LinkedIn groups can be a great way to connect with others in your industry, build your brand, and drive traffic to your website or business. However, it’s important to strike the right balance when posting in groups so that you provide value without coming across as spammy.
Why post in LinkedIn groups?
Here are some of the main benefits of posting in LinkedIn groups:
- Exposure – Groups give you access to a targeted audience. Posting insightful content can help you get your brand and messaging in front of the right people.
- Relationship building – You can connect with like-minded professionals, potential clients/customers, and subject matter experts relevant to your industry.
- Thought leadership – Demonstrating expertise through posting valuable content helps establish credibility.
- Lead generation – Group members who find your posts helpful may be inclined to learn more about your business or services.
- Increased traffic – Linking to your website or offers within posts can drive visitors.
How often is too often?
When determining how frequently to post in LinkedIn groups, the general recommendation is quality over quantity. Posting high-value content consistently is more important than posting mediocre content often. Here are some best practices:
- Aim to post 1-2 times per week maximum in each group. Posting more than a couple times a week per group can come across as spammy.
- Focus on engaging in 3-5 groups regularly rather than spreading yourself too thin.
- Have days set aside for creating content and engaging in groups instead of posting randomly.
- Monitor group rules around frequency as some groups restrict members to 1 post per week or month.
- Space out posts throughout the week rather than posting multiple times a day.
Posting too frequently often backfires by annoying group members. Stick to posting quality content no more than a couple times per week in a select few highly relevant groups.
How to determine the right posting frequency
The ideal posting frequency can vary based on factors like:
- Group size – Larger groups may warrant slightly less frequent posting than smaller niche groups where your posts will be more visible.
- Your goals – If you’re focused on lead gen, you may post offers slightly more frequently than if you just want to establish expertise.
- Group engagement – In highly active groups where posts get pushed down quickly, posting on the slightly higher end of 1-2x per week makes sense.
- Your capacity – Make sure you have the time to post valuable content consistently without sacrificing quality.
Monitor the engagement on your posts, as well as the practices of active influencers in the groups you’re in, to determine what cadence resonates best. When in doubt, err on the side of less frequency.
Tips for determining posting frequency per group
Here are some tips on evaluating posting frequency on a per group basis:
- Review group rules/guidelines for any frequency restrictions.
- Search posts in the group to see how often top contributors post.
- Pay attention to post volume and shelf life before joining. High volume groups call for slightly more frequency.
- Experiment early on to see how your posts are received posting 1x, 2x, or 3x per week. Gauge engagement.
- Start on the lower end (1x/week), increasing frequency slowly if your posts generate interest and you can sustain it.
- Reduce frequency if you receive complaints or declining engagement on your posts.
- Focus on conversations and relationship building, not just broadcasting content.
Get a feel for each group’s culture and expectations around frequency. Allow engagement and feedback to guide you in finding the right balance.
Tips for creating quality content
Posting valuable, relevant content is crucial. Here are some tips:
- Share timely news and insights related to the group’s focus.
- Highlight relevant resources like reports, articles, case studies, and analysis.
- Pose thoughtful discussion questions to spark conversation.
- Respond to other members’ questions and feedback.
- Give tips and practical advice based on your expertise.
- Provide unique perspectives and commentary on industry issues.
- Poll members to learn about their interests and challenges.
- Avoid overly promotional posts focused only on your company.
- Ensure a clear benefit for the reader in each post.
Focus on delivering your best content, tailored specifically to each group’s interests. Valuable posting trumps frequency.
Examples of ideal posting frequency
Here are some examples of effective posting frequency benchmarks to aim for:
- 1-2 posts per week in 1-2 highly niche, small groups relevant to your specialty.
- 1 post per week in 2-3 moderately sized groups broadly related to your industry.
- 1 post every other week in 1-2 large groups with high post volume.
- 1-3 thoughtful comments or responses to others’ posts per week in each group.
- 2-3 posts total across all groups on any given day.
The specific numbers aren’t as important as ensuring your posts provide value. But in general, limiting yourself to 1-2 posts per group per week is a safe range.
Should you post everyday?
Posting in LinkedIn groups every single day is almost always excessive. Flooding groups with posts daily, even if they are high quality, will likely have diminishing returns. Here’s why you should avoid posting daily:
- It comes across as spammy, even if content is good.
- You risk burning out and being unable to sustain quality.
- Each post has less visibility and impact.
- Engagement starts declining due to post overload.
- Group members quickly get annoyed by the barrage of posts.
- You monopolize conversations as other voices get drowned out.
- Your expertise stops standing out from the crowd.
For the majority of use cases, posting 1-2 times per week per group is ideal. Resist the urge to post every day, even if you have lots of great content. Focus on standing out with quality over quantity instead.
Should you post on weekends?
You can successfully post in LinkedIn groups on weekends, but weekday posting is generally more effective. Here’s an analysis:
Weekday Posting | Weekend Posting |
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Ideally, focus posting during peak times Tuesday – Thursday, but sprinkle in some weekend posting on Saturdays for extended exposure. Avoid Sundays, when engagement is lowest.
Should you post at specific times of day?
Paying attention to when your audience is most active on LinkedIn can help boost engagement. Here are some optimal posting times to consider:
- Early mornings (8-9 AM local time) – Catch people with their coffee as the workday starts.
- Lunch break (12-1 PM) – Post when people are taking a quick browse break.
- After work (5-6 PM) – Reach people winding down and catching up.
Also, look at your LinkedIn Group Insights to see when members are most active. Compare this to your own account’s analytics to find times when both you and your target groups have overlap.
While optimal timing matters, don’t let it rule your approach completely. Well-crafted content can generate engagement any time of day or day of week. But do consider how timing may give your posts a boost.
Should you post at higher frequencies to start?
When joining a new LinkedIn group, it can be tempting to post more frequently at first to rapidly build credibility and authority. However, restraint is advised.
Posting at a moderately higher frequency in your first few weeks can help provided you:
- Quickly scale back to normal frequency ranges.
- Carefully monitor engagement and sentiment.
- Deliver super relevant, stellar content.
- Don’t overdo it by posting multiple times a day.
That said, it’s often better to start slow and gradually increase frequency once you better understand group dynamics. Build relationships first before aggressively promoting content.
Should you space out posts evenly or cluster them?
One strategy is clustering posts by making most of your weekly posts on 2-3 adjacent days, leaving longer gaps on other days.
Here is a comparison of clustering vs evenly spacing posts:
Clustering Posts | Spacing Evenly |
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In most cases, evenly distributing posts leads to better results. But clustering 2-3 posts on your highest traffic days can work too. Test different spacing strategies.
Should you post more in some groups versus others?
It’s perfectly fine to post more frequently in some LinkedIn groups compared to others. In fact, this is recommended.
Factors that support higher frequency in specific groups:
- The group is more niche and specialized to your core topics.
- You’re aiming to establish thought leadership in that domain.
- Your posts generate above average engagement and discussion.
- The group culture and rules allow increased posting.
- You have the time and content to post valuably at a higher volume.
As you identify groups where your posts resonate, gradually increase attention and posting there while cutting back elsewhere. Just be sure not to overdo any one group.
Should you post less as you grow your network?
As you grow your LinkedIn network, you gain more options for getting your content in front of your target audience, like sharing on your main feed or via LinkedIn pages. This means you can be a bit more selective with group posting.
Some ways posting frequency may decrease over time:
- Focusing on your most aligned, high value groups.
- Only posting your very best, most engaging content.
- Emphasizing organic engagement over broadcast posts.
- Limiting groups where posts receive low interaction.
- Having an established brand andcredibility.
That said, groups can still play an important role, even for LinkedIn power users. The connections and targeted visibility groups provide are valuable. Just be more intentional by posting less frequently but with higher quality and relevance.
Should you post to maximize reach or engagement?
On LinkedIn, it’s better to post high-quality content less frequently than mediocre content often just to maximize reach. While reach has value, what matters more is:
- Driving relevant traffic to your site and offers.
- Building relationships and starting conversations.
- Establishing expertise and thought leadership.
- Generating leads and conversions.
Posting for deep engagement on a per post basis trumps volume. Find a balance between reach and conversation. If forced to choose, optimize for quality engagement over quantity of eyeballs.
Conclusion
Finding your ideal posting frequency in LinkedIn groups is not an exact science. Start conservatively at 1-2 times per week per group, eventually increasing to 2-3 times for select high traction groups. Always monitor engagement and perception to strike the right balance between posting valuable content and not coming across as promotional. Patience and restraint will serve you better over the long haul compared to maximum frequency.