As LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional online network, rapidly closes in on its eighth birthday in May of this year (almost a lifetime for Web-based businesses these days!), the company just surpassed another major, and even more spectacular, milestone yesterday: the 100 million member mark.
Interestingly enough, more than 50% of the company's members come from outside the United States, with one-quarter alone based in Europe (20+ million) and the United Kingdom (5+ million). Nearly 10%, or just over 9 million, are in India. Overall, LinkedIn has members in over 200 countries and territories.
The diversity and accelerated growth in membership are impressive, and certainly represent attractive qualities as the company races toward its highly-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) in 2012. Another big sign of growth? LinkedIn started off 2011 with nearly 1,000 full-time employees located all around the globe, up from around 500 at the beginning of 2010.
To commemorate the membership milestone, LinkedIn produced the following infographic which details interesting membership figures and demographics. Check it out by clicking on the image for a larger view:
Interestingly enough, more than 50% of the company's members come from outside the United States, with one-quarter alone based in Europe (20+ million) and the United Kingdom (5+ million). Nearly 10%, or just over 9 million, are in India. Overall, LinkedIn has members in over 200 countries and territories.
The diversity and accelerated growth in membership are impressive, and certainly represent attractive qualities as the company races toward its highly-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) in 2012. Another big sign of growth? LinkedIn started off 2011 with nearly 1,000 full-time employees located all around the globe, up from around 500 at the beginning of 2010.
To commemorate the membership milestone, LinkedIn produced the following infographic which details interesting membership figures and demographics. Check it out by clicking on the image for a larger view:
Keep your eye on LinkedIn over the next 12 months as it prepares to go public. The company has been introducing features and services left and right for companies and individual professionals, and it promises even more to come. And as Facebook continues to focus more on consumers than businesses, LinkedIn may become the de facto social media outlet for companies of all sizes.
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As a journalism major, especially one interested in the field of public relations, I cannot count the number of times it has been stressed to me that it is impertinent to be involved in social media. Today it is uncommon for someone to not have a Facebook account and Twitter has rapidly been catching on. Evidence of this can be seen in the case of the news of Osama bin Laden’s death. On May 1, Twitter was the first to announce the news.
ReplyDeleteI signed up for a LinkedIn account after my first internship at the consumer and lifestyle PR firm HL Group. Since then I have used it as a networking tool and have been offered job positions and internships through connections made on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn allows you to connect with classmates, friends and colleagues, discover connections when looking for a job, and network with an industry full of experts will to share advice. Still more than 50% of the company’s members come from outside the U.S.
When Todd Lieman, Founder/Co-President at Skadaddle Media came to talk to my upper division PR writing class at CSULB he asked who had a LinkedIn profile. I was surprised at how few classmates raised their hands. LinkedIn has rarely been discussed in any of my classes.
I believe LinkedIn is an important networking tool for professionals that should be stressed more to students in the classroom. LinkedIn is the future of online resumes and social networking among professionals. Hopefully we will see more accelerated growth in the U.S.
Melissa Mathieson