Ok, this post took a bit longer than expected, we were fighting a power outage on the East Coast this week thanks to Hurrican Irene…anyway…back to a far more interesting topic…LinkedIn Company Pages.
As of August, 2011 there are are over 2 million LinkedIn Company Pages and for those that are built-out well [meaning they include a logo, a value proposition, key products and services, hiring information, employees and social media activity] they are a way to leverage and extend your company in a whole new way [beyond your own geography, current markets etc.]
Built well, they are similar to microsites that highlight your organization, company, institution and emerging startup. They serve to create a more well rounded perspective for buyers, donors, board members, investors…the list continues. Before I spend time and engage with an organization, I want an authentic understanding of who the organization is. I can’t always get that from a corporate web site, can you? If the web site is filled with user-generated content perhaps I can, but most sites are not that dynanic rather they are static electronic brochures carefully crafted to portray a single view or voice.
That’s ok, we know that and realize that does not always represent the real culture. When employees and associates feed into a company page, suddenly, you see the company from a different perspective. You see diversity [or not] education emphasis, who works there, their interests and you see how comfortable they are with social. You see the products and services most important to them.
So, let’s take a quick run through a sampling the type of analytics you will find on LinkedIn Company Pages. Go to the Overview tab on the Company Page and you will see the image below on the right side, click on “Check out insightful statistics about LinkedIn employees”. Also, note the link below “Learn more about working at LinkedIn” and check this out.
And what about where they live? Always good to know. Notice Zynga [Farmville, Mafia Wars and others] above, who knew they had an office in Timonium, Maryland? [I realize some may not even know where that is…it’s north of Baltimore, and interestingly, is the home of quite a strong gaming community, it’s claim to fame beyond being a great place to raise a family]. Notice LinkedIn below, the obvious place are there certainly but Omaha? That’s interesting. I want to know what LinkedIn has going on in Omaha.
The user generated details that surface provide insight for both recruiting and business development efforts. In the part 4 we will tie this together, stay tuned there is more to explore….
Go check out your company profiles. What do they say to the world?
Now, go check out companies you work with and/or want to do business with, what can you learn?
Let me know.