Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation concerning the use of LinkedIn. Topics of the presentation included optimising profiles; content strategy; practical tips; and further resources.

Following the conclusion of the presentation, the Committee were invited to ask questions and make comments, as follows: -

·       The City Corporation had a Flickr account for event photographs, which would be shared with the Aldermen.

·       There was an existing policy for the City of London Corporation account not reposting from its Elected Members. However, there was scope for this to be reviewed under the social media policy and content strategy as part of efforts to grow the City Corporation’s online network.

·       In terms of frequency of posting or reposting, a guideline of one or twice a week was recommended, but Aldermen were asked to consider where they were adding value when posting or reposting.

·       It was noted that Chairs / Chairmen of Committees would have access to City Corporation press releases for LinkedIn, and it could be considered how these could be made more widely available. A rolling key messages document could be provided for consistent messages, and the value added to reposting press releases was again emphasised.

·       There would be further consideration on what support could be provided for Elected Members on LinkedIn, including access to video content and templates for posting as part of the wider strategic branding review.

·       Examples could be provided on good examples for LinkedIn, and advice on maximising impact without the need for additional support or resources, as Members of the Committee noted that the examples provided in the presentation (e.g., the Mayor of London) likely had additional resources to add capacity when posting on LinkedIn. The examples provided were LinkedIn ‘top voices’ – profiles which were identified as consistently producing good content and were generally widely known to the public. Members of the Committee were advised to use and adapt the tactics used by the ‘top voices’ on their own LinkedIn profile.

·       Members of the Committee noted and discussed the balance between a public online presence for their Aldermanic work and their professional / personal lives.

·       In terms posting following an event, the advice provided was the quality of the post and the reflections that would have a higher impact rather than the timeliness of the post.

·       Whilst premium membership could be used if desired, it was not recommended as a necessity for building a City of London Corporation network.

RESOLVED – That the presentation be received.