LinkedIn has emerged as a key social media platform for professional networking, hosting over 175 million users by 2012. It serves as a vital tool for job searching, maintaining business contacts, and showcasing resumes, while features like company pages and InMaps enhance user engagement and networking visualization. The growing significance of social media like LinkedIn represents a shift from traditional web pages, facilitating communication and connections in professional communities.

1. Web 2.0 and Social
Media for Business
Chapter 8: Big Social Media: Facebook and LinkedIn Part B
Roger McHaney, Kansas State University

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. LinkedIn Profile Components

5. Example LinkedIn Profile

6. Creating Connections
Once 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.

7. 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.

8. LinkedIn Functions
LinkedIn 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.

9. InMaps
InMaps permits visualization of LinkedIn Network.

10. InMaps
InMaps accesses a LinkedIn Account to retrieve data.

11. InMaps
InMaps groups connections by analyzing links.

12. Visualization of Network

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. Summary
Big 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.

16. Slide Media from:
Slides Prepared by Professor Roger McHaney
Kansas State University PresenterMedia.com
Twitter: @mchaney support@presentermedia.com
Blog: http://mchaney.com
Email : mchaney@ksu.edu
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