LinkedIn will be changing the structure of groups in the next coming weeks.

(For the entire list of changes, please download the pdf: "New Group Features")

This article will help you understand some of the changes that we will have to make in order to accommodate LinkedIn.

These changes are substantial and your input would be useful.

Your experience in the the groups is going to change radically.

You can ask us questions by commenting on this article or in the group.

Here are the first (2) changes to discuss:

1. Content Moderation

Timeliness and high engagement go hand-in-hand and are key to a successful group.

To ensure groups are effective as timely conversation forums, conversations will now be posted instantly to a group without the need for manager approval.

Group owners, managers, and moderators can still remove off-topic conversations and place members in moderation.

Other group members can also flag inappropriate comments and conversations after they've been posted.

Learn more about best practices for contributing to Groups conversations.

2. Removal of Promotions Tab

General member feedback indicates that promotional content in LinkedIn Groups isn't a valuable experience, as it can quickly lead to spam.

In an effort to focus on quality conversations, we've removed the Promotions tab.

Any new promotional posts will go to the moderation queue for the owners, managers, and moderators to approve.

Learn more about the moderation process for groups.

This present us with a serious problem.

The Promotions tab allowed us to be extremely firm in our rule about not starting a Discussion by using naked link to someone else's blog or your own article even if it might be of interest to the group, while at the same time making such material available for members who are interested. Those articles could be found in promotions.

Now that option is not available to us.

Joe and I have several ideas on the matter, but we would also like to hear from you.

Thanks.