LinkedIn will now let its users ‘follow’ and receive updates from people outside their personal contact list, as the business-based social network looks to boost user engagement on the site.
The new feature mimics other popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook where users can check for updates from leaders, celebrities and others with large numbers of followers.
Until now, LinkedIn’s 175 million-members could only share information with their immediate circle of contacts on the service.
The new follow toll means that celebrities and ordinary LinkedIn users alike will be able to post messages, share photos and links to news articles that can be read by a broad group of people.
The ability to have followers will initially be available to only 150 LinkedIn users the company has pre-selected, including Virgin Group’s Richard Branson, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and Huffington Post President Arianna Huffington. President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Mitt Romney are also among the initial group.
Eventually, any user on LinkedIn will be able to have others follow them, the company said.
The move forms part of LinkedIn’s bid to boost the time users spend on its social network, in turn generating more advertising revenue.
LinkedIn’s U.S. users spent an average of 20.6 minutes on its website in August, compared with an average of 402.9 minutes for Facebook users, according to data analytics firm comScore. And LinkedIn users made an average of 5.4 visits to its website in August, compared with 35.6 visits by users on Facebook.
LinkedIn, which had revenue of $522 million last year, makes money from selling ads and premium subscriptions, as well as from offering specialized services to recruiters.
View the 150 LinkedIn users you can follow here
