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Is it time to say goodbye to LinkedIn?

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 20 Jun 2011 1:43 User comments (2)

Is it time to say goodbye to LinkedIn?

LinkedIn, the professional social network that has seen strong growth in the past few years might have its first legitimate competitor.
BranchOut, an app on Facebook that does everything that LinkedIn does, saw its userbase jump from 32,000 to just over 900,000 (and growing) in the last week, following the addition of job listings on the front page.

The app originally launched in August 2010 with $24 million in venture funding but saw extremely stagnant growth as developers worked out designs and core features.

LinkedIn recently IPOd to huge demand, with a public offering price of $45 which quickly traded up to $123 on its first day.

Since then, however, LinkedIn has fallen to $60 a share as traders and investors cool to the idea of the social network.

(Pic via BI)

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2 user comments

120.6.2011 14:01
carlawynn
Unverified new user

LinkedIn is far superior than the Branchout App. Branchout is a cool app, don't get me wrong, and a great way to show off on Facebook, but LinkedIn has various tools that trump BO hands down.

220.6.2011 16:57

LinkedIn is fine, but another organization deriving money for closed networking. Just another "club". Which in turn suffers from leeches who surface with an entry fee & the dialog to annoy the proper business people. It also borderlines of another elitist organization and intimidates those who would be consumers accordingly.

Granted, it certainly beats having to overcome Gucci, Patek & Dolce Gabbana, but a face/face encounters make much better networking sales than any typewritten banter given the internet stigma based correspondence. But no one of any business account is going to use the free account and obviously will 'not' use their own money to pay for an account anyway. Then there is a self imposed stigma within a posh environment that feels anything following a 'commoner's' lifestyle is unfitting; thus making it completely unsuitable for their use anyway.

I liked it's original concept as well, but then later thought it out and stopped using it as well.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 20 Jun 2011 @ 5:00

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