LinkedIn, with more than 175 million users, is hands down the premier online business network. But did you know...
That's what this column is all about. Things you may not know about LinkedIn! When I consult with companies and organizations on using LinkedIn, or give a presentation on the topic, inevitably I get one or two participants that say "I didn't know that!"
So I thought I'd share a few things about LinkedIn that many people don't know.
1. LinkedIn is a small business hub
A study recently released by LinkedIn revealed that there are more than 15 million LinkedIn members who are small business professionals. The top five countries with the most small business professionals on LinkedIn: The United States (6.8 million), United Kingdom (more than 1 million), India (1 million), The Netherlands (597,010) and Canada (579,253).
This infographic illustrates the location of the top 10 countries with the most small business professionals on Linked: Top 10 LinkedIn Countries
Takeaway: if your business is targeting small business owners, LinkedIn may be the place for your marketing efforts.
2. Four out of five UK business professionals are now on LinkedIn - more than 10 million
Last week, LinkedIn passed the 10 million user mark in the United Kingdom. More significant though is the fact that four out of five business professionals are now on LinkedIn. This includes, by the way, David Cameron, Prime Minister of Britain.
LinkedIn launched in 2007 in the UK, so that's 10 million members in only 5 years.
Check out this infographic, which comes from the undergroundrecruiter.com, gives some more insight into the UK Linkedin membership: LinkedIn UK Membership
Takeaway: doing business in the UK? Makes sense to be using LinkedIn to connect with customers and prospects.
3. Groups is one of the most popular LinkedIn features - and rightfully so.
There are now more than 1 million groups on LinkedIn - and this feature is being used for marketing to the LinkedIn community on a regular basis.
The largest group on LinkedIn boasts more than 250,000 members. The smallest has two members.
Takeaway: with more than 1 million groups on LinkedIn, it's easy to do a search for groups where your customers live and market in their community.
4. LinkedIn Company pages now number more than two million
According to LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, Over two million companies have posted company profiles on LinkedIn. Some companies, like Microsoft and IBM, have over half a million followers of their company profiles on LinkedIn.
You can now Like, Share, Recommend and Follow companies through their pages on LinkedIn. This becomes a marketing website within LinkedIn. Recent changes to the Company feature announced by LinkedIn include better navigation, larger pictures and the ability to see Company pages on mobile networks - including iPhone and Android LinkedIn apps.
Takeaway: A LinkedIn Company page has become a key marketing feature on LinkedIn. Make sure yours is up to date and relevant.
5. Random, fun, trivial facts
While some may argue that the previous four "facts" were random, maybe fun and possibly trivial, I thought I'd throw in a few facts that definitely meet that criteria.
Of the top four social networks - LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube - LinkedIn is the oldest - established on May 5, 2003.
A new member joins LinkedIn every second.
Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter both have LinkedIn profiles.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscar folks) has a LinkedIn Company profile with what is probably the most interesting description on LinkedIn: ©AMPAS® is a member based organization that hosts an internationally televised annual awards presentation show for distinguished achievements in the film industry. That pretty much sums it up, but this site is forcing me to type minimum of 250 characters.
Takeaway on the last entry: monitor who is representing your brand!
Final Thoughts
I often say we're only "scratching the surface" on the power of LinkedIn. The reach of the network internationally, the number of groups available, the new features that are being announced, can all help in your day-to-day marketing efforts.
The other takeaway - have fun with your LinkedIn marketing. There are a myriad of ways to engage with your customers on LinkedIn in a targeted and deliberate fashion.
Want to connect on LinkedIn? Send me an invite and I'll gladly accept your invitation!