Djacobs+strategy+report

Jacobs D To: Proximity Media Teams From: Daniel Jacobs Date: February 24, 2010 Subject: Linkedin Strategy Report I am writing a strategy report on the professional social networking site Linkedin. This site makes it easier for its members to conduct business. Linkedin attracts members by offering a wealth of tools for business solutions and the ability to connect to the people you need efficiently.

Started in May of 2002, the site started in the living room of its co-founder, Reid Hoffman, along with 4 other original members. Linkedin has grown to be the largest professional networking site to date. Linkedin is designed with business in mind. Linkedin boasts over 60 million members, over half of which are outside of the united states, spread out over 200 countries and representing 150 industries. Among its members are executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies, and is still growing, with a new member approximately every second. (Linkedin, 2010)
 * Profile**

Linkedin is the largest and most broad of the professional networking sites and offers the most options to its members. Other sites, such as MyWorkster.com, offer a more specialized network. It is a professional college network. Other competitors, such as brightfuse.com, offer much the same services but on a smaller scale.
 * Competitive landscape**

The ability to switch from one site to another in this market is less then in other networking sites. This is because in many of these kind of professional neworking sites businesses pay for a profile. With Linkedin, you have the option of paying for additional content, making it more desirable to some members because they can choose to pay depending on their specific needs.

Their success can largely be attributed to linkedin's dedication to its members, and the wide array of tools that the site offers. Linkedin's strength is in the fact that it is not a typical social networking site. Most sites do not allow their members to see connections of other members, Linkedin makes these contacts visible to all its members so that it is easier to find the connection they are looking for. Each member of Linkedin makes a profile outlining experiences, recommendations, education and more. Members can then make specialized searches to find particular kinds of people, such as investors or advertisers, for their businesses. Linkedin is constructed to make business operations easier for bosses and employees alike. As a member looking for work, Linkedin is capable of finding exactly the kind of job the member needs and locations that are currently hiring.
 * Linkedin's strategy**

Linkedin states, "Our mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful." (Linkedin, 2010) They offer many services to their members, these services include: (Linkedin, 2010)
 * Manage the information that’s publicly available about you as a professional
 * Find and be introduced to potential clients, service providers, and subject experts who come recommended
 * Create and collaborate on projects, gather data, share files and solve problems
 * Be found for business opportunities and find potential partners
 * Gain new insights from discussions with like-minded professionals in private group settings
 * Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals
 * Post and distribute job listings to find the best talent for your company

Gen Y can benefit greatly from a social networking site such as this one. Linkedin's business strategy has been very successful in their 8 years. I believe their current strategy will allow them to continue growing at a very fast pace.
 * Implications on Gen Y**



Hoffman, Reid, (2010), Linkedin. retrieved February 27, 2010 from Linkedin, [] Linkedin, Facebook. Retrieved February 22, 1010 from [|http://www.facebook.com/LinkedIn#!/LinkedIn?v=info] Wikipedia, (2010) Linkedin. Retrieved February 22, 2010 from []