Twitter and LinkedIn Feel the Love
Jinfo Blog

11th November 2009

By Nancy Davis Kho

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On Monday microblogging service Twitter and professional-focused social network LinkedIn made it official; LinkedIn users can now post status updates to their Twitter feed, and use tweets to update their LinkedIn status on a selective basis. Twitter and Facebook have offered this cross-platform updating for some time, but the fact that LinkedIn is embracing the tweet offers further proof of Twitter's growing traction in the business world. In an analogy that will surely be lost to readers outside the U.S., Twitter founder Biz Stone compares the merging of Twitter's ability to perform real-time distribution to followers with LinkedIn's business focus as "bringing together the peanut butter and the chocolate." (Trust me, that's a good thing.) In the interview posted here (http://digbig.com/5bapyp) LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman points out that certain functions of LinkedIn, such as asking a question or sharing a professional success, are tasks that beg for broadcasting; Twitter's network effect is a powerful way to make sure that happens. Digital intelligence specialist eMarketer predicted in a September 2009 post that in 2010, fully 15.5% of all US adult Web users will be using the microblogging service (via any platform - remember that active users on Twitter.com isn't the full picture because of those accessing the service through third party platforms like Seesmic and Tweetdeck.) International ambitions aren't lagging behind - in the last few weeks Twitter has announced a Spanish language launch (http://digbig.com/5bapyq) and strategic partnerships with mobile carriers in India and Indonesia to extend its reach via SMS. So it's interesting that as part of the same interview Stone and Reid discuss the importance of cultivating a Twitter brand strategy. Rosy growth numbers are one thing, but Twitter has to find ways to keep its relevancy as usage matures; finding ways to incorporate it into corporate usage, for instance as a part of maintaining brand strategy, is a prudent strategy for doing so. Expect to see news of additional partnerships focused on making Twitter usage an