I generally like the no-frills, mostly business approach of LinkedIn.
But today’s New York Times reports that the site is struggling, and may find a bit of a boost in with the Hollywood crowd:
The company bills itself as “the world’s largest and most powerful business network” but is known to most people as the Web site they begrudgingly visit every few months to approve be-my-contact invitations. Could Hollywood’s woes represent an opportunity for LinkedIn to woo new followers?
“Because so many people are looking for work, entertainment is an area that’s ripe for people to be ambitious and entrepreneurial,” said Rob Getzschman, LinkedIn’s entertainment market manager.
Mr. Getzschman lectured about LinkedIn at the Los Angeles Film Festival; on Thursday a LinkedIn representative will speak to indie filmmakers at a Film Independent workshop, also in Los Angeles. Engagements at the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America are also planned. LinkedIn has one happy customer. Robert Margouleff, a producer of Stevie Wonder albums, lost a big sound-mixing client. After attending a LinkedIn event, he used the network to find sponsors for a documentary and to meet a National Geographic executive.
Do you use LinkedIn? Do you like it’s stripped-down approach to networking?
I love LinkedIn specifically because it’s just the facts networking – no cuteness, no decor, no personal details that accidentally overshare. It’s been the best way to catch up with and keep up with my professional contacts from 20+ years of moving around, vs. connecting people you only know a little to a more personal Facebook or MySpace page. It’s also an easy way to check out job candidates and potential partners without feeling like you’re prying.
The site is struggling becuase the interface is horrible. I can barely find any messages in my inbox.
Yeah, LinkedIn is for business only it seems, and the interface is definitely not the most simple to navigate. Not sure if Hollywood would help it connect with the general public more though, as most celebs/actors would want to keep their biz private, no? Unless LI starts featuring ways to connect to fans with actors/celebs/movie sites, etc. But does that then change the enitre nature of the site away from biz and more towards a TMZ.com.
Agree with Dave D. on the benefits of LI, especially in being able to check out people’s CVs and keep up with people you are very casually tied to.
@BG: From the article, it seems they are talking about reaching out to “the little people” – the cameramen, character actors, set designers and the like. Not the stars, movers and shakers.