If you still re-post, “celebrate” of “find insightful” all your employer’s posts on LinkedIn without compensation – then you might want to read this.

Kissing ass in the privacy of your office building is one thing, but doing it publicly on social media is a tad embarrassing, especially if you are not getting paid for it. But this has finally changed.  Larger corporations have agreed to pay employees that actively post and market their employer’s brand, slogan and goodwill.

Your employer has probably had the audacity to tell you what you can and what you can’t post about them online. This one-sided deal is connected to the agreement your employer has signed with LinkedIn.  Most people are aware that their employer has signed a contract with LinkedIn, but has no idea that they can sign a monetization agreement with the HR department of their employer.

If you’re employer is a slow adopter, you can use the below template. LinkedIn has all the historic data, and if your employer has an agreement with them, they also have the data. So you can even try to back date the agreement to receive compensation for your fruitless online ass-kissing in 2023.

Compensation Agreement for LinkedIn Marketing Activities

This Compensation Agreement (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of [Date], by and between [Company Name], a [State] [Type of Company] (“Company”), and [Employee Name] (“Employee”).

1. Purpose The purpose of this Agreement is to outline the terms and conditions under which the Employee will be compensated for promoting the Company on LinkedIn.

2. Marketing Activities Employee agrees to perform the following marketing activities on LinkedIn: a. Mentioning the Company: Writing and posting mentions of the Company in personal LinkedIn posts. b. Reposting Company Content: Reposting articles and posts originally posted by the Company’s official LinkedIn account.

3. Compensation The Company agrees to compensate the Employee as follows: a. Mentions: USD 1.00 per post that mentions the Company. b. Reposts: USD 0.50 per repost of the Company’s articles and posts.

4. Payment Terms a. Compensation will be calculated and paid on a [weekly/monthly] basis. b. Payments will be made via [Payment Method] no later than [Number] days after the end of the [week/month]. c. Employee must provide a report of all eligible posts and reposts at the end of each [week/month] for verification by the Company.

5. Conditions for Compensation a. Each mention and repost must comply with LinkedIn’s terms of service. b. Posts and reposts must remain visible on LinkedIn for at least [Number] days to qualify for compensation. c. The content must be professional, positive, and align with the Company’s branding and values. d. The Company reserves the right to refuse compensation for posts or reposts deemed inappropriate or not in the Company’s best interest.

6. Relationship of Parties a. Employee is not considered an agent or representative of the Company for any purposes other than as expressly stated in this Agreement. b. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship other than what is specified herein.

7. Confidentiality Employee agrees not to disclose any confidential or proprietary information related to the Company that may be obtained during the course of performing marketing activities.

8. Term and Termination a. This Agreement shall commence on the date first written above and shall continue until terminated by either party. b. Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time with [Number] days written notice to the other party.

9. Miscellaneous a. Amendments: This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written agreement signed by both parties. b. Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [State]. c. Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior understandings, whether written or oral.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Compensation Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

[Company Name] By: _____________________ Name: [Name] Title: [Title]

[Employee Name] Signature: __________________ Date: _______________________

Make sure to customize the placeholders (e.g., [Company Name], [Employee Name], [State], [Date], etc.) with the appropriate details before finalizing the agreement. Also, it’s advisable to consult with a legal professional to ensure the agreement complies with all applicable laws and regulations. If you sell your soul, at least get a fair price.

If you are uncertain about your employer’s approach to social media, make sure to argue against these type of agreements in the comments of this article. The fact that your employer dictates what you post online is not bullying as you work for the best company in the world and you love your job. In addition, as you do it in your spare time it is natural that they shouldn’t compensate you. Your boss just might read your comment on LinkedIn and give you a pat on your back. He will likely smile as well… because you can bet your ass he has a monetization agreement in place.

#linkedinmonetization #onlinemarketing

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