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As the one major social networking site that actually has gone public, LinkedIn is facing more pressure than its competitors to produce revenue and ultimately turn a profit.
Because it now answers to antsy anonymous shareholders -- rather than somewhat more patient venture capitalists or angel investors -- LinkedIn has to make money now. That could explain why the site that's known as the premier social network for business professionals has made a couple of recent changes that could be interpreted as attempts to cast itself in Facebook's image.
Great article here. I am a recent newcomer to Facebook, resisting joining for over a year or so. I joined for the games and to keep in contact with friends, family, and recent classmates, not for professional reasons which I leave for sites like LinkedIn. I agree with the author of this article, Sidney Hill, that LinkedIn should remain with a more professional image to attract serious business investors.
Mobile apps, yes. But, Facebook has its own unique "social feel" that works for it. Make no mistake this is not by accident, it is by design. For example, Facebook's newsfeed is quite open for any discussion which works fine if you have a trusted group of friends and family and links to them. It is certainly easier than CCing a whole email contact list. But, it is bit too open for professional discourse in my opinion and caution sharing anything, personal or professional, in this newsfeed should be the order of the day. In fact, I use the messaging system for most one-to-one communication on Facebook which I feel much more comfortable doing with some information.
It is tempting to simple follow the most popular social network concepts, trying to grab more market share by adopting the latest and greatest idea. But, I believe the designers and marketers at LinkIn can come up with their own ideas to keep evolving with its own unique "signature" and attract the kind of investors and members that will appreciate their efforts.
Mobile apps, yes. But, Facebook has its own unique "social feel" that works for it. Make no mistake this is not by accident, it is by design. For example, Facebook's newsfeed is quite open for any discussion which works fine if you have a trusted group of friends and family and links to them. It is certainly easier than CCing a whole email contact list. But, it is bit too open for professional discourse in my opinion and caution sharing anything, personal or professional, in this newsfeed should be the order of the day. In fact, I use the messaging system for most one-to-one communication on Facebook which I feel much more comfortable doing with some information.
It is tempting to simple follow the most popular social network concepts, trying to grab more market share by adopting the latest and greatest idea. But, I believe the designers and marketers at LinkIn can come up with their own ideas to keep evolving with its own unique "signature" and attract the kind of investors and members that will appreciate their efforts.
