Last week, we wrote how a single LinkedIn status update received more than 3,000 comments. While “going viral” is a common occurrence on Twitter or YouTube, this is new territory on LinkedIn. You may be wondering how this could happen. After all, if you only have 150 connections, how can you score 3,000 comments?
The answer lies in a change to LinkedIn’s format that now allows people to comment on your status from various places on the platform — even if they are not directly connected to you.
For example, if I now comment on a status of a friend, this is recorded for all of my contacts to see. Any of those contacts can now comment on that update … and if they comment, then their professional connections can comment, and so on and so on.
This is an important and significant change for LinkedIn that provides more “stickiness” to their site but also more opportunities to connect and learn from potential new professional connections.
In the past week we’ve observed several “copycat” updates trying to take advantage of this new capability so the idea is catching on. And while viral for the sake of viral is only mildly interesting, there is no reason you couldn’t promote content, videos and contests to LinkedIn’s audience even if you have a relatively small number followers.
We consider this a game-changer in the space. For example, a resort could easily promote “comment or like to be entered to win a dream-vacation” – then BAM, it goes viral and their sales reps are set for the traffic and sure-to-follow inbound leads.
This seems like a win-win to us and could propel a whole new level of targeted marketing efforts through LinkedIn.
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Interesting, and I like the direction Linked In has been going to keep up with other Social Media.
I think that part of the power and value of Linkedin is that you are connected to professional contacts that you know and trust. Using your Linkedin status as a viral marketig tool would seem to devalue that in that you may be “unfriended” or ignored as a someone who is simply trying to use their professional network for cheap hits.
Russell, I agree. This is great to publicize any new skill, an interesting comment, or my opinion, or news about my company. But using it as a catcher for winning a vacation or offering services will make more harm than good, specially given the LinkedIn reputation of professional business. I may break the LinkedIn etiquette.
@Ken and @Russell: Thanks for the comments and for reading our blog.
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@Ken: I too like this direction and see huge potential for companies to leverage this.
AND
@Russell: I also see potential value erosion here and don’t disagree with you – LinkedIn is walking a fine line and so are the members who might abuse this type of upgrade (but then again people have been abusing LinkedIn for sometime now, i.e. LION’s). There is a setting in your control panel that gives you some privacy here as an individual user AND you of course can “hide” updates from annoying connections you don’t want to delete… (BTW, the “new” default setting for LI makes your status updates open to everyone)
Cheers,
Nathan
@William – Just to be clear, this isn’t meant for a “dream vacation” although it clearly says that in the blog… when we sketched this out, it was meant to be pointed at driving a promotion for a corporate “group” block at a hotel in a B2B capacity (we work with a lot of hotels for group business — no b2c). Guess that is what happens when you “group write” blog posts… really my fault as it is my job to oversee every post. Not sure if that changes your opinion… the baseline here is that the change LinkedIn made is going to change the way people and corporations use the platform.
Thanks for the comment!
-Nathan
I am far from a Luddite, but at this point I find the various format and design changes cumbersome – - perhaps that’s just a matter of getting used to things.
The viral issue is problematic in these days of opt in/opt out. 3000 unexpected responses is just creepy. Sometimes less if more if more means impersonal messages, lack of privacy, and uncertainty as to where one’s information might end up.
Game changer? Maybe. Which then raises some questions, including:
* what game does LinkedIn actually want to be in, other than the one that makes most money for LinkedIn?
* what game do we want to be in?
Picking up on Marilyn’s comment, while 3,000 comments might be music to some ears I can’t help wondering who would read them and would their lives be better for the experience.
hi,
linkedin team.
really its linked-in, with in 2 months of period 194 friends got connected.
Good,its working.
“Best Wishes to Linkedin team.
Thanks,
Sadesh B.Devaki
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