Complete Guide to LinkedIn Groups

By Justine Parsons

Inside the Complete Guide to LinkedIn Groups you'll learn:
7 key reasons why you should consider setting up a LinkedIn group. Learn how doing so has benefited others and get invaluable tips from managers of existing well-run groups.
Why the majority of LinkedIn groups fail and how to avoid your group becoming one of them. Find out what LinkedIn members say makes a LinkedIn group valuable...and what they don't like (you may be surprised!)
Step-by-step instructions for setting up a group those you wish to attract will want to join, including templates you can adapt to make the process much quicker and easier.
Best practices for maintaining your group to ensure members keep returning again and again (really important if you want them to hire you).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Justine Parsons
• Release date: Jul 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301602322

Justine Parsons

Justine has been a virtual assistant since 1998 and is passionate about customer service and social media. Specialising in small business productivity and online marketing, her KPI's are measured in terms of customer satisfaction. When not working; Justine unwinds with a good book (thanks Smashwords!), a long walk or having (a few) relaxing drinks with friends!

Book preview

Complete Guide to LinkedIn Groups

By

Kirsten Hodgson & Justine Parsons

Complete Guide to LinkedIn Groups

By Kirsten Hodgson & Justine Parsons

Published by Kirsten Hodgson & Justine Parsons

Copyright © 2013 by Kirsten Hodgson & Justine Parsons.

All rights reserved

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is for your enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given to other people. If you’re reading this book and you didn’t purchase it then please go ahead and buy a copy yourself, to respect the hard work of the authors, Kirsten Hodgson and Justine Parsons. Also, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any means without the express permission of the authors. That said, Kirsten and Justine are more than happy for you to credit and use excerpts from this book if you ask for their permission first at [e-mail]

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Getting started

Why start a LinkedIn group?

What makes a LinkedIn group good?

Verbatim responses to the question ‘What makes a LinkedIn group good?

Why do so many LinkedIn groups fail?

Chapter 2: A 5-step approach to setting up a LinkedIn group

1. Plan

2. Create your group

Examples of Group Summaries (which appear in the groups directory):

Examples of Group descriptions (which appear on your group pages):

LinkedIn Groups Terms of Service

3. Populate your group

Posting discussions:

4. Get your ‘house’ in order

Group settings:

Permissions:

Restrictions:

Membership:

Language and Location

Owner email

Group Information

Group Rules

Templates

Sub-Groups

5. Pre-approve and invite others

Pre-approving the group managers, moderators and those you’d like to join early

Inviting those on your pre-approved list

Making someone a group manager or group moderator

Inviting others

Chapter 3: Ongoing moderation of the group

Other tabs in the Manage section to be aware of

Starting discussions

Commenting on others’ discussions

Promoting your LinkedIn Group

Chapter 4: Case studies – Successful group owners share their tips

Case Study 1

Case Study 2

Case Study 3

Chapter 5: Measurement and Analysis

LinkedIn’s Group Statistics Dashboard

Key Statistics

Chapter 6: Summary

Chapter 7: Resources - Planning Your Group

Worksheet 1: Group goals and purpose

Worksheet 2: Your Group Setup

Worksheet 3: Monthly Report

Introduction

It’s easy to create a LinkedIn group but remarkably difficult to find really valuable ones.

Often they’re filled with spam.

Or they cover such a broad range of topics that the majority of discussions are irrelevant.

Some groups are high-jacked by the same people every time.

Or are inactive.

So, how do you ensure that your group doesn’t go the same way and that it truly delivers value to its members (that’s once you’ve attracted them of course)?

You’ve got to create and nurture your group purposefully. This guide will show you how to do just that.

CHAPTER 1: Getting started

Why start a LinkedIn group?

There are numerous reasons why people start groups and multiple benefits of doing so. These include:

▪ Building your profile in your area of expertise.

▪ Positioning yourself as an authority in your area.

▪ Finding and attracting those with similar interests or who may need your help.

▪ Widening your professional network by building relationships with group members.

▪ Learning more about the views and perspectives of those in your industry. 

▪ Establishing a community.

▪ Generating interest in you and your firm, including inbound enquiries. 

What makes a LinkedIn group good?

I asked this question in a group I run ‘Social Media for Lead Generation in Professional Services firms’ as well as the ‘Marketing the Law Firm’ group on LinkedIn. Responses are set out below but it essentially comes down to 5 things:

1. A proactive group owner – who moves posts that are self-promotion to the promotions category and who doesn’t tolerate spam, including off-topic posts. The group owner