Social Networking
A study on LinkedIn
Neetha Joy Saurabh Ranadive
Sarang Bhutada Swarnali Choudhury

• Social Networking
– Not really a revolutionary idea
– Human need to connect IM / Chats Social
Networks
– Web is a good place Forums
– Email
Credibility is the cradle
Messageboards
• Our network of choice
• Darker side
– Sensitive nature of information
– Identity theft
– Advertising Spam

Who is using LinkedIn?
Senior Executives
Savvy Networkers
Somewhat less tech-savvy
Tech-savvy people
Likely to be on LinkedIn by invitation
Active on other networks as well
Not aggressive in building connections
Use LinkedIn as their 'professional' face
LinkedIn Users
Late Adopters
Exploring Options
Likely to receive numerous invitations before
Job-seekers, most of them also registered on
joining
job-sites and portals
Less tech-savvy
Fairly tech-savvy
Restricted friend circle - vary of connecting to
Use LinkedIn even for personal purposes
strangers

• How LinkedIn works? • Legal Aspects
– Online professional network – Sensitive information
– Connections like other – High on rules
networks – Identity financial harm
– Friends of friends of friends of
friends of …
– 'Your network is bigger than
you think'
• How is LinkedIn different?
– Purpose – professional
networking
– Connection more than a casual
acquaintance
– Simple, for a reason

Six Degrees of Separation
theory –
Everyone in the world is
connected by no more than
six degrees of separation
You already have this network of people in real life. LinkedIn helps you see it
and use it.

Enhancing business using LinkedIn
• Businesses that can typically
• Notification about product
be marketed -
launches
– Travel
– curiosity and opportunity
– Sports
– Responses
– Entertainment
– Results
– Apparels
– Electronic Gadgets
• Understand and leverage
the relationships between
people
- Lead Generation
- Sales Acceleration

Steps for promotional campaign on LinkedIn
Step 1 – Step 3 –
• Promotional Items • Identity Continuity
• Email Marketing • RSS subscribe
• Partnerships / Strategic
Relationships
Curiosity and opportunity to step into the shoes of the creator -
• Sponsorship / Contests
Wondering if you guys were me, what would you do next with
• Blogs Mahalo.
• Videos Background:
1. We’ve got a great team: tech, admin, research, and editorial.
2. We’ve got an amazing server setup and can handle massive
traffic.
Step 2 – 3. We’ve got 4,000 pages done and can do 500 per week.
• Publications, Articles and E- 4. The public is suggesting links already (do a search apple, iphone,
a car or a tv show and you’ll fine some suggested links).
groups 5. Folks are not chatting on message board yet.
6. We have a very stable and robust technology platform
• Reviews (MediaWiki).
• Keyword Advertising So, given what we’ve got… what would you do next?!?!?
• Viral Marking

Steps for promotional campaign on LinkedIn
Promotional Email Marketing Partnerships Blogs Videos
Step 1
offers
Step 2
Articles, E- Reviews Viral Marketing
groups
RSS
Identity
Step 3
Continuity

Tools and applications that aid marketing in LinkedIn

Marketing Strategies on LinkedIn
Search Engine Optimization
Increase the visibility of the brand
•Answer pages indexed to category
•Answer Questions to display expertise
•Have company website on personal
•Stimulating blog posts to drive traffic
profiles of employees
•Service provider recommendations
•Encourage +ve buzz
•Notify event launches
•Have popular figures associated with
•Slideshare application
company (independent
•Company buzz
directors)mention their involvement
Direct Sales Market Research
•Company Profiles to explore Polls application can be used. The
potential clients. target audience can be,
•People search tool to zero in on a •Your network.
profile of potential clients •Targeted set of professionals on
specific industry, job type etc(paid
service)

Marketing Strategies on LinkedIn(contd)
Advertisement potential
Recruitment and job search
•Ads allow for precision targeting
•Post a job feature
according to age, experience etc.
•Reference search
•Target specific segments like
•Direct access by Inmail
entrepreneurs, business developers
•Automated talent matching
•Ads can be segregated region wise
•Dedicated account managers for
•Easy payment ex. Credit card
premium customers
LinkedIn for Entrepreneurs LinkedIn for business development
•Answers feature to get expert •Find relevant contacts in other
advice organizations using people search
•Advance search to find potential •Company pages to get deep
consultants and experts understanding of companies
•Company profile feature to learn •View the profile of counter parts to
about competition find common ground
•Reference check
•Service provider recommendations

Marketing Perspective
Application Possible Business
Box.net Files Collaboration on various simultaneous activities
TripIt -Business opportunities for “Tours and Travels” firms
-Tie-ups possible with various State and National
Tourisms
Huddle Workspaces -makes business sense for multi-national firms
-outsourcing firms
Polls -“Paid distributed networks” already exists
-Good opportunity for market research firms
SlideShare - Consulting presentations
Company Buzz -Investments
WordPress Business bloggers can integrate analytics and paid
advertising and apply SEO (search engine optimization)
in the blog
Reading List by Amazon Publishers and online sellers of books can do roaring
business using this application

Businesses on LinkedIn
Business How are they using LinkedIn?
•No major Law Firm without a LinkedIn profile
Legal
•At least 216,000 lawyers on social networking sites
as on June2008
•Groups- MyLinkLaw, KM for Legal Professionals and
many more
•LinkedIn Answers
Travel TripIt
Strategic Strategic alliance between CNBC and LinkedIn
•Search for candidates
Recruitment
•Post jobs
•Make contact with interested and qualified parties
•Huddle Workspaces
Outsourcing/Automated Internet Business
•Drastic reduction in office working hours
•Enhanced productivity
•Build profiles
Wealth Management Products/Services
•Gain popularity
•Hunt for suitable applicants
• LinkedIn Answers
•Amazon.com
Online Retail
•eBay
•Capgemini (consulting, technology, outsourcing)
Collaborative
• Accelerator for new business
Financial Advice
•Builds a wide- ranging professional network

Future of Social Networking
• Accessing through mobile
phones
• Universal Identities
• A single social graph
• Increased competition
among the Social Networks
• Social context for activities

How does this
make business
sense?
• Social influence  market value
• Easier access Better business
Featured Applications on LinkedIn
• Share and collaborate
• Control of access
• Current and competitive
• Limited access
• Limited flexibility

Thank You!