GeekSG

Professional social networking site LinkedIn has launched a new beta version of it’s homepage today. LinkedIn essentially lets you build up your professional profile online, somewhat like your resume, and add your business contacts into your network. As this is a business oriented portal, do not expect the fun games and widgets that you may see on Facebook or MySpace.

LinkedIn is widely used as a tool for headhunters to find talents online and also has a job section for users to look for jobs. Another way LinkedIn is used is its services section where companies can find contractors or freelancers to outsource their work to. This is a great article by Guy Kawasaki on how to best utilize LinkedIn.

The new homepage packs 3 new major functions. Firstly, there will be a company news section which shows the articles that people within your network are reading. The second new function is essentially what Facebook is doing with news feeds which shows all your network’s activities and the final addition is the ability to add modules to customize your homepage to your needs. This I presume is where OpenSocial comes into play where 3rd party developers will create widgets that you can add to enhance your user experience. Read more about the new features.

Like all social websites, LinkedIn depends heavily on the Network Effect. The popularity of LinkedIn within Asia may not be high as that in US or Europe, and hence people do not find a compelling need to sign up, but I urge users to be patient as the uptake is picking up and LinkedIn may very well provide a new dimension to your business life very soon.