LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com

Features:
•    Profile includes what the individual would like to list for name (based on availability), location, current and past employment, education, recommendations, connections, Web site and contact information
•    An individual’s profile also may list Groups and Associations on LinkedIn
•    Recommendations are offered and sought out by colleagues to demonstrate professional qualifications and experience

Who: 39 million members
More than 170 industries are represented on LinkedIn

What: Invitation-based, online network
•    Two-way, active communication within the sphere of shared Connections, using messaging functionality
•    One-way, passive presentation and observation of information within the larger sphere of members
•    Two-way and group communication within the Groups and other Discussions through which a user participates within the LinkedIn network

When: 24/7
A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second

Where: Everywhere
•    More than 200 countries
•    About half of LinkedIn members are outside the U.S.
•    English, Spanish, French and German are the languages currently available

How much: Free to join

Observations:
•    Organizations, publications and companies also are starting to set up their own LinkedIn profiles. Due to the emphasis on user-controlled content, LinkedIn seems to be an approachable starting point in social networking for many business leaders, especially those in architectural firms and manufacturing companies.
•    Groups and Discussions present the most dynamic means of interacting with a wider network, beyond an individual’s own Connections. Once engaged, Group participants can exchange information, news items and invitations.
•    For example, searching the term “architect” within LinkedIn, yielded: 459,673 People, 250 Jobs, 259 Companies, 500+ Questions and 190 Groups

Feel free to “connect” with me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherwestpr

Information for the above was gathered from the following source: http://press.linkedin.com/about

Filed under: So-Called Social Media