too much text and opt for

simple, large, images that can have instant impact.

Create a detailed description of your group outlining why

people should join. Include the focus area of the group, the

types of topics that will be discussed, and who will benefit

from joining.

Group Branding

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OPEN VS CLOSED GROUP

LogoNameDescription

GROUP BRANDING

The Jobs tab is an optional feature that creates a space for

members to post job openings. Managers and other

members can move job-related posts out of the general

area into the Jobs tab, helping keep your main discussion

focused on core topics.

Jobs Tab

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Page 8: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

2 ow that you have determined the purpose of the

Group and who will be managing it, you can move

on to the set up phase.

SET UP YOUR GROUP

STEP 2. SETUP YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

When creating a group, you will be asked to set access

controls. Open groups automatically accept any member

that wants to be part of the group. Closed groups require

the group owner to invite, pre-approve, or individually

approve members before they are allowed to participate.

Open groups are popular for brands because they remove

barriers to join and tend to grow faster. Closed groups give

you more control over who is in the group but take more

time to manage and as a result can ramp up slowly.

Open vs Closed Group

The name and description of your group will help people

identify and find you. To highlight your brand, include your

company name in the Group name. Choose a logo that

quickly conveys the topic of your group, and keep in mind

its small size on-screen. Avoid too much text and opt for

simple, large, images that can have instant impact.

Create a detailed description of your group outlining why

people should join. Include the focus area of the group, the

types of topics that will be discussed, and who will benefit

from joining.

Group Branding

N

7

OPEN VS CLOSED GROUP

LogoNameDescription

GROUP BRANDING

The Jobs tab is an optional feature that creates a space for

members to post job openings. Managers and other

members can move job-related posts out of the general

area into the Jobs tab, helping keep your main discussion

focused on core topics.

Jobs Tab

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JOBS TAB

SUBGROUPS TAB

GROUP BRANDING

MANAGE TEMPLATES

STEP 2. SETUP YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Before launching your group you will want to set up email

templates. This is a standard feature that allows you to

automatically send emails based on one of four actions:

acknowledge a request to join, welcome a new member,

decline a request to join, or block a request to join. The

content of the email is text-based and can be customized

by the group owner. Sending a welcome email is a great

opportunity to reinforce the purpose of the group and

outline posting guidelines.

Manage Templates

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• Include your brand in group name

• Design a custom group logo

• Write email templates

• Create a detailed group description

TOP TIPS

Subgroups is a feature that enables you to break out a

broader group topic into more refined categories. For

example, a technology group might have subgroups for

laptops, desktops, and printers. One drawback to creating

subgroups when you are just starting out, however, is that

your conversations become spread across multiple sections

making it difficult to get critical mass. Subgroups are a great

feature to activate once your overall group has momentum.

Subgroups

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Page 10: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

JOBS TAB

SUBGROUPS TAB

GROUP BRANDING

MANAGE TEMPLATES

STEP 2. SETUP YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Before launching your group you will want to set up email

templates. This is a standard feature that allows you to

automatically send emails based on one of four actions:

acknowledge a request to join, welcome a new member,

decline a request to join, or block a request to join. The

content of the email is text-based and can be customized

by the group owner. Sending a welcome email is a great

opportunity to reinforce the purpose of the group and

outline posting guidelines.

Manage Templates

9

• Include your brand in group name

• Design a custom group logo

• Write email templates

• Create a detailed group description

TOP TIPS

Subgroups is a feature that enables you to break out a

broader group topic into more refined categories. For

example, a technology group might have subgroups for

laptops, desktops, and printers. One drawback to creating

subgroups when you are just starting out, however, is that

your conversations become spread across multiple sections

making it difficult to get critical mass. Subgroups are a great

feature to activate once your overall group has momentum.

Subgroups

page 9 page 10

Page 11: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

• Post a welcome video• Stream in a relevant blog• Encourage discussion with polls• Leverage third-party content

You can also use your customized space to distribute

valuable information to your members by promoting white

paper assets. Relevant, free content will be greatly

appreciated by members of your group.

It is important to keep content in your Group fresh. Plan on

developing an editorial programming calendar and share

your plan with members. They’ll be sure to check back

often to get new information, watch new videos and

download the latest white paper.

STEP 3. ENHANCE YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

3TOP TIPS

C ustom Groups have unique messaging features that

help you build and sustain a relationship with your

customers.

A custom content module enables you to surface any

content that can be distributed via an RSS feed. Typical

RSS content may include blog posts, Twitter feeds and

photography. You do not have to limit yourself to your own

content, however. Include feeds from other sources that are

relevant and of interest to your group.

You can also add a stand-alone video module to your

Custom Group. This module pulls in specific videos that

you have posted to YouTube. Starting your group with a

video introduction is a great way to jump start engagement.

Be sure to regularly rotate in other videos, such as

interviews, presentations, and event coverage, to keep your

members engaged.

Want to source feedback from the crowd and spark healthy

debate? Custom Group owners can use one of their

messaging slots to run an interactive poll. Ask members

any variety of questions and receive real-time feedback and

insights.

