The new LinkedIn redesign was just announced and the scale of changes to their desktop experience is absolutely massive. From the screenshots and video LinkedIn has provided, this new look is quite a departure from what we are used to seeing.
LinkedIn has been the social network you had to be on as opposed to the social network you wanted to be on. The new design will transform the LinkedIn experience to one that is more social, more user-friendly, and enjoyable. Will users find themselves drawn to LinkedIn rather than Facebook? Only time will tell.
The screenshots and video LinkedIn released references the LinkedIn profile and indicates that although the look is different, the fundamental profile remains unchanged. There is still a profile picture, headline, and summary. Once can assume the other sections also remain intact. The profile strength is still used to measure one’s progress. A big difference is the location of Who’s Viewed Your Profile. The placement of these stats is more front and center than before showing the importance LinkedIn places on the profile and traffic to the profile.
The most obvious change is the new navigation bar. It now consists of icons and text. Messaging and Notifications have been moved from their secondary location to the primary area. Search is still dominantly located and clearly remains an important part of the LinkedIn experience. The Profile menu item has been renamed to Me. The Interests section and Advanced search link are missing, perhaps they are located within submenus that are not visible.
LinkedIn Messaging is now more chat-like than ever. Messaging is no longer relegated to just one page, it’s now docked on the lower right of the screen very much like Google’s chat. The biggest change is the addition of automated messages to help users network more effectively. LinkedIn now will provide templated responses and icebreakers based on shared profile information.
With their acquisition of Lynda.com, LinkedIn clearly values professional development. The new LinkedIn Learning section will assist users in staying up to date in their industry and career and provide them with educational resources for development and growth.
The LinkedIn Feed on the homepage also has a new look but the biggest difference appears to be what LinkedIn is calling the Interest Feed. This Interest Feed automatically aggregates news and information based upon your industry, network, and interests. If you ever scrolled through LinkedIn’s home page newsfeed and felt either over or underwhelmed, the Interest Feed may provide you with the catered news and information you crave.
Do you have the new LinkedIn look? What do you think of these massive changes? Please scroll down and let me know what you think in the comments!
This blog post was originally published on LinkedIn
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We have the lost the ability to see how our connections are expanding their network. Often I would expand my network this way.
Seems it is just a news feed website now – less useful for growing your network.
One has to wonder why LinkedIn feels the need to look like a synthesis of Facebook and Twitter. Frankly, automating networking is outside the core of effective networking, which needs to have a personal touch rather than the HAL-9000 making decisions for us. Not seeing how our connections have expanded their networks also takes away from the true gold of LinkedIn–the second-level connections and leveraging them as well at first-levels.
Is LinkedIn trying to make the program “easy” for people (like Facebook and Twitter) or do they really want substantive interaction? The current format fosters the latter, while the changes foster the former.