LinkedIn opens API, growth sure to follow
Last week, LinkedIn and Microsoft released a plug-in to allow you to integrate the social network into your inbox. Today, LinkedIn took the next big step, opening up its API to developers for integration into other applications. TechCrunch has more on the implications:
While LinkedIn is releasing 11 different APIs, they fall into three distinct categories. First, developers will be able to let users easily access their information, profiles, connections and messages via oAuth login. The second functionality is to give users the ability to make actionable decisions about information, but [sic] letting them message their LinkedIn contacts, post updates, accept contacts and more. And the third piece of the puzzle is search. So developers will now be able to embed LinkedIn search in other applications. The social network’s search engine was re-launched last year and has done over one billion queries in this year alone.
Over the past year, LinkedIn has made select business development partnerships with technology companies for integrations, such as IBM, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Twitter. While these partnerships created additional channels for LinkedIn’s platform, the opening up of the social network’s API is no doubt going to expand its presence across the web, perhaps representing a new level of growth for the social network.
If you’re interested in LinkedIn’s perspective on the matter, The New York Times’ Bits blog has some insight:
Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s chief executive, has said he wants the site to be the hub of all conversations about business on the Web. LinkedIn’s recent partnership with Twitter was one step in that direction, and this is another. As more businesses use Web-based applications for professional communication, LinkedIn wants to be there, Mr. Nash said.
Read more about LinkedIn’s API release on TechCrunch.com and The New York Times.
Its a fanstastic thing for developers, especially if they are working with recruitment professionals. I just wrote about how this would affect recruiters and developers to some extent: http://rajanand.biz/2009/11/24/linkedin-opens-its-platform-what-does-it-mean-for-recruiters/
Interesting because I have not been on Linkedin or Twitter for a month or two now. Plus I have a Mac that runs Safari. I’m not sure where that leaves me.
Linked Out? All they give me is Outlook lite.
(By the way Mr. Trippi, I have that paper I have been working on finished, I quote liberally from your book and even have titled it “From Open Source to Malicious Tweets: Modern Political Communication and the Writings of Jurgen Habermas.
If you want to see a copy send me a message on Facebook.)
Plus I have a Mac that runs Safari. I’m not sure where that leaves me.