Connect LinkedIn

A LinkedIn connection is a member who administers a company page. Marketing uses it to post as the page and to read the page's numbers. It is your org's or a brand's. See Connections for how connecting works in general. It covers company pages, not personal profiles.

Ways to connect

  • Connect, through GreenMind's app, where it is open to your org.

  • Use your own app: an app in LinkedIn's developer portal, with the Community Management API product. Start at LinkedIn's new app page; LinkedIn's Community Management overview explains the rest.

  • Post by hand instead, at the foot of the Use your own app dialog: you give the page's name, GreenMind prepares each post and opens LinkedIn for you to finish it, and nothing is held for the page. This is the way to post while LinkedIn has not approved the product.

There is no key option.

Making your own app

LinkedIn's screens and rules change from time to time. Follow the dialog and LinkedIn's documentation where this page and LinkedIn's screens differ.

  1. Open the Use your own app dialog for LinkedIn on the Connections page, and keep it open.
  2. Make sure the company page exists, and that you are one of its administrators.
  3. Open the new app page above. Name the app, choose your company page, give your privacy policy address and a logo. Make it a new app with no other products on it: LinkedIn offers the Community Management API only to an app like that.
  4. On the app's Settings, verify the app with the company page: LinkedIn makes a link that an administrator of the page must approve.
  5. On the app's Products, request the Community Management API. LinkedIn starts you on its Development tier.
  6. On the app's Auth tab, add the redirect URL from the dialog to the authorized redirect URLs, copied exactly. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret into the dialog and press Connect.
  7. When LinkedIn approves the product, sign in as the page administrator and allow it.
  8. Once the Development tier works, apply to LinkedIn for the Standard tier. LinkedIn asks for a screencast of each use.

Scopes

LinkedIn grants scopes with the product, so there is nothing to tick separately.

w_organization_social r_organization_social rw_organization_admin
Use Scopes
Post w_organization_social, rw_organization_admin
Read post insights r_organization_social, rw_organization_admin

After connecting

On the brand's Connections page, under Posting, choose Use a connection, pick the LinkedIn connection and give the Company page ID: the organization id, the number LinkedIn uses to name the page.

If it goes wrong

  • Nothing posts yet. LinkedIn has not approved the Community Management API product for the app. Until it does, nothing can be posted through the connection.
  • The product is not offered. The app has other products on it, or was not verified with the company page. Make a new app.
  • Limits. On the Development tier LinkedIn allows 500 calls a day for the app and 100 for each member.
  • Needs reconnecting. A LinkedIn token lasts 60 days, and refresh tokens are given only to apps LinkedIn has approved for them. Reconnect when it lapses.