ENHANCE YOUR GROUP

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POST VIDEO

ADD RSS FEEDS

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Page 12: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

• Post a welcome video• Stream in a relevant blog• Encourage discussion with polls• Leverage third-party content

You can also use your customized space to distribute

valuable information to your members by promoting white

paper assets. Relevant, free content will be greatly

appreciated by members of your group.

It is important to keep content in your Group fresh. Plan on

developing an editorial programming calendar and share

your plan with members. They’ll be sure to check back

often to get new information, watch new videos and

download the latest white paper.

STEP 3. ENHANCE YOUR GROUPHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

3TOP TIPS

C ustom Groups have unique messaging features that

help you build and sustain a relationship with your

customers.

A custom content module enables you to surface any

content that can be distributed via an RSS feed. Typical

RSS content may include blog posts, Twitter feeds and

photography. You do not have to limit yourself to your own

content, however. Include feeds from other sources that are

relevant and of interest to your group.

You can also add a stand-alone video module to your

Custom Group. This module pulls in specific videos that

you have posted to YouTube. Starting your group with a

video introduction is a great way to jump start engagement.

Be sure to regularly rotate in other videos, such as

interviews, presentations, and event coverage, to keep your

members engaged.

Want to source feedback from the crowd and spark healthy

debate? Custom Group owners can use one of their

messaging slots to run an interactive poll. Ask members

any variety of questions and receive real-time feedback and

insights.

ENHANCE YOUR GROUP

11

POST VIDEO

ADD RSS FEEDS

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• Use targeted ads to build membership

• Promote your group in your traditional marketing

• Ask members to introduce themselves

• Decline members that are not a good fit

TOP TIPS

4 ow that your group is ready to go, it’s time to

get the word out. With hundreds of thousands of

groups in the LinkedIn Groups directory, it is

crucial for you to be proactive in making your

group more discoverable. Think about quality, not

quantity of members in the beginning to ensure

that you are building a valuable and focused

group.

The easiest way to build membership in your group is by

reaching out to those who already have a proven affinity for

using LinkedIn tools – that is, your target audience on

LinkedIn. With rich ad targeting capabilities, you can easily

and quickly raise awareness of your group.

Tap into your content team’s individual networks to start

spreading the word on LinkedIn. Use network status

messages on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to broadcast

interesting discussions from your group. Include links to

your group in email signature lines, on your website, in

offline advertising and in collateral.

OPEN THE DOORS

Get the Word Out

If you have set up a closed group, you will need to accept,

decline or block each request to join. Criteria for group

membership should be defined by readily available

information in the LinkedIn Profile. If it’s not, consider

making the group open or invite-only.

STEP 4. OPEN THE DOORSHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Who to Accept

How to Decline

N

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Don’t simply ignore a request if the applicant is not a good

fit. 1) Someone else on your team may not realize that the

request is being ignored and may inadvertently accept it,

and 2) It is bad for your brand image if a member feels like

you are ignoring them.

Blocking members is a last resort. You should block

members that have been declined several times, repeatedly

ignored the posting guidelines, or have been abusive to

other members or staff.

When to Block

Start with Introductions Ask group members to introduce themselves. Have them to

share their name, where they are from, their profession,

something interesting about themselves, and what they

hope to gain from the group. This is a great way to get them

used to posting and commenting in discussions.

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Page 14: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

• Use targeted ads to build membership

• Promote your group in your traditional marketing

• Ask members to introduce themselves

• Decline members that are not a good fit

TOP TIPS

4 ow that your group is ready to go, it’s time to

get the word out. With hundreds of thousands of

groups in the LinkedIn Groups directory, it is

crucial for you to be proactive in making your

group more discoverable. Think about quality, not

quantity of members in the beginning to ensure

that you are building a valuable and focused

group.

The easiest way to build membership in your group is by

reaching out to those who already have a proven affinity for

using LinkedIn tools – that is, your target audience on

LinkedIn. With rich ad targeting capabilities, you can easily

and quickly raise awareness of your group.

Tap into your content team’s individual networks to start

spreading the word on LinkedIn. Use network status

messages on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to broadcast

interesting discussions from your group. Include links to

your group in email signature lines, on your website, in

offline advertising and in collateral.

OPEN THE DOORS

Get the Word Out

If you have set up a closed group, you will need to accept,

decline or block each request to join. Criteria for group

membership should be defined by readily available

information in the LinkedIn Profile. If it’s not, consider

making the group open or invite-only.

STEP 4. OPEN THE DOORSHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

Who to Accept

How to Decline

N

13

Don’t simply ignore a request if the applicant is not a good

fit. 1) Someone else on your team may not realize that the

request is being ignored and may inadvertently accept it,

and 2) It is bad for your brand image if a member feels like

you are ignoring them.

Blocking members is a last resort. You should block

members that have been declined several times, repeatedly

ignored the posting guidelines, or have been abusive to

other members or staff.

When to Block

Start with Introductions Ask group members to introduce themselves. Have them to

share their name, where they are from, their profession,

something interesting about themselves, and what they

hope to gain from the group. This is a great way to get them

used to posting and commenting in discussions.

page 13 page 14

Page 15: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

5 here are many things you can do to help foster engagement in your group. In the early days of your group, staff participation will be key. As your group grows, staff involvement can be reduced as members pick up the ball and run with it.

BUILD ENGAGEMENT

HOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP

T

FEATURED DISCUSSION

CREATE DISCUSSIONS

Page 16: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

Recognize both those that create discussions and those that comment on them. Comment on posts and give out prizes for the most active participants. The prizes don’t need to be big to get the desired response – branded t-shirts, hats, mugs, or even just simple recognition such as announcing prize winners in a featured post. Comments are crucial for creating an engaging forum, so give separate awards and recognition to those that regularly comment.

Acknowledge Contributors

Start a “question of the week” campaign to drive new discussions. Use different staff members to post the questions so it doesn’t look like all content is coming from one person. Pick topics that will provoke discussion, and keep the question brief and to the point. You can always provide more detail in the Additional Details section.

Post a Question

STEP 5. BUILD ENGAGEMENT15

Use the announcement feature to keep your group top-of-mind. You can send one announcement per week to your group members. Use this announcement to communicate the question of the week, list winners of contests or alert members to related upcoming events.

Send Announcements

• Feature interesting posts• Acknowledge active contributors• Pose a “question of the week”• Send weekly announcements

Highlight announcements or interesting posts by tagging those discussions “featured.” Featured discussions are denoted by a small pin icon and always appear at the top of the discussion board. Limit the number of featured discussions to two or three at a time (ideally from different authors).

Feature Discussions

TOP TIPS

Page 17: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

6CONCLUSIONHOW TO CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP 17

MODERATE YOUR GROUP CONCLUSION

A

• Establish posting guidelines• Be consistent with enforcement• Aggressively manage spam• Block inappropriate members

Moderating 101

ctive moderation is important to maintaining a vibrant,

welcoming group. It is crucial that you and your team set

the tone for discussions by establishing and communicating

posting guidelines. You can use the welcome email

template as well as featured discussions to inform new

members of your guidelines. In addition to the group

guidelines, you should also have an internal enforcement

guideline – what actions to take for different types of

infractions. This will ensure that all team members are on

the same page.

Moderation needs to be done on a daily basis, which is why

it is important to spread the work across a team of people.

The group owner and other group managers can take turns

reviewing requests to join, deleting spam and removing

inappropriate content. If a discussion is off topic, or violates

the user guidelines, delete the post and send a note to the

ctive moderation is important to maintaining a vibrant,

welcoming group. It is crucial that you and your team set

the tone for discussions by establishing and communicating

posting guidelines. You can use the welcome email

template as well as featured discussions to inform new

members of your guidelines In addition to the posting

guidelines you should also have an internal enforcement

guideline – what actions to take for different types of

infractions. This will ensure that all team members are on

the same page.

Moderation needs to be done on a daily basis, which is why

it is important to spread the work across a team of people.

The group owner and other group managers can take turns

reviewing requests to join, deleting spam and removing

inappropriate content. If a discussion is spam or abuse,

delete it and remove (and block) the member from the

group. If a discussion is off topic, or violates the user

guidelines, delete the post and send a note to the author

Aauthor asking them to adhere to the guidelines. If a member

repeats the offence, remove (and block) them from the

group. It is up to you to determine how many warnings you

want to give a member before removing them from the

group. If a discussion is spam or abuse, delete it and

remove (and block) the member from the group.

On the flip side, be sure to acknowledge members that post

quality content to the group. Moderating is not just about

removing bad content, but about encouraging and

rewarding good behavior as well.

page 17 page 18

Page 18: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

CONCLUSION17

CONCLUSION

inkedIn Groups provide a unique and powerful way for brands to join the professional conversation on LinkedIn. Over 50 million influential and motivated members are actively looking to connect and network with others around topics of mutual interest, and marketers have a great opportunity to help them.By following the basic roadmap outlined in this guide, you demonstrate to your audience that you’re serious about building a substantive, long-term relationship with them. Be prepared to invest time and resources and strike the right note from the beginning. Create a well-thought out community, whose topic is targeted to the right audience and whose discussions are well moderated and curated.Your thoughtful planning up front and commitment to adding value will go a long way towards attracting the right audience on LinkedIn and help you lay a foundation for deeper relationships with your customers.

L

Page 19: LINKEDIN Groups Guide by Linkedin

Copyright © 2009 LinkedIn Corporation. All rights reserved.

Start a LinkedIn Group

http://learn.linkedin.com/group-management

Learn about Custom Groups

http://advertising.linkedin.com/customgroup

Maria

LauraMy Groups: White House (Official), KIVA, Green

SandipMy Groups: CIO Forum, Forrester

SteveMy Groups: Citi Network, Social Media Mafia

My Groups: Apple Users, Cornell Alumni

AlexMy Groups: IBM, LegalNYC, Harvard ALumni

Guide to Creating Successful Communities

LINKEDIN GROUPS

Linked in Advertising®