Chapter 8: Big Social Media: Facebook and LinkedIn Part B

Web 2.0 and Social Media for Business

Roger McHaney, Kansas State University

LinkedIn Overview

LinkedIn has become the social media venue of choice for businesses and individuals seeking to network with a career focus.

Founded in December 2002 and publicly launched in May 2003.

By mid-2012, LinkedIn had more than 175 million registered users from over 200 countries.

LinkedIn Functions

LinkedIn has become the primary location where all business contacts, skill inventories, training records, and experience histories are maintained. LinkedIn is useful in maintaining communication and contact with business associates. For instance, if a member changes jobs, locations, or receives a promotion, she easily can send the updated information to her business associates.

LinkedIn Profile Components

Example LinkedIn Profile

Creating ConnectionsOnce a profile has been created, a LinkedIn user can publish it and begin creating connections. Connections are current and former colleagues, teachers and classmates, business associates, and other professional contacts. The idea is to create direct connections by adding people relevant to the user’s professional circle. These connections can provide introductions to additional professionals who can help to build a network in particular specialty areas.

Jobs on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is well known for its capability as a job search tool. It has become the new standard for posting resumes, recommendation letters, and providing career histories. Potential employers can see prospective hires’ networks of contacts which can add to the applicant’s credibility and relevance.

LinkedIn FunctionsLinkedIn will generate a list of relevant jobs based on a user’s resume and job history by trying to match up key words in job listings.

LinkedIn offers discussion groups to provide additional methods for finding (or listing) jobs.

Group members may post direct emails or Web links to pages specific to particular jobs.

My Group

InMapsInMaps permits visualization of LinkedIn Network.

InMaps

InMaps accesses a LinkedIn Account to retrieve data.

InMaps

InMaps groups connections by analyzing links.

Visualization of Network

LinkedIn Company Pages

Company pages allow businesses to post additional details of interest to current or potential employees, stakeholders, and the general public. A company page can provide news feed features where changes, updates, and news can be posted. Many organizations use company pages to create special offers for visitors and those that recommend or endorse the page.

Featured Uses of LinkedIn

Obtain, store and distribute online recommendations that can be used to attest to professional abilities or character.  Obtain introductions to key individuals in relevant industries. Obtain introductions to potential employers. Search job listings placed on LinkedIn. Create an online resume that continues to grow with experiences and career changes.

SummaryBig social media has become a significant component of many organizations’ public faces. Customers, employees, and stakeholders expect to find high quality, useful information on Facebook, LinkedIn, and similar sites.

These venues have increased in importance and have even replaced traditional Web pages for many small businesses.

The ease of construction and familiar interface and ability to contact important customers contribute to this movement.

Social media facilitates social networking and the creation of communication links between organizations and individuals important to their existence.

Emerging communities of individuals share common interests and experiences related to their organizations.

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Slides Prepared by Professor Roger McHaney Kansas State UniversityTwitter: @mchaneyBlog: http://mchaney.comEmail : mchaney@ksu.edu