LinkedIn says it is phasing out the Products and Services Tab on Company Pages.
If your business has a Company Page, the tab will be history as of April 14, 2014. For now you can edit your existing tab but can no longer add new products to it.
In a post on its official Company Pages blog the LinkedIn Company Pages team says it frequently evaluates features so the site can focus on the most valuable among them. Apparently, this one didn’t make the cut. The team goes on to say:
“We do this to ensure that we’re creating a platform where companies can deliver timely, engaging content to our members. Sometimes, this means we need to remove a feature to focus on areas of the product that most benefit both companies and our members.”
But if you loved and used the products and services tab for your business, there’s no need to panic. LinkedIn says two alternatives are already popular with users. Those alternatives include your regular LinkedIn updates or another feature made specifically for this purpose: Showcase pages.
Company pages will remain a place to post real-time updates and share content from your business. This includes new images and videos that play right in one of your followers’ news feeds on LinkedIn. When a user interacts with content you’ve posted on your Company page, it gets shared with their contacts and further spreads the word about your business.
LinkedIn Showcase pages were introduced late last year. Showcase pages allow businesses to create a feed specific to a product, service or brand name. Take Hewlett-Packard’s pages centering on the company’s software, financial services or HP Lab, for example. The pages are used to generate a following for a specific part of your business, keeping it separate from other news and updates.
LinkedIn Photo via Shutterstock
I’m surprised at how short the notice was. Only 7 days? I guess they really like the new Showcase pages.
Aira Bongco
I think that it is better. While business owners would love to showcase their products or service, I’m not sure if they would want a place to put their products and services. They need a medium that will pull people to the site.
Phillip G. Pitts Sr.
My personal LinkedIn account has introduced my innovations in the dental profession around the world. It has created more interest from distributors from around the world as well with the highest level of dental professionals. In one year it accomplished more than our outdated website ever did. I look forward to more opportunities within LinkedIn and my group contributions.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my gratitude for LinkedIn and the mentors from around the world
Respectfully,
Phillip G. Pitts Sr. Director-Technology and Sales
Enamelite LLC
Martin Lindeskog
What do you think is LinkedIn long-range plan with this move? Do you think that LinkedIn will become the leading content hub in the future?