What do you think of Group discussions?
Are you getting value out of LinkedIn group discussions? Share stories, examples, questions, etc.
Good Answers (14)
Melissa S
Global Website Lead Generation Manager at Hewlett-Packard
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (1)
Hi Peter, I have been utilizing the groups to foster industry discussion of topics. I was hoping to generate new marketing ideas or learn other successful marketing techniques being employed by others. In some instances I have generated lively discussions and have identified like-minded individuals. As others have also expressed there were a few individuals that used these lively group dialogues to ask for business and to hire their company to solve the business challenge proposed. To me, they completely missed the point of the interaction. I admire their gusto but wonder if there should perhaps be some "norms" established for group discussions so that they do not become "ads" or solicitations for personal business.
Dave M
Entertainer,traffic builder at your event,party or trade show. Very funny guy ★ DaveMaskin@yahoo.com LION
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Getting lots of gigs from both the Q&A and group discussions...
Businesses ffind me, call me, hire me. It's as simple as that...
Jim W
Manager of Talent Acquisition Systems at 7-Eleven, Inc.
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Group Discussions are nothing more than ads. I completely stopped looking at them.
I find it a waste of my time - nothing but advertisements and the majority of them have zero connection to the group's focus.
Martin T
Executive, Consultant, Writer, Internationalist, Interim Manager
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it's all ads or people looking for jobs
really boring
don't go there any more
Ives D
Packaging Innovation Technologist at Mars
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Hi Peter,
I must say that I am not that long on LinkedIn and I must agree with the comments so far. If you post the same question in the Q&A section or as a group discussion, you get a lot more feedback on the Q&A post. The group discussions are all about looking for people to hire or looking for a new job, and in that extend that I think they are lost for asking real questions that members of that group could possibly make a difference in.
Hope this helps..
Ives
I am in about 15 groups. I thought it could bring me some new topics to think about or a new way to see something I really know. But it seems, like everybody said, people misuse them as a space to ask for a new job. OK, there are groups for that, but not all of them!
Josh C
General Manager at Web Industries; Itinerant Writer; and Decent Little League Coach
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Peter,
From what I've seen (I belong to about a dozen groups), they range from very useful to a complete waste; one of them is simply enjoyable and amusing.
Josh.
I 'own' two groups and have become a discussion Nazi. Spam messages get deleted immediately (well, as soon as I see them... I might have a life outside LI). I've found the discussions to be lively and very informative.
I left a number of high volume marketing groups, because it was all-spam-all-the-time, regardless of pleas to the groups' owners to actually moderate.
Annemarie D
at Bristol-Myers Squibb
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Hi Peter - I wish I had the time for group discussions. Yours, Annemarie
yes its a great place
Like all things some are good and some are not. It depends on who does what. I found some Q that were uninteresting and others were. I was of great help in providing further indepth answers to a young professional seeking info on EU legislation on immigration/muslims/christians. so you have the chance to link to neat people and although the percentage is low it still brings me happiness so is worth it. Never stop searching!
Grayson W
Professor of Public Administration & President of Smith Walker | LION | over 6,500 contacts
Best Answers in: Job Search (1)
Peter -
While some 'discussions' and 'questions' are just self-serving advertisements, the F1 (Formula One) group has some very interesting and lively discussions. I find the group more civil than some of the topical boards, such as run by SpeedTV. Nevertheless, they are what Steve Covey would call time wasters.
Gianluigi C
Web Marketing Strategist ★ Consultant @ Traffic4u
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Unfortunately, group discussions are polluted with ads and alikes.
Amongst discussions there are interesting ones, but you have to search well.
Hope LinkedIn creates a marketplace or something like that to seperate both.
