Professional Social networks

2021. Polywork gets $3.5M to blend professional and social networking



Polywork, a new professional social network, has secured $3.5 million in seed funding. In essence, Polywork functions like a Twitter-style social feed where professionals can share updates about their work and personal lives if they wish. This creates an interface that has a gamified and informal feel, actively encouraging users to showcase their personalities, while also serving as a platform to display work-related activities and accomplishments. From a professional networking perspective, this approach enables users to quickly gain a visual overview of an individual, providing additional context to the information already available on their LinkedIn profile. Users can also easily navigate to specific examples of their work. Recruiters and others seeking ice-breakers in professional settings will likely appreciate the opportunity to access more current and relevant material prior to initiating conversations or pitches.


2021. Blind raises $37M to double down on workplace gossip and career advice



Blind has established a distinctive presence within the realm of social networking. The platform serves as an app where verified, pseudonymous employees engage in discussions about various happenings within their respective organizations, sharing insights on topics ranging from layoffs and promotions to company policies. Combining elements of LinkedIn, Reddit, and Slack, Blind has gained substantial popularity among tech professionals in Silicon Valley and beyond, amassing an impressive user base of 5 million verified individuals. Building upon this success, Blind has recently secured $37 million in Series C funding, further fueling its growth and expansion.

2020. Cooper raises $2M to build a professional network centered on introductions



Cooper, an innovative platform focused on facilitating introductions, has successfully raised $2 million in seed funding. Unlike existing professional networking sites that primarily serve as directories of online résumés and emphasize the quantity of connections, Cooper takes a different approach. It aims to create a private professional network where the emphasis is not on the number of connections but on bringing together trusted individuals within a circle. Cooper achieves this by limiting users' connections to people they genuinely know. The platform utilizes a user's online calendar data and provides them with a personalized invite code that can be shared with their professional contacts, ensuring a curated and trusted network.


2019. German LinkedIn rival Xing is rebranding as New Work



Xing, often referred to as Germany's equivalent of LinkedIn, has taken steps to enhance its recruitment services and prepare for a rebranding of the company under the name "New Work." As part of this strategic move, the platform has acquired Honeypot, a German startup that has developed a job-hunting platform specifically tailored for tech professionals. The acquisition, valued at up to €57 million ($64 million), represents Xing's largest acquisition to date. Xing has expressed its intention to integrate Honeypot and other acquired assets into the New Work brand, which is scheduled to be unveiled in the second half of 2019. These developments aim to consolidate and strengthen Xing's position in the business networking and recruitment sector.


2018. LinkedIn adds voice messaging



LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, has introduced a new feature: voice messages. Available through the LinkedIn app on iOS and Android, users can now send and receive voice messages both on mobile devices and the LinkedIn website. These voice messages can be up to one minute in duration. While LinkedIn has established itself as a powerful tool for professional networking, particularly among recruiters and HR professionals, it can sometimes feel overwhelming, akin to a second email inbox. The addition of voice messages offers a refreshing departure from text-based communication, although it may contribute to the volume of inbound messages users receive on the platform. LinkedIn believes that sending voice messages on the go is more convenient than typing them out, and the asynchronous nature of voice messages on LinkedIn makes them easier for recipients to manage compared to phone calls or voicemails. Furthermore, the company asserts that users can better convey their thoughts and expressions through voice messages.


2017. LinkedIn makes its messenger smarter


LinkedIn is introducing a new smart reply capability within its messaging app, designed to assist users in maintaining a smooth conversation by offering various suggested phrases. The initial release of this feature is available in English on LinkedIn's mobile app and desktop platform. The company intends to expand its availability to other languages in the future. Users have the option to disable the smart reply feature through their settings. While LinkedIn has been experimenting with suggested replies since January, today's announcement signifies a significant advancement as the company incorporates more AI tools, including machine learning and enhanced natural language processing, to better comprehend conversation context and provide helpful suggestions.


2014. Business social network BranchOut is sold out



1-Page, an HR software company, has acquired BranchOut, the startup that aimed to establish a "LinkedIn within Facebook," for approximately $5.4 million. Initially, BranchOut gained rapid popularity by providing a Facebook app that allowed users to utilize their social network's contact list as a professional networking tool. With this growth, the company amassed 33 million users and secured $49 million in funding. However, the app's decline began when Facebook altered its policies regarding app spamming, causing a setback for BranchOut. As part of the acquisition, 1-Page is purchasing the BranchOut app itself, intending to leverage it in the creation of a robust employee referral engine for enterprises worldwide.


2014. LinkedIn strips down social email plugin Rapportive



Rapportive, the social email widget designed for Gmail that retrieves contact information from LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, was acquired by LinkedIn in 2012. After a considerable duration, it is finally receiving its first update. However, the news is not entirely positive. Firstly, LinkedIn has discontinued Raplets, which were widgets enabling users to incorporate additional data sources into Rapportive's default setup. Additionally, Notes functionality has also been removed. Furthermore, LinkedIn is implementing significant changes to the way Facebook and Twitter features will operate moving forward. Now, these social networks will only appear in the sidebar if the respective contact has listed them on their LinkedIn profile.


2014. LinkedIn premium profiles will look like Facebook



Professional social network LinkedIn has introduced enticing features to encourage more people to sign up for its paid premium version. These features include a redesigned profile with larger pictures, additional tools for improved discoverability and ease of contact, and expanded data on profile views. While some may draw comparisons to Facebook, LinkedIn emphasizes that the objective is to foster better connections. The changes aim to help premium users stand out more in search results and create a "more personal feel." While the new profile design is exclusive to premium users, all members will eventually receive an updated profile version that allows for larger background pictures.


2014. LinkedIn now shows your rank in your network



The Who's Viewed Your Profile section on LinkedIn is highly popular among users. Now, LinkedIn is expanding this section by introducing a new feature that displays your profile's ranking compared to others in your company and your entire network of connections on the platform. The ranking is determined based on the number of times your profile has been viewed within the last 30 days. Alongside the rankings, users will find a list of "easy ways to get more views," offering suggestions such as joining specific groups or adding particular skills to their profiles. It's worth noting that only individuals with a first-degree connection to you on LinkedIn will have access to view your profile's ranking, ensuring that recruiters do not factor it into their assessments.


2013. LinkedIn wants to become contact manager in every Email client


Most individuals are shifting away from email as a means of communication with their loved ones and friends, opting instead for social networks or Skype. However, in the realm of business, particularly for interactions with partners and customers, email continues to remain the primary communication channel. Recognizing this, LinkedIn, the social network tailored for professionals, envisions significant potential within this technology. Ideally, LinkedIn aims to transform itself into an integrated address book within every email client, housing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information about one's business contacts. To this end, LinkedIn acquired the browser plug-in Rapportive last year. Rapportive functions within Gmail, displaying the sender's social profile when an email is received. Rapportive remains functional, and LinkedIn recently introduced its counterpart for iPhone Mail, known as LinkedIn Intro. This is not a standalone application but rather a plug-in that is registered online and appears in the phone settings. The video above showcases its functionality.