If you've used LinkedIn's Group feature for any amount of time, you know just how awful it can be - filled with little more than spam and self-promotion. That looks to change soon however.
LinkedIn will be making some significant changes starting Oct. 14, rolling out an improved version of Groups on the desktop as well as a standalone iOS app (Android version is reportedly on the way). SUBSCRIBE to Website Magazine - 12 Issues FREE
Several changes will made to the Groups experience that are worthy of note, but they seem to primarily be concerned with making Group controls more powerful and simpler. For example, LinkedIn will be making Groups private so only approved members will be able to see conversations and be able to contribute. The professional network will also prevent search engine from crawling the discussions. Expect several additional features and improvements starting next week as well, including better content filtering, the removal of subgroups, and images and mentions in conversations.
"Our data has shown that open groups have historically attracted a larger percentage of low-quality conversations," LinkedIn wrote in its help center. "Members-only groups have created significantly more participation and conversations than others (up to five times more), indicating that members feel more confident contributing in these types of groups."