Having a strong brand on social media is important not only for a company, but also for the user who is trying to learn more about the services it provides. If a company has multiple accounts on one social media platform it can cause confusion. Many times someone who is foreign to an organization will stop their search at the first company account they come upon, completely unaware of another account that is out there and that this company offers exactly what they need.

After learning this, an organization may decide it wants to take action and have one LinkedIn profile.  After brainstorming it, finally decide which page it will keep that best demonstrates a consistent brand image and a platform for people to connect and learn more about the company.  Then the question strikes: What will happen to all of the connections made on the account that is being abandoned? Where will all of the messaging and relationships built disappear to?

Not only is there a way to easily transfer connections, essentially merging the accounts, there are also steps to take before removing the account to help keep connections and build even more.

To ensure LinkedIn company connections are not lost, follow these steps:

1.  Confirm company email. Make sure you have an established company email address registered to your account.

2.  Visit the LinkedIn “Contact Us” Web page. Since other LinkedIn profiles (the employees) will be impacted by deleting one of the accounts, you need to contact Customer Service.

3.  Submit a request to transfer your connections. Supply the email addresses for the accounts you want to merge, and designate the name of the account you want to keep and any changes you would like to make.

When consolidating accounts, it is important to keep LinkedIn connections from both accounts in the loop. Following the steps bellow will ensure that current connections, as well as new connections, know where to go to receive the most accurate and current company updates. In the past Communiqué has written about how not to lose Twitter followers, but below are recommended steps catered to LinkedIn that a company should implement before deleting an account.

Steps to take before contacting customer service during the merging process:

1.  Update your bios. As an initial announcement, edit each account’s bio to let its audience know that the account is moving and to direct them to its new home.

2.  Notify your connections. Every day for 10 business days, communicate that the account is moving by posting something along these lines: “We’re moving on Aug. 10!  Connect with us here [new home] to continue getting our updates.”

3.  Stop posts unrelated to the move. During the transition period, only post reminders about the move from the LinkedIn account that is being discontinued. All other updates should be posted from the account that will remain.