LinkedIn Groups are excellent opportunities for learning with like-minded professionals, as well as for building new relationships that may lead to new business opportunities.
The success of LinkedIn groups is greatly dependent on the shared value and the management of noise or spam that can drown out that value.
If you think about it, this doesn't just apply to LinkedIn groups, but to just about any professional group, association, or community. We join groups with an expectation that we will gain value.
So, I'd like to share some tips that will help you to choose the best groups for you, along with some ideas for getting the most out of them.
Interest Groups Have Alignment
The groups that are most likely to be successful are specific to a particular topic or interest. If you are passionate about a topic you are likely to have something to share and will enjoy doing so – while also learning from the value shared by others.
Groups formed around specific industries fit this description well. Though it works just as well whenever there is a common interest where the members can share their challenges and opportunities to raise the competency of everyone in the group.
Here's an example. I just searched LinkedIn groups for moms. There is a group for Moms with Dreams. That description is too broad, and not surprisingly the membership is low. However, Moms on the Job is a group with over a thousand members who have one thing in common – they all work. Every mom has dreams, but not all of them work.
Too Personal is Noise or Spam
To increase the value of a LinkedIn Groups the noise and spam has to be managed. We may tolerate it for a while, but before long we are leaving the group, especially when it consistently comes from the same sources – which it usually does.
Noise is excessive chatter, something that may be acceptable on Twitter, but not in LinkedIn group. The distinction is one is a network and the other is a group. Groups equally serve the needs of everyone in the community. So, your messaging should be as universal as possible to benefit many members.
An example of noise is addressing specific members for personal reasons. I was a member of a LinkedIn group where one woman addressed only the other ladies, essentially segregating the group by tuning out the guys in this particular conversation. Chatter like that is disrespectful of the group.
It's about the group – not just you or your tribe.
Spam is different than noise – its anything that is self-serving, such as posting your job openings. You don't advertise to a group. That only serves you. Whereas, asking a specific topic related question that will help you individually may also attract a solution that others may also find useful. This is why the group topic or interest is essential for its success.
Group Management Enhances Value
Unless you are the founder of the group, you don't have much control over its management, but its something to look for when you are choosing groups. If there is a manager of the group that encourages the conversation, maintains decorum, and helps to minimize the spam and noise, then you may have found a winner.
It is essential to understand that if a group is well managed members will hang around for a long time, even if the value is low.
Conversely, if the value is high the members will not appreciate that value if they have to tolerate a lot of noise or spam.
Since consistently high value is not easily accomplished, managing everything else well effectively increases the value that is shared.
What do you think? Are you getting value out of LinkedIn groups? I know I am, but only because I have learned to choose wisely.
Feel free to share this with your friends by clicking on the Facebook Like button.
And please consider subscribing to JeffKorhan.com to learn more ways to profitably grow your small business.
Until tomorrow, Jeff
Photo Credit: ideagirlmedia
Follow Us!