By bbr

by Kelly Lucas, client marketing director

As the administrator and moderator for a LinkedIn Group, I received an email this morning alerting me that there are some changes on the horizon. Namely, groups are about to be re-categorized as “Standard” or “Unlisted.”

Details from the email:

• Simpler privacy settings. Now, there are just two types of groups. Standard Groups are findable in search and members can request to join or be invited by any existing member. Unlisted Groups are not discoverable and membership requires an invite from a manager. In both types, only group members can see the conversations.
• A new mobile app. Being part of group conversations is easier than ever with a new LinkedIn Groups app for iOS. Android app coming soon.
• Images and mentions. Post your images and mention other group members with just a tap.
• Less email. We’ll digest the best content from all of your groups into one weekly or daily email.
• Easy invites and less work. Any member of any Standard Group can invite their connections, making it easier for great groups to grow faster.

Most of the updates sound like no-brainers and seem like they’ll definitely make using LinkedIn Groups a little easier, but not that first bullet. Why? Because further down in that same email, LinkedIn explains that all groups that currently require members be approved to enter will default to Unlisted (open groups default to Standard). This means that if you don’t go into your group settings and switch it over to Standard once the change takes place, your group will not show up in search results. For those who didn’t read the email carefully (or at all), their groups will not be as easily found as they once were. This will be problematic for some.

The more I think about it, though, the more it makes sense. I think that this will ultimately make finding good groups easier. This is because if a group has gone dormant and no one is actively managing it, it will no longer clutter up search results simply because it has the keyword you entered in the search bar. This means more relevant groups will rise to the top versus the ones that were created on a whim and then died on the vine. I’m sure there will be some confusion initially, but in the end I think this will be one of the better updates on LinkedIn.

There is no set date for when all of these updates will take place, just a mention of “in a few weeks.” So keep your eyes peeled to see if they do set a concrete date, or at least to monitor your group so you’ll be aware if the change occurs without a formal notification. To learn more about the impending change and see the full list of updates to LinkedIn Groups, check out this LinkedIn Help Center post.

Do you think these changes are needed? Will they make LinkedIn Groups easier for you to use and manage? Let us know!