Learning LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social media network for professionals that was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman who believed people needed a platform to take control of their professional lives. The platform grew rapidly, reaching 1 million professionals by 2004 and 10 million by 2007. Later, LinkedIn was bought by Microsoft in 2016 for $26.2 billion. Today, it is the world’s largest professional network as it has over 900 million users in more than 200 countries. It is a place for professionals to join to connect with one another, stay up to date and apply for jobs. The app provides an opportunity of advancing your career by making it easier to interact with businesses, customers, employers, colleagues and potential employees.

The network has 745.84 million monthly users, with males making up 57% and females 43% of their user population. It is the number one channel for B2B marketing and the 18^th most popular social media platform. With over 75 million company pages/accounts, it is the most trusted platform for consumers. With all of these statistics, however, it is reported that users only spend 17 minutes monthly on the app. Now, that number surprised me.

I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, connecting and networking with professionals around me and in my field. I spend more than 17 minutes on the app daily – I can’t imagine only spending that much time a month. Granted, my major is Public Relations and networking is a major component in that field. I love connecting with new people and getting to see the experiences and opportunities they have in their work. I have connected with people working in PR, and similar careers that I am interested in pursuing, from all over the US and even in other countries. It has made me more excited for my future career and more confident that I have chosen the right field for me.

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