Many people are realizing the value of LinkedIn company pages, and I recently received a very good question from a contact, Dean of Dental Insurance Store. Read the tips, check out his LinkedIn Company Page and tell him I said Hi! Here’s our conversation:
Hi Lori,
Recently I created a business page for our online Dental Store. My question is, the only way I found to create that page was from my personal Linked in account. Is this common practice, or was there a better way to do that? Thanks Lori, and if you are interested, would love to have you follow me on Twitter.
Best,
Dean George
Brand Development Writer
Dental Insurance Store
Bloomington, IN 47403
I replied:
Good afternoon Dean, thanks for the question!
You’re right. You have to have a Profile on LinkedIn to create a Company Page.
I took a look and you did a good job! I see your logo, the description of your company and services and your first status update (I’m also following your company)!
What I recommend now is that you edit your personal LinkedIn Profile as follows:
1. Go to Edit your profile and click Edit beside the position for the Dental Insurance Store.
2. Click on “Change Company” and start typing the company name. You’ll see the list auto-populate with recommended companies as you type. Select your company and then save.
3. You will now be connected to your Company page so that people can get from your profile to the company page and back again.
Also, you did designate yourself as a company page admin. That is why you can post a status update. If you have anyone else helping you manage the marketing, you can also designate them as a company page admin (whether or not they are an employee), but you must be connected to them on LinkedIn.
Next Steps:
If you’d like to highlight your products and services, when you look at your page, you will see a “Products and Services” link just under the Company name. Click that and “Add a Product or Service”.
1. Indicate whether it’s a product or service
2. Select a category
3. Indicate the Name of your product or service
4. Add an image of 100×80
5. Provide a Description. Here you can use rich text up to 500 characters
6. List Key Features (Think Key Words) and a disclaimer
7. At the top of the right column, you can add a URL to go to your website where this is featured
Optionally you can also:
8. Add up to 3 contacts for your company that can answer prospect calls (again you can only add people that you are connected to on LinkedIn)
9. Add a special promotion with a title, a URL, and a brief description
10. Also add a YouTube video – here you add the Title
11. If you add a video, this is where you add the YouTube Video URL
If you are using analytics to track your website traffic, you’ll be able to tell not only if traffic comes from LinkedIn, but also from your company page. The admin panel on the LinkedIn Company Page itself also provides light analytics itself.
Want to see some built out pages in action? Take a look at a recent client: http://www.linkedin.com/company/2545674 and our own page, which includes a Product and Service Spotlight and an example of YouTube Videos! http://www.linkedin.com/company/integrated-alliances
There are a few mores things you can do, but this will be great next steps for you Let me know how things go. I’d love to hear from you!
Rock On!
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about LinkedIn, register for free on our e-learning system http://RockLinkedIn.com!
Lori Ruff – The LinkedIn Diva
Have you created a great LinkedIn Company Page? List it in the comments and I’ll follow the company on LinkedIn.
Lori Ruff, The LinkedIn Diva, is a speaker, trainer, author and radio host in the LinkedIn and social media world. One of LinkedIn's Top Three Most Connected Women, she has influenced tens of thousands of people during her 15+ year speaking and training career. She is one of Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers of 2012. Wouldn't you like to meet The Diva too?
