Making a Significant Contribution in Your LinkedIn Groups
You have worked long and hard at this point to make sure that you are getting the most out of your LinkedIn groups. Let’s say that you are a member of 50 groups (the maximum allowed number of groups on LinkedIn) and you are interacting once in a while. You know that you need to do more to really leverage your LinkedIn groups.
How do you start to make a more significant contribution?
The main reason that you are a member of all of those LinkedIn groups is because you want (and need) to focus on the members of your target audience with whom you can share the most productive and mutually beneficial relationship. It may surprise you to learn how many people underestimate the power of LinkedIn. Many, many people have joined a small number of LinkedIn groups and that is the end of it. Another scenario is that a person (perhaps you) have joined a large number of groups but you do absolutely nothing with those connections. You are really hurting yourself and your business by not doing anything. Those groups will prove to be extremely valuable to your business if you get the most out of those connections as you can. There are actually many different benefits that you can derive from LinkedIn groups, including establishing yourself as a subject matter expert (SME), proving your credibility to the other people, and making your online connections understand that you are someone whom they should trust. Those are absolutely critical qualities when it comes to business success.
One of the more recent improvements of LinkedIn Groups is a feature called “Top Contributors,” which can pinpoint the members of your groups that have made the biggest “splash” in the groups. If you are a top contributor, that means that you have suggested topics that excite the other group members and those discussions really go a long way when it comes to building credibility, especially with people with whom you have had very little interaction up to that point. Being a top contributor will also do a great deal for your online exposure and LinkedIn will put you at the top of the page that is sent to the other members to share discussions. There are specific steps to follow in order for you to become a top contributor.
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The first thing that you will need to do is join 50 groups (as mentioned previously): You will want to choose not only groups that are relevant to your niche but also groups that have a large number of members in them. It is important to take advantage of as many groups as possible. You will want to search using relevant keywords and key phrases. However, it is important that you don’t choose keywords or key phrases that are too complicated. You want them to be simple yet just descriptive enough. It is probably best to choose as many local groups as possible. If you put in too much detail, it will be harder for other people to find you. Another important thing to remember is that many groups will have to approve you before you are actually a member of that particular group. The approval can take anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks. If it takes any more than that, you may want to reconsider whether you really want to become a member of that group.
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Identifying top-quality groups: You will probably not have a difficult time identifying the right groups for your business. The easiest ways to determine this are by the quality of the discussions in that particular group, the appropriateness of the group members, the consistent frequency of the comment postings, and the amount of spam that you see.
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Begin to get involved with the discussions: Once you have been accepted to the appropriate groups, you need to start getting involved with the members. It is advisable that you jump on the discussions that are already going on as opposed to starting your own discussions right off the bat. That can come later.
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Choose really exciting content to address: It makes perfect sense to identify the most interesting content and start to engage people. With a little luck and your great mind, the discussion will prove very interesting indeed!
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Create amazing content that really demonstrates what you stand for: Although you will be a member of 50 different groups. you need to focus your thinking on one group and create content that will put you in the position of sharing content that will really get people excited about what you are saying. The other groups will follow after that and you will start to work all of your groups effectively.
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Ask a thought-provoking question: A wonderful way to get a discussion moving is to ask an interesting, thought-provoking question that compels people to want to get involved. It is also important to remember not to ask a question that can be answered with either “yes” or “no.” You want to discussion to continue for quite a while and “yes” or “no” will not allow that to happen.
Conclusion
Being a top contributor in your LinkedIn groups is critical to your continued professional success. The effective approach has been outlined here and if you follow those steps in that order, you will be a top contributor before you know it. Just remember that LinkedIn groups is an extremely powerful tool so take full advantage of it. After you have mastered the ability to become a top contributor in your LinkedIn groups, the next thing that will happen will be that you will become an influencer.
We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.
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Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & SEO a B2B Marketing Community
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I try to comment and engage a couple of times a week. It’s great to discover new things, connect and meet new people.
By John DOZ
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I gotta say, Michael, that as a leader of a group, I very much agree with your advice quoted below:
“Begin to get involved with the discussions: Once you have been accepted to the appropriate groups, you need to start getting involved with the members. It is advisable that you jump on the discussions that are already going on as opposed to starting your own discussions right off the bat. That can come later.”
By Tsufit
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I’m a top contributor or at least have been, in a couple of groups. The risk is that it’s easy to spread yourself too thin. The other risk is that all the marketing you do on LinkedIn, including being a top contributor here are there, gets you business and you don’t have time to contribute as much. Myself, I do a lot of posting on LinkedIn Pulse and find the connections I make there are actually more potent than the ones I make in groups. But maybe that’s just me.
By Jim Murray
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Michael,
Solid article – thanks for posting.
For consultants looking to make an impact in Groups, there is an age old piece of wisdom which comes from, The 48 Laws of Power – Law Sixteen…
Too much circulation makes the price go down: The more you are seen and heard from, the more common you appear. If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired. You must learn how to create a great impact, and learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.
My point…
By utilizing narrow and deep concentration – providing value, one group at a time, ones absence will be noted, and ones return appreciated. This approach allows an individual to build a solid reputation in multiple groups overtime, not overnight.
Also…
It is worth noting that the purpose of involvement in a group is to build trust – liking will therefore follow – setting up the opportunity to develop opinion preference with ones group contacts.
Power acts whilst the weaker speak…
When trust and liking have been established – preference can be fast forwarded through providing actual support for group members – in your LinkedIn Group, actions speak louder than words – so share your work.
Personally…
I only frequent Step into the Spotlight and Sticky Branding – I learn enough from my peers in these two groups alone to keep me green and growing… which takes me to a final point, approaching discussions with a beginners mindset, without the need to be right, rather to find/ co-create a better definition of truth will make you much more like-able.
As a rule – perfection and ostentation cause resentment, quite literally, being open when you miss the mark is good for your relationships and your personal brand.
By Robert Wright
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
50 Groups? Wow. Are there really people on the planet who have time to participate in 50 groups to the extent that Mr Cohn recommends? What happens if you actually have work to do? Or need some sleep? Or have to go to the bathroom? In my opinion these parameters are unrealistic for all but the independently wealthy.
By Jim Murray
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I hear you, Jim… I’d assume that if we were ‘head hunters’ we might want to be in as many Groups as possible to find talent, but thinking about all the time even that would take boggles the mind. I like to hop into a new group, try it on for a while and then decide if it’s a fit or not. I actively participate in about half a dozen groups, but have others that I kind of ‘follow’ from a distance. 50? Not a chance!
By Terri L. Mauer
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I’m significantly active on 3 or 4 LI groups and two on yahoo groups. In years past, I was involved in a lager number, but that was because I was on several (non-defunct) Adventive groups that had a very large membership overlap. I’ve cut way back on email generally, discussion groups as part of that. Yes, I’m a member of 50, but a lot of those I rarely look at and once in a while post something to a dozen of them when it has wide-ranging impact or I’m looking for a lot of feedback. And I pretty much never look at the communities on Facebook that you have to visit to get anything out of. LI comes to my inbox, and that works better for me. YMMV.
By Shel Horowitz
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
@Jim, I agree. Fifty groups is too many. Five is too few. Everyone needs to find a balance. Also keep in mind that each group has its own level of traffic. One of mine has at least 10 new items per day. Another group has minimal activity…the leader asked me to reduce my posting to once/week. Wide range. Even if you join 50 groups, you may find the 80/20 rule applies. You spend 80% of your time at 20% of the groups.
By Mark Anthony Germanos
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Good discussion. I only actively participate in one Linkedin group. It used to be two, but the group is blocked to me now…:-(. I also participate in two Yahoo groups. I’ve signed up for nine groups which I glean information from time to time…like this group and contribute to rarely. I think a lot of it has to do with my passion for history…so I’m more likely to contribute regularly to a history group than to another group.
By Elizabeth MacGuire
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I took the challenge to make it as a top contributor in this group and also #BookandWriters. I was able to maintain the position for a while and then realize that this was just for myself to fan my own ego. Getting to top contributor was fairly easy, maintaining it was almost as easy but I began to think that seeing myself as a top contributor was more important to myself than to anyone else. I find it more important that I should be driven not for the top contributor spot but to contribute what is helpful and useful.
For those who are interested in fanning your own ego (it does feel good) you do not have to create thought provoking post as the article suggested. Simply respond to as many discussions as you feel comfortable responding to. By being active you can increase contribution status. This is good to push that little blue influence bar over but it may not provide the most useful information to the group. I advise to engage and contribute informative content that benefits the groups and do not worry about status
By Stephen Olson
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Actually, Stephen, if I had to choose, I’d say those who respond are even more valuable than those who contribute discussion posts. The comments are what keep this community dynamic. Not to discourage great short provocative marketing questions, but we can live without the Teach and Preach with links to articles people just wrote. Congrats on being a Top Contributor, Stephen!
By Tsufit
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I would love to hear more from you, Michael, about HOW that participation leads to clients, i.e. do they send you a private note after seeing a comment or post, do you move to the phone, tell us more.
I must say that I also advocate participating in all 50 groups, but not equally. I have a couple of core groups, the one I built, Step Into The Spotlight, and a couple of other strong interactive groups (Sticky Branding is one) and the others I participate less often but I make sure that I make myself heard every once in a while.
Any group leader would be a fool not to participate in all 50 as it is a great source of dynamic group members.
By Tsufit
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Tsufit, all the things you mentioned will happen given time and patience. Today when prospects call or email us we ask them “How did you find us?”. As I mentioned before in 90% of the time the answer is “I found you in a LinkedIn group and I went to your website and read some of your articles…”
The best prospects are not those who read one discussion and pick up the phone to call us, but those who follow our discussions for several weeks/months and then call us.
PS: we also manage 4 groups on LinkedIn. One of them is associated with a Face to Face Meetup group of Executives that we organize. We meet face to face once a month and use the accompanied LinkedIn discussion group to learn more about each other on a daily basis between the face to face meetings.
By Michael Cohn
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
The reason why I love jumping to discussions, is because of my mind creativity. I like to share what is in my thoughts, give my opinion or comments, and to impart my knowledge on a subject matter. This is not to impress, but flaunting and exercising my freedom of expression. If I have been or one of the Top Contributors in some Linked-in groups, thank you for acknowledging my involvement.
By Coney Mercado
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
For me, Linkedin has been very powerful. I am a member of 44 groups, however, not every group is active. But contributing in valuable discussions has enabled me to provide assistance, make great connections, establish solid friendships and have a nationwide business. The business throughout the country has come again from discussions, outreach, assisting people and having great written recommendations from people all over the country.
Some group owners have not been monitoring the spam and scam, however, with reporting and flagging, the instances of spam and scam have decreased dramatically. Working all of this on Linkedin takes time and energy, however, the benefits are tremendous and well worth it.
By Marilynn Boyko
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Step Into The Spotlight!
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Every marketing plan needs to be reevaluated and adjusted. If I belonged to 50 groups and knew that 90% of business was coming from my groups, I would want to know which groups were generating that business and what percentage they shared. I would then start eliminating the groups that were not generating anything below a certain percentage. I would also want to be put more effort in engaging with the groups that produced the most conversions.
Does anyone know of any application that can produce those numbers? Does LinkedIn provide it?
By Stephen Olson
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Linked Business
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I have been a member of LinkedIn for a number of years and have 500 plus contacts and been a top member of a number of groups. It makes no difference to the success of your business what so ever. I get as many new clients now from LinkedIn as I did when I had far fewer contacts. Reminding groups you exist is all that matters and making comments will bring you clients. If you do not join in there is no point in being a member.. Restrict contacts to people who are mutually beneficial
By Arthur Croker
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
This is a good reminder for me. I am a good “stalker” but if I don’t like or comment how would anyone know!
By Pam Kozelka
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Up until recently, I’ve had zero involvement with LinkedIn groups. And when I ask myself why, I find myself answering: Because there just isn’t enough time to engage with all these group. I admit, this is a poor excuse, especially given how targeted LinkedIn is – it’s all about business.
You have some really great thoughts in your article, Carolyn. Like when you mention to contribute through conversation first, then graduate to sharing content and asking questions. Really great advice. The only time I found myself scratching my head was when you said to join 50 groups. Fifty! That’s a lot, especially for someone just starting out.
Unless you’re outsourcing your LinkedIn group engagement, I find that number impossible to match. And even if you did outsource, how lame would that be. You would just be diluting the quality of group discussions and ultimately the quality of LinkedIn as a whole.
My suggestion? Join 5 medium-sized groups like CMI, then grow from there. Thanks for inspiring this conversation! 🙂
By Robert Gibb
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Totally agree about picking the right groups. Some relevant and large groups are just terrible because they don’t moderate. It was clear from day one that CMI was a group to be part of as there is active and educational discussions. I can pretty much handle 2 groups without it feeling like a chore.
Does anyone has any suggestions for other content marketing based groups?
By Danny Ashton
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
All great stuff. I am constantly, as I am sure we all are, facing the age old dilemma of, quantity vs. quality when it comes to content marketing. Thankfully, I believe, with mountains & mountains of content deployed daily…QUALITY will win. So it is with LinkedIn Groups.
By Tom Repp
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
At one point, I had 30+ groups. It was pretty hard to manage. Now I focus on just a few and try to really engage. I would suggest monitoring those groups and if you are not getting value out of them, you can leave that group or pare down your involvement and try another group.
By Julie Sceurer Graff
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Good article on LinkedIn Groups! The only point I disagree with: you do NOT need to join 50 groups. Quality over quantity! It’s better to have quality conversation in more discussions in fewer groups than have the volume and less engagement in more groups. However, if you have a entire marketing/social media staff to handle this, go for it. But it’s not realistic for the majority of small business owners, many of whom barely even participate in groups at all.
By Karen Kefauver
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Content Marketing Institute
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Very true, almost all LinkedIn groups I follow lead back into my armor projects that I am working on or going work on in the far future, each one is different design and function, some groups I am trying to get into because the Memberships are Pending, I am waiting to do my first LinkedIn Pulse, it will be about my Armor Prototype when its done.”
By Dustin Clark
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
This article is just what the doctor ordered for members to get more active. Hope everyone gets to read this one. There is no point in being a passive member hoping your influence would grow by just joining various groups and keeping quiet. The sooner we get active the better for us. Thanks for sharing.
By Prayukth K V
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I am heavily involved in two of my fifty groups and made some good digital friends. I have also find group members to be very responsive to requests.
By Frederick Held
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I disagree with the premise and suggested tactics for LI in the article.
1. Top contributor has nothing to do with the quality of the contribution, only the frequency.
2. Articles like this promote hammering the LI channel with content mainly to promote yourself or your business.
3. The least attractive posters are the ones how pump out cookie cutter articles, boring quotations, or generic infographics promoting their business.
4. Worse are those that hide this low value content behind a lead form.
Call me old school, but I believe LI groups are most valuable as a true social community of experts, not a content distribution channel manipulated by auto post apps, connect requests and email responses. I read insightful responses and opinions from professionals who have had a completely different work experience than I. I get to understand these perspectives, tactics and strategies. The true pros respond and answer to what they know, and read or ask questions of that they do not. In many ways I see LI as the modern day message board for mutual benefit mentoring.
I think a much needed feature of LI is to allow a member to block the posts of others from our individual view, that we do not feel are relevant or meaningful to our LI use.
By Jerry Nordstrom
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I hate to be pedantic, or even come across as impolite, but “Being a top contributor in your LinkedIn groups is critical to your continued professional success”
….is simply not true.
A lot of the comments i see on these groups (and this one included) seem to be “what shall i say today?” – there was one yesterday about stating Google should work on it’s logo. It’s utter rubbish.
Linked-In, though useful is not critical to business success – and making comments (this is one of very few i have ever made) is certainly not the be-all-and-end-all of business.
By Sam Silverwood-Cope
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Been a top contributor has a lot advantages ie making digital friends exchanging ideas a often tips ,we must not get carried away, because you become a top contributor mostly by the frequency of your postings! How that affect future success ?This is another topic. Lets keep a cool head
First we are on a social media network after all weather we like it or not, we should not forget it!!!
By Lucien Denisse
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I agree with the comments that disagree with the premise that these groups are “critical” to anyone’s continued success. However, as a way of seeing what’s on peoples’ minds and finding people with ideas that are really fresh – or great reminders of real experience and training – is an engaging way of staying informed. The problem is that a lot of the “content” is at an alarmingly low level and many show a lack of training and experience in and of the basics. I hope that these groups help others in this way.
By Bill Merick
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I agree that being a top contributor adds value to your professional success…im one in another group and I can see the value and impact this has made. With this being said, one must share great content/insight on a particular topic…
By Munier Kearns
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I would have to say that if I spent my time being a top contributor to 50 groups, I am not sure that it would help my professional success as I wouldn’t actually have time to do my job. Also, the groups that could benefit my company and the groups that could benefit my career are not the same.
By Linda Wilkin
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
l agree, l think is important to collaborate with interesting content for the group, but is too is important, to share our knowledge in some particular subject, and to be as a coach, to a community in need. Thanks for your comments
By Silvia Segura
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network – #1 Group for CMOs
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I think you were writing this to me. I originally joined groups to pick up on thoughts and ideas but realize there is a reasonability to contribute as well. At the very least, anyone can prioritize the groups for which they prioritize. That is a powerful resource LinkedIn provides
By Curtis Peterson
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
Although I do agree with most of your points, I don’t agree with joining the maximum number of groups. I’ve recently cut my group membership in half because I did not have the time to follow all of them. And I was never in more than 18 groups. I don’t have that kind of time to read, respond, and interact with 50 different groups.
By Sandy James
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
The article was very inspiring for me because I’m just getting a handle of my social platforms outside of Twitter. I must however agree with Sandy on the effectiveness of joining so many groups that you cannot contribute at a quality rate.
By Anita Harvey
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Development – The Missing Link between Marketing & Sales
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I like to stay engaged in my discussions. I really enjoy the insight I gain from other discussion contributions. There are many very interesting and knowledgeable people here on LinkedIn. Thanks for sharing the blog post.
By Greg Hixon
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Development – The Missing Link between Marketing & Sales
Discussion: What Is Your Involvement Within LinkedIn Groups?
I agree with you that it is critical to join and maintain a high profile with selected Linked In groups, however if you are working for a corporation rather than self employed or in a more flexible role, then I also agree with Jozef- managing time effectively plays such a critical factor in my everyday corporate life that I need very compelling reasons to include additional workload- some of which do include Linked In groups, although I would not be able to join anywhere near the 50 maximum limit. Interesting article for discussion
By Paul Grunsell