Content moderation is the cornerstone of fostering a professional, secure, and vibrant online community.  LinkedIn offers a unique audience of business professionals, making it all the more important to integrate a moderation strategy for the platform. 

The intricate responsibilities of content moderators are endless, with capabilities to understand and act on passive observation in addition to active engagement. In this blog, we’ll discuss what it takes to effectively moderate a LinkedIn audience, and in turn, how doing so nurtures and cultivates deeper and more meaningful connections. 

What is Content Moderation? 

Content moderation is the act of ensuring that content on a specific website or service is consistently meeting the standards and guidelines of a company. Content moderators accomplish this by removing language that may be taken as offensive or inappropriate, monitoring user behavior, and escalating potential violations.  

People often ask about the differences between social media monitoring and social media moderation. The aim of monitoring is to actively listen and comprehend the conversations among customers, potential customers, and the specified target audience. It goes far beyond mere tracking, involving thoroughly understanding ongoing and past events related to the brand.  

On the other hand, moderation delves deeper by engaging actively. This includes addressing negative blog posts or escalating situations that might become harmful, such as harassment. Being a social media moderator also means recognizing the importance of positive feedback about the brand and making the most of user-generated content, while prioritizing fostering a relationship with the community, as opposed to simply managing it. 

Why Organizations Need to Have Content Moderation On LinkedIn  

Alongside other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, incorporating content moderation into a LinkedIn content strategy serves many purposes – including safeguarding communication and ensuring legal compliance. A team of content moderators establishing this essential protective barrier allows for efficient management of inappropriate content as well as participation in relevant discussions.  

Beyond protecting a brand’s reputation and fostering a stronger sense of community, content moderation provides insight into customer behavior and sentiment surrounding trends, content, or products. Recognizing these patterns is instrumental in refining customer acquisition strategies and more impactful marketing approaches.  

Building a connection with consumers is crucial. By cultivating a LinkedIn presence that features consistent engagement on both sides of the customer and of the brand, you not only expand the members of your customer base but also gather invaluable information for enhancing your product and overall social strategy. 

What is Considered Sensitive Content On LinkedIn?  

Although LinkedIn users generally behave better than those on other platforms, there is still the risk of sensitive content, such as content related to political issues, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, violence, or profanity.

When addressing sensitive content on LinkedIn, content moderators start by aligning with the company to identify forms of content that fit this category for their audience. They will use various criteria, including legal requirements, ethical standards, user feedback, cultural context, and business objectives, to determine what qualifies as sensitive content for the brand’s specific needs. 

5 Best Practices for Content Moderation On LinkedIn 

The following best practices will help guide your content moderation strategy on LinkedIn, ensuring a strong and safe online space for your audience.

1) Establish clear content guidelines 

Every moderator needs a content guideline to work from. These are tailored, clear-cut rules, templated responses, and hypothetical scenarios that align with the company’s mission, offering, or values. These guidelines serve as a compass for content moderators, enabling them to meticulously uphold the brand’s standards. Scenarios include ways to manage hate speech and harassment and address controversial comments and other harmful content.  

2) Invest in automated moderation tools  

With social media moderation services by ICUC, you can rest easy knowing that your brand is secure 24/7/365 worldwide. From photo and video moderation to scripted engagement, these services are available in a diverse range, customized to the unique must-haves of each client. As a leader in community management, ICUC provides an extensive suite of services globally. Trust us with your online communities, and rest assured — your brand’s image, voice, and legacy will be safeguarded in the most capable hands.

3) Train human moderators  

Even today, in 2024, human moderators serve an essential function in content moderation, almost always when it comes to context-specific or culturally sensitive posts. Close moderation by real people means that current trends and cultural happenings will be considered with the help of social listening. By offering comprehensive training, moderators acquire the necessary skills to make well-informed decisions, ensuring a consistent and equitable approach to content moderation.   

4) Encourage the use of reporting  

The use of reporting in content moderation tracks content that not only breaches guidelines and privacy policies but may also be able to improve the online strategy overall. This aids in better identifying problematic content and also serves as a guide for areas where the specified moderation guidelines might require changes. In short, consistently creating and reviewing reports will allow your brand to refine its moderation strategy, ensuring an even stronger adaptive and responsive approach to maintaining a safe online environment. 

5) Monitor your platform regularly  

Maintaining a healthy online environment is fully dependent on continuous monitoring. Scanning for new content is essential to promptly address any red flags that may arise. Continuous monitoring also ensures you’re up to date on the latest trends and user behaviors, allowing for strategic adjustments when needed. A proactive team can help keep your LinkedIn page deeply aligned with brand standards, in addition to constantly evolving online dynamics. 

Get Started with ICUC Content Moderation Service 

Harness the true power of moderation with ICUC’s social media moderation services. Gain access to international coverage and protection services for paid and organic channels, with a suite of opportunities, including access to services specific to crisis moments. Schedule a call with us to get started.