Social Media Mash-Up with Twitter and LinkedIn

Now Users of Both Platforms Can Update One Status in Two Places

Nov 10, 2009

Though applications have been assisting with this for ages, Twitter and LinkedIn have connected their 140-character status update features officially.

Though some online applications like Peoplebrowsr and a few iPhone applications have long allowed users of Twitter and LinkedIn to update their 140-character statuses simultaneously, now the two social media platforms have made the connection official.

The benefit of the connection is that users can choose whether to Tweet their LinkedIn updates, and can add a simple hashtag to post tweets on LinkedIn. However, before launching into the ramifications of this social media mash-up, it is important to understand what the two applications are, and how people interact on them.

For more information about the mechanics of linking the two accounts, check out the PCWorld article on the topic.

Tick the Check Box to Tweet from LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a 50-million-user-strong professional networking site created for professionals to keep track of their colleagues and coworkers long after they've parted ways. Professionals can get referrals, send recommendations for peers, and connect with new people via groups and introductions.

It is used by recruiters to attract and screen new talent, and it includes an online resume in the form of a user's profile. Some employers have taken to recruiting exclusively via LinkedIn, or at the very least showing preference to those candidates who have recommendations on the site.

Needless to say, the 140-character status update on LinkedIn should be professional, should show the individual in only the best light, and shouldn't rely on too much "text speak" or jargon. Also, because most LinkedIn users read updates in a weekly email, there has to be context and information included with the update.

The status update function on LinkedIn is done primarily online via the web portal or via the LinkedIn smart phone app. To syndicate a status update to Twitter, the user will check a box beside the "Share" button on his or her individual homepage.

Include the Hashtag #in or #li to Post a Tweet to LinkedIn

Twitter has somewhere around 15 million users to date, and is still growing in popularity and notoriety. Officially, Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that encourages interactions among users via shortcut tools like these:

Twitter is often a little less formal than the general LinkedIn user would expect to see. Because it is an all-day, every-day sort of application, someone who tweets primarily about business may also tweet about traffic updates or the lines at the airport.

For this reason, it's nice to know that @-replies to other users on Twitter, silly pictures of pets, and non-business related tweets don't automatically post to LinkedIn. Twitter users have to use the hashtag symbol #in or the LinkedIn initials #li to send a Tweet to their LinkedIn status.

What This Means To Social Media Savvy Professionals

Twitter has steadily been making updates and changes that are interesting to business users.

Businesses have begun to see the value in maintaining a presence on Twitter for brand recognition, market research, connecting and communicating directly with customers and opening a dialogue with customers online. More and more Twitter profiles show branded background pictures and company logos. Twitter search functions are becoming an increasingly popular way for people to get recommendations for products, services and entertainment.

It appears that Twitter sees the value in making tweeting easier for busy professionals. The relatively new Twitter Lists feature also offers business uses and benefits. And this connection with LinkedIn confirms that Twitter is trying to shift their focus to serve and attract more professionals.

In a Reuters article dated November 10, 2009, Allen Blue, the co-founder of Twitter and VP of product strategy is quoted as saying that Twitter "wants to take advantage of the strong identity in LinkedIn to make those professional tweeters more successful."

By identity, Blue is referring to the fact that Twitter can be more or less anonymous, whereas LinkedIn is very much about confirming a very real human being online. This means that Twitter is looking to allow their users a way to post more bonafide credentials than the simple 140 character profile page.

LinkedIn will benefit from the broader audience provided by Twitter. With @-replies and ReTweets, posts that once were lost on LinkedIn can really make headlines! And as people research others online, clicks back to LinkedIn from Twitter are sure to help the site's traffic.

The copyright of the article Social Media Mash-Up with Twitter and LinkedIn in Social Networking/Tagging is owned by Alicia King. Permission to republish Social Media Mash-Up with Twitter and LinkedIn in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.