Have a LinkedIn company page for your business, and not sure how to make sure you’re using it to the best of your ability? Understanding proper etiquette for all social media platforms is important. LinkedIn is especially important, as you want to come across as professional as possible. Though we are a creative bunch at Prizum and like to have fun on our social media, we do understand the importance of remaining professional. Here’s our official list of do’s and don’ts for running a successful company LinkedIn page.

DO’S

1. DO treat your page like a brochure/website

Always keep your page up-to-date! This goes for all social media, and your website. Once you decide to update one digital platform, make updates to all of them at the same time, that way they’re all up-to-date at the same time. Did you recently refresh your brand, or take a new employee team photo? Make sure to update your profile picture and/or header background image to reflect your business from today (not five years ago). (We recommend reading our blog “Give Your LinkedIn A Makeover” for more tips on having a great profile)

If you’re totally unsure of what to do with your background image, here are a couple of ideas:

  • Write out your tagline or slogan, using brand fonts
  • Use a group company employee photo
  • When in doubt, use a relevant stock photo. Not sure where to look? Here are a couple free stock sites we recommend:

Need help making sure your profile image and header are the right size? Use this SproutSocial guide to sizes for social media – it’s always up-to-date, and it will tell you at the top of the article the last time it was updated.

The first thing you can do to make sure your page is professional is to have it completely filled out. It makes your page look legitimate, and gives the impression that you care about your online presence and making professional connections.

2. DO stay active

Simply having a page on LinkedIn is only the first step. To make sure you’re getting enough exposure, you’ll need to make sure your page is active throughout each week. You and other admins can do different things on LinkedIn to make sure your page is active. You can….

  • Write a post
  • Share a link you find important or interesting
  • Share something someone else wrote
  • Comment or like other users’ posts.

3. DO establish connections and cultivate your online network

Congratulate people in your network when they announce an accomplishment by liking or commenting on a post. This shows that your company cares about its connections and is an active participant in the online culture. It gives your brand a personable, approachable appearance.

4. DO respond promptly

If someone reaches out to you (whether it be via message, comment on a post, etc.), make sure to respond promptly. If you have your notifications turned on, this will help you see the message quickly, and allow you to respond quickly. Quick response times show that you care, are highly active online, and are eager to maintain existing, or establish new, professional relationships.

5. DO proofread before posting

Before you post anything, no matter what social platform, always proofread. Spelling and grammar mistakes can make you appear unprofessional, lazy, and disorganized. If you put in the effort and time to prepare something to share, make sure it appears that way to the public. Someone may not even bother clicking into a full article if the caption on the post has a typo in it.

6. DO encourage your employees to follow the company page and share company updates

Encouraging your employees to follow the company page, as well as share company updates, is beneficial in a variety of ways. For starters, it will increase the number of followers for your page. The more employees that share company posts, means your posts get more outreach to a wider network of people – thus increasing your exposure on LinkedIn. Additionally, the fact that your employees are sharing your company update shows that they find the posts valuable, and valuable enough to share on their own pages to their own personal network. It’s a win-win-win for everyone involved.

DON’TS

1. DON’T Appear Fake

Whatever you do, don’t use LinkedIn to make your brand appear spammy or cliche sales-pitch-y. People will immediately turn the other way, as they do not wish to be spammed with sales pitches online. Use LinkedIn to interact with people in your industry and make new connections. Otherwise, you may appear fake or aggressive.

2. DON’T only post about your company

Again, do not just use LinkedIn for personal/company gain. Though you do want to gain exposure and make a positive image for your company, you can do that in many ways besides just posting about your company. There are so many other things to post about! Share a post from an industry expert, post an update about a major industry trend, or even wish your followers well wishes around the holidays. Posting about a variety of subjects makes your company look more well-rounded and approachable. For example, at Prizum, we share our weekly blogs filled with industry related tips and information. We also share or re-share client success stories!

3. DON’T post faulty links

When you or another admin are posting or sharing an article, double check to make sure the link works properly. If you post a faulty link, it’s almost (or just) as bad as creating a post with typos or grammatical errors. Just like proofreading, check your links before posting! 

4. DON’T be overly critical or negative in comments or posts

The famous saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all” is pretty much the standard for social media etiquette. Getting into arguments or writing negative comments creates a negative image for your brand. If someone is commenting on one of your posts in a negative way, find a positive way to respond. If you come across a post that you don’t agree with, do not immediately start bashing what they have to say. Try to spin your negative thoughts and turn them into a positive. Give advice rather than just tell someone they’re wrong.

5. DON’T overshare

Yes, we did just tell you to share updates often. However, there is a line that needs to be drawn. You should not be posting your every move, or re-sharing every post you come across in your timeline. This will come across as spammy and overwhelming. Your followers do not need to know your company’s every move. Post major company news, announcements, or fun office celebrations.

Proper etiquette is something we all need to learn for our personal and professional lives. However, it is now something we need to learn and apply to our online presence (and, how it varies for each social platform). There are definitely a wide array of do’s and don’ts for each social platform. Now that you have your LinkedIn do’s and don’ts, you’ll be all set to start interacting with your followers on your company page!

In need of setting up a LinkedIn company page, graphic support, or managing the page? Contact us at Prizum. Let’s get networking, let’s get creative.