Platform Shifts on LinkedIn

Social media platforms are subject to change. Rules on content and timeline algorithms are regularly evolving. As Social Media Coordinator for a large Raleigh-Durham-Research Triangle Park professional organization since 2014, I've seen a few shifts on LinkedIn that affect content effectiveness.

Pin to the Top

This organization has over 1000 members on its LinkedIn group. Under the current platform, any member can post to the group timeline. In the past, I could post an event and pin it to the top of the group's LinkedIn page. This made the event very visible. The "pin to the top" feature is no longer available. Since the top post is now the most recent post, I have to repost an important event to keep it "at the top" in the most visible position. 

Previously, posts could be labeled as promotional and appear in an alternative timeline. This way they did not detract from the organization's event. This feature was eliminated.

An option is to delete new posts which I hesitate to do unless the post is completely irrelevant to the group's interests. I've contacted a frequent poster who is promoting his Texas-based podcast and asked he hold up on posts until our annual conference is over. I wanted to make sure the conference post stayed "at the top."

Email Promotion

Also in the past, posts were promoted on emails to group members. If I wanted to publicize an event, I could post on LinkedIn and all group members would receive an email. That feature was eliminated. It may have created too much email.

New Member Requests

New member requests are held up for manager review. When I first started administrating our LinkedIn group, new member requests were automatically approved. Member request approval isn't necessarily a bad thing, but, when group managers are busy, membership reviews could be delayed.

Summary

Changes in LinkedIn that affect me as a group manager:

1. No pin to the top feature

2. No emails communicating group post topics

3. Changes in new member requests

Like many other things, nothing is certain but change. Have you noticed these changes on LinkedIn? If so, how do they affect you?