SOCIAL
LinkedIn Adds New Features for Groups to Help Boost Engagement
Could LinkedIn groups make a comeback in 2020?
Once a key feature of the app, LinkedIn groups gradually lost user focus as they became increasingly bogged down with random spam and self-promotion, to the point where, for most, they just weren’t usable anymore. But it still seems like a great opportunity for LinkedIn’s professional community. If LinkedIn can get groups right.
And if LinkedIn can line group improvements up with the broader trends towards increased in-app engagement, LinkedIn groups could become a thing again.
Maybe.
This week, LinkedIn may have taken another step in that direction with the announcement of a new set of groups updates and tools designed to help drive more engagement and interaction.
Here’s what’s been announced:
- Moderate New Posts – LinkedIn is finally giving group admins the option to turn on an option to review all posts before they go live in their group. This is a common feature in most other online forums, so it’s somewhat surprising that it’s taken LinkedIn this long to catch up.
- New Invitation Setting – LinkedIn will now give group admins the power to allow or prevent group members from inviting connections to a group, providing more control over potential new members.
- Filter Members – Group admins will now also have more options to be able to locate members, with member search filters like ‘Location’, ‘Industry’, ‘Company’, or ‘School’
- Delete All Posts – Group admins will now be able to delete all posts from a chosen member
- Block Member from Comment – Admins will also now be able to block members direct from a comment in a group, making it easier to sift out some of that aforementioned spam and junk
- Search for Content – On the group member side, LinkedIn is also adding some new search options, which will enable members to find comments and content based on keywords.
- Share Groups – LinkedIn’s also adding new options to share information about groups in the LinkedIn feed and in private messages.
- Admin Recommendations – Group members will now also be able to find group posts that have been recommended by admins.
- Refined Notifications – And lastly, LinkedIn is also improving its groups notifications to ensure members are made aware of the most relevant group posts.
None of these additions is revolutionary, but they add to the control and functionality of groups, which, if an admin has the time, could make them a much more valuable, useful option, and may yet see LinkedIn groups become a relevant consideration once again.
LinkedIn has been working to reinvigorate its groups offering for the last few years, yet most of the changes it’s introduced haven’t had a significant impact. But improved admin controls, and the capacity to better manage what, exactly, appears to members, could be key to enhancing the process.
It’s not there yet, but it could be coming. LinkedIn groups could be on the way back to contention.
(Thanks to Matt Navarra for sharing the latest LinkedIn groups announcement)