Chances are your fav social media platform isn’t the one designed for working professionals. Maybe you enjoy posting pics on Insta or stories on Snap. Your tastes might run to TikTok’s silly shorts or short stories on WattPad. If you’re like most, you don’t spend a whole lot of time on LinkedIn. Although the site boasts some 740 million members in 200 countries and 40% of them check in daily, the average user spends less than 17 minutes on the site each month.
If you want to get noticed on LinkedIn, just posting new content could help –– since only one percent of users do so weekly even though over 90% of marketing executives use LinkedIn as a content source. Keep in mind that like newer social media platforms, LinkedIn has a fairly young user base –– with almost 80% between the ages of 18 and 34. Reaching them can help you grow your business and your network. If you want to do this, your best bet is using LinkedIn Groups which offer a wider variety of community features than other platforms. Plus, the site helps you keep members updated and engaged by sending them weekly or even daily digests (the choice is up to you). Being the group admin means you can send out messages right to their inboxes. No other place offers such a collection of customers and companies, many of whom could help grow your business or expand your network. The best way to reach them? By starting a dynamic LinkedIn career group. Here’s some tips on how to get started and the best way to attract the folks you want.
1. Be Specific
It’s not easy being heard when you’re surrounded by drummers. There are LinkedIn career groups with millions of members. There are thousands connected to categories like fitness and fashion. To stand out, you need to be precise and granular. Think about the ideal member, then tailor the site to that person by making it clear who your group is geared for and what it’s about. You’re basically building a personal brand and you need to be laser focused on who you are targeting. Don’t use a generic, all encompassing title –– the more specific the group description the faster prospective members can decide if it will be a good fit.
2. Craft a Compelling Logo
People judge the book by the cover even more when they are online than they do in brick and mortar bookstores. That applies to the art you use for the group’s logo as well. This shouldn’t be rushed –– if you have a graphic designer on staff or in your network, reach out to them. It should be square and at least 60 x 60 pixels with a recommended size for the cover image of 1776 x 444 pixels which can be in either JPEG or PNG format.
3. Nuts and Bolts
LinkedIn is fairly user friendly (and improving all the time). Once you have your group’s name and logo, it’s time to get the group going. To do this access the LinkedIn Groups Homepage, then click Create group at the top right side of the page. When the Create Group window opens, follow the instructions. In the “Description” inform prospective members what information and topics you’ll be discussing along with the group’s intentions. You can also list contact info and a brief bio, but keep it short.
4. Send out some invites
Use your network and reach out to people you think will both be interested in the group and likely to make a positive contribution. Avoid sending out lengthy, impersonal e-vites. Instead, keep it short and sweet while tailoring it to the individual. Hopefully the group will grow beyond the need to send out emails but in its early stages you want to make sure people join. In your email you can talk about how you will be adding value such as offering information about your field or strategies to expand their customer base. Encourage members to reach out through their network and don’t forget to promote the group on other platforms and on your webpage.
5. Don’t Forget the Velvet Rope
Properly run, your LinkedIn career group should be like an exclusive nightclub. You’ll want to curate the guest list, weeding out spambots and anyone whose field or interests don’t align with the group. Yes size can be valuable as a future marketing tool or to raise the profile of your corporate blogs. Still, it’s important to control growth and exclusivity can help. Remember, in the beginning Facebook only allowed people to join who had an Ivy edu email address. This is why you’ll want to check in daily –– weeding out spambots and unhelpful comments while making sure there’s a decent amount of participation and engagement.
6. Boost That SEO
As you develop the group, make sure content is search engine friendly. Repeat popular keywords and phrases. By optimizing the group information with relevant keywords, you’ll make it so much easier for people to find your group. One trick is to imagine the ideal member and then think about a question or problem they’ll want solved. As they seek info, what question will they plug into a search engine? Since the LinkedIn search bar is its own version of Google, optimizing your keywords can have the same positive results.
With some time and effort, you’ll not only attract career-minded people but keep them coming back for more. In fact, you’ll likely be more engaged as well –– by building your network and spending time with like-minded pros you may even discover that LinkedIn has suddenly become one your favorite social media sites.
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