What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a professional social networking platform founded in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2016. Unlike entertainment-focused social networks, LinkedIn is designed focused on career development, networking, and B2B marketing. Users create profiles to showcase their work experience, education, and skills, and connect with others in their industry.

With over 900 million members globally, LinkedIn is a powerful platform for personal branding, thought leadership, and professional visibility—ideal for freelancers, business owners, and job seekers.

Key LinkedIn features

LinkedIn offers numerous tools for professionals and businesses:

Professional profiles: Digital resumes highlighting work experience, skills, and accomplishments
Company pages: Official business profiles for organization branding and updates
News feed: Algorithm-curated content from connections and followed entities
Groups: Professional communities centered around industries or interests
LinkedIn Learning: Educational courses for professional development
Recruitment tools: Job posting and candidate search capabilities
Sales Navigator: Premium prospecting and sales intelligence features

LinkedIn for marketing and business development

For brands and professionals, LinkedIn offers unique advantages:

• B2B targeting: Precise audience targeting based on job titles, industries, and company size
• Thought leadership: Platform for sharing industry expertise and insights
• Lead generation: Specialized tools for capturing professional leads
• Talent acquisition: Recruitment advertising and employer branding
• Employee advocacy: Engaging team members as brand ambassadors

LinkedIn's professional focus makes it particularly valuable for industries like financial services, technology, consulting, higher education, and B2B services.