LinkedIn groups are powerful online discussion boards that attract engaged professionals to discuss and share ideas. You can create or participate in numerous LinkedIn Groups to:

• Bring together professionals with similar interests
• Open up relevant discussions
• Link to interesting websites and articles
• Share news and ideas
• Search members and directly message them
• Get a firsthand look at the mindshare of your target audience

Groups also give you the opportunity to find and connect with potential clients, other industry members, your client’s industry, alumni groups, local groups and more.

To start finding groups, click on the groups tab in the LinkedIn menu bar and select “Groups Directory”. Use the left-hand side “Search Groups” feature to search by keywords, categories or locations. The list you generate will include the group title, a short description, the number of current discussions, the group owner and total number of members.

Quick Tips for Using LinkedIn Groups

• You can only join 50 groups
• Try out lots of groups, then narrow them down to your best fits
• Watch out for groups that are filled with spammy link-building “discussions”
• To get the most out of a group, make sure it has relevant discussions and active members
• Read the LinkedIn Group Policy for expectations and rules for the group
• Proactively start conversations if you want to be noticed
• Answer questions or replies in a timely manner
• Discuss and link to a recent blog post of yours to engage them with your website