LinkedIn company page vs founder profile: what should you post where?

There is still a lot of confusion about what belongs on a LinkedIn company page and what belongs on a founder’s LinkedIn profile. The company publishes an announcement and the founder reposts it. Sometimes the company then reposts the founder in return. Some people call that a channel strategy, but really, it’s just a reposting loop.

So, let’s clear things up. A company page represents the business and provides official information. It can look polished and branded. It can also be promotional and sales-led.

The founder profile has a different role: it explains why a decision matters and puts a human face to the company’s vision and updates. Once a founder starts sounding like a logo, the profile loses the very thing people came for in the first place: a person.

Who should post what?

A LinkedIn company page should publish official company news and the practical information people need. Think product launches, partnerships, hiring news or event announcements. The post can use branded design and include a website link or clear call to action because readers know the business is speaking.

Take a software update at a technology company. The company page can publish a branded design announcing the release, explaining what has changed and directing readers to the website for further information.

The founder, on the other hand, can offer more of a behind-the-scenes perspective, celebrating the achievement along the lines of: ‘I can’t believe we finally did it. The new X is out. It only took us two months, but the updates were much needed. Well done, @Name of developer.’

The same applies to a trade show. Not all announcements around it need to come from a single account. In fact, it’s a good idea to distribute responsibilities and diversify the plan.

Think: The company page might publish a polished graphic with the event location and exact stand number. One team member posts something more personal about getting ready for the show, perhaps with an airport picture and a few bullet points on which devices will be exhibited. The corporate page then posts an official ‘Day 1 Wrap-Up’ video, while the founder shares a team dinner with an exhausted but happy team after a successful first day.

You get the gist.

How about community engagement?

Let’s not forget that LinkedIn is social media, not a one-way newspaper. It’s designed for accounts to interact with each other through connection requests, likes, comments, direct messages, you name it.

This goes for both corporate pages and founder profiles. The founder should manage comments and engagement as they would in normal life: supporting people they know personally, engaging with the team, liking company posts.

That doesn’t mean reposting everything the corporate page publishes. A thoughtful comment can probably generate even more reach, while also keeping your profile ‘clean’ in the sense that it continues to showcase your own posts.

The same goes for the company page. It should engage with clients and the team through supportive likes and comments here and there. Less is more for the corporate page.

That’s it. Think ‘human / behind the scenes’ for the founder and ‘brand’ for the corporation.