Image Courtesy of The DEMO Conference via Flickr Creative Commons
Since its launch in 2003, LinkedIn has grown to be one of the most widely used and respected professional networks. By the end of its first month in operation, the platform had approximately 4,500 members across the globe. Today, LinkedIn has over 400 Million users, and it is undoubtedly the most important available resource for professional networking. Despite all of this, there has been one facet of the LinkedIn user experience that has been just a bit disappointing.
LinkedIn’s flagship mobile app has been somewhat of a weakness for the platform, and to put it plainly, it was in need of a complete overhaul. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over. The new streamlined mobile experience is now available globally, and the developers who created it certainly did not disappoint.
The new LinkedIn mobile app has been redesign with modern-day professional networking in mind. As expected, this does include a dynamic news feed. The feed will showcase the conversations and content that have been determined to be most relevant to you, based on the platform’s proprietary algorithm. This is not far from what you are used to seeing. However, that old, boring uniform design is a thing of the past. LinkedIn now features the trendy swipe-left, swipe-right behaviors that have become so popular with other mobile applications.
The way that messages are sent and received is another aspect that has been noticeably improved upon. Messaging through LinkedIn feels more natural now, and it even includes custom emoji stickers. Users can now turn messaging notifications on and off, independent of the app’s main notifications, as well. The entire messaging interface is quick and lightweight, which is also something that can be said for the app’s search features. Search is now 300% faster, and is much more intuitive. Similar to the Facebook search function, you now receive search results before you are even finished typing.
While the app’s news feed, messaging, and search functions are extremely useful, they simply cannot compete with the redesigned personal branding and professional networking features. Where individual branding is concerned, this app offers a kind of convenience and ease of use that we have never seen before in business-related applications. It’s so simple that you can literally update your entire professional profile between one meeting and the next.
Another thing that you can do between meetings is get to know your colleagues. These developers have shown an incredible level of foresight with the app’s calendar sync features. If you connect your calendar to your LinkedIn account, you will receive prompts prior to your appointments asking you to review the professional details of the person you are meeting. Other networking tools include a daily network brief and advanced search refinement capabilities when browsing through your connections.
Unfortunately, there are a few minor aspects that remain unimproved in the new streamlined mobile experience. You will still not be able to access groups without logging into the LinkedIn website, and if you wish to use the job search function, you’ll need to download a separate app in the LinkedIn bundle. These shortcomings can be a slight inconvenience for some, but the majority of professionals will never even notice.
Much like the platform itself, this newly-redesigned mobile app has the potential to become a game changer for digital networking. The features that were once confined to desktop use are now available on the go, making LinkedIn much more practical for today’s busy professionals. If you’re interested in making LinkedIn and the new LinkedIn mobile app part of your professional growth strategy, contact a member of our team to learn more.