LinkedIn, the business-driven social networking site, now uses search data from Bing for ad targeting. On the flip side, your LinkedIn activity is also used for interest-targeted ads when you are on Bing. According to Search Engine Land, this is the first time search data is being used for targeting on LinkedIn since the network was purchased by Microsoft nearly three years ago.
LinkedIn added the interest targeting feature to its ad platform in January of this year. Advertisers can target users with specific interests, based on the content they have engaged with, both through the social network and Bing searches. Currently, more than 200 topics are listed as options for ad targeting.
While you may not hear much about LinkedIn compared to mega-networks like Facebook and Twitter, it is certainly influential when it comes to engaging the professional workforce. Hootsuite reports that, on average, two new users join LinkedIn every second. That’s a bigger growth rate than Twitter. Data also shows that 50 percent of Americans with college degrees have LinkedIn accounts, indicated it is one of the best ways to reach an educated demographic.
While LinkedIn is well known as a great recruitment and job search tool, it is also an excellent place to find local and national business news. As a marketer, I always encourage sharing press releases on your company profile page for two specific reasons. First, working professionals are more likely to engage with brand-related news on LinkedIn because they are already in “business mode.” On Facebook, users are often there to look at family photos or engage with recreational content. Second, posting corporate updates on LinkedIn makes it easier for job candidates, business journalists, and partner companies to see a curated list of what you’ve accomplished.