With more than 350 million users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network. Not only is it a great tool for businesses, but it’s also a great way for associations to engage with members and potential members.
So how exactly can your association get the most out of LinkedIn? Well, here are a few tips:
1. Create a page exclusively for your association
If your association doesn’t have a LinkedIn page already, that should be Step 1. By creating a company page, you can easily showcase your organization’s events, benefits, and services.
To make your company page more effective, be sure to build it out completely. This means including a header image, a high-resolution logo, a detailed description about your organization, and a link back to your organization’s website. Having all of these elements will give credibility to your page.
2. Create a private LinkedIn group
In addition to having a company page, many organizations have a private LinkedIn group specifically for their members. These groups provide members with a dedicated community to ask and answer questions. If you decide to create a private LinkedIn group, take some time to read through the conversations and really understand the needs of your members. Then tailor your posts and content to provide your members with information they’ll value.
3. Connect with your organization’s new members
It’s so important to engage with your new members, and what better way to do so than by connecting with them on LinkedIn? This is the perfect opportunity to send your new members a quick little message welcoming them to your organization and letting them know about your members-only LinkedIn group (if you have one).
Tip: When connecting with people on LinkedIn, don’t just use the generic message that LinkedIn automates. Make it personal! I promise you, people will appreciate the extra effort.
4. Create and share valuable content
LinkedIn is educational in nature and a place for industry experts to gather. That being said, it’s the perfect platform to share your organization’s content. By sharing some of your content – and showcasing your organization’s value – you can actually attract new members to your association.
5. Make sure your board members are engaging with others
Sometimes it’s easy for your board members to seem far-removed from your actual members. Eliminate that gap a little by having your board members engage with others on LinkedIn. They don’t have to have full-blown conversations or anything, but have them post periodically within your organization’s private group page. Sometimes just having a face with a name can make all the difference.
