Over the past few months, LinkedIn has been rolling out some new changes to the mobile version, desktop version of the personal and company Linkedin profiles. Many of the changes seem to make the LinkedIn experience more focused on engagement. Let’s take a closer look at the 2017 LinkedIn updates…
Note: Generally speaking, the changes I am mentioning apply mostly to the desktop version of Linkedin. You may find similarities on the mobile version.
Easier Access for LinkedIn Company Admins
One of the key differences that matter to business owners and marketers is how the profile and company admin information is organized. If you go to the “Me” button, you will see where you can edit your profile, find settings, and easily see a list of the company pages and job postings that you manage. As a Community Manager who manages multiple LinkedIn Company pages, I am happy to see the company pages and job posts in one easy-to-find place. Previously, the company profiles were so difficult to find, that I found it easiest to just do a search for the company, and access it that way.
LinkedIn Offers More for Work than you Think
LinkedIn offers much more than just profiles and connecting with peers, and now some of those extra ways to get more from LinkedIn can be found under the “Work” button, to the right of the “Me” button. Some examples include ProFinder, Learning, SlideShare, Groups, Post a Job, Advertise, etc. LinkedIn Publisher and your “Articles & Activity” are highlighted at the top of your profile, so it is important to engage with your connections, comment on posts, and write articles that your followers can relate too.
How LinkedIn is Encouraging more Conversations
Many (but not enough) of us know, that the “right” way to request someone to connect with you on LinkedIn, is to write a personal note with the connection request, stating why you should connect, how you know them, or how you can help, etc. Now, on the desktop version of Linkedin, when you click on the “Connect” button on that person’s profile, Linkedin will prompt you to “Add a note” to customize the invitation. It sends the note more as a message, then just part of the LinkedIn Connection request like it did previously, causing more people to respond back with a direct message on Linkedin right away. It seems more conversational and actionable than it was before.
Note: On LinkedIn mobile apps and the “My Network – People you May Know” section, if you click “connect” it will send out the default LinkedIn connection request, without the customizable note.
Improvements for LinkedIn Company Profiles
The new changes to the LinkedIn Profiles are still in “Early Preview” mode but worth taking a look at now. The key differences are that the performance and stats for the company updates are front and center and the company profile looks are more visually appealing overall. Here are a few pages and changes to be aware of:
Updates Tab – This tab has a new design with stats on the left, and the updates in the center. Go to the updates tab to post new updates as you have them (Here are some tips on posting updates on your company’s LinkedIn profile).- Overview Tab – This tab also has a new design and is where you would update any company information, address, specialties, profile images, etc. You may need to upload a new background photo, as the size has changed to 1536 to 768 pixels (the same size as your new personal LinkedIn profile background photo).
- Analytics/Notifications – At this time, the Analytics/Notifications tabs still appear to go to the old version of the Company Linkedin Pages.
- Member View – Linkedin is allowing page admins to see a “Member View” which is nice to see how the jobs, current employees, and connections are highlighted at the top of the page.
I am sure we will see LinkedIn make more adjustments and changes in the coming months. In the mean time, take advantage of the 2017 LinkedIn updates and play with the new admin experience for your company page, instead of using the “old” company page. Also, I would love to connect with you on LinkedIn – feel free to send me a connection request, (and tell me in the personal message that you read this post)!
