What is LinkedIn?  Explanation from LinkedIn website (http://press.linkedin.com/about)

LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. With more than 135 million members worldwide, including executives from every Fortune 500 company, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network on the Internet. The company has a diversified business model with revenue coming from member subscriptions, marketing solutions and hiring solutions. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, LinkedIn also has offices across North America, as well as throughout Europe, Asia and Australia.

What is LinkedIn in Social MarCom laymen’s terms?

LinkedIn is the Professional Social Network.  The Facebook for executives.  LinkedIn allows you to create a profile which is very much like a resume.  You are encouraged to enter your career history, education, specialties, activities, etc.  The term used in LinkedIn is connections (similar to Friends on Facebook). Linkedin uses a 3 degree of separation networking system. This means you are connected to people either at a 1st, 2nd, 3rd level or not at all. Let me explain how this works – Let’s say John is connected directly to Tom, they are 1st level connections.  John is also directly connected to Chris, they are 1st level connections as well. However Tom and Chris are 2nd level connections, through John.  Lastly, Ben and Chris are directly connected, that would make Ben and Tom 3rd level connections, connected through Chris and John.  You can obtain recommendations from connections that will display for others to read about you, this is important because it promotes validation. The value of LinkedIn is in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd level contacts and how your message will be seen by them.  You can search by people’s name or by experience.   In addition to setting up a personal profile you can also create a company page with products and services listed.  As well, as join and create groups, which are online forums where LinkedIn users share information, provide advice, and promote products and services.

LinkedIn company page set up:

LinkedIn products and services set up:

LinkedIn Terms to know :

Connection – These are the people that you have accepted or invited to be part of your LinkedIn Network.  Your 1st level connections.

Profile – This is where you would create your professional profile that resembles a resume.  Include your title, current and past positions and the companies you’ve worked for.

Recommendations – These are written about you by people you have worked with and done business with. The recommendations are displayed in your LinkedIn profile for others to view.

Network – These are the people that are your 1st, 2nd and 3rd level connections.

Registration URL 

Registration tips – Register yourself and also create a company page with products and services.

Type of content to make available: LinkedIn primarily accepts text based content, which will be displayed on your networks news feed.  LinkedIn does offer many plug-ins/widgets to add to your profile, to show pictures, presentations, etc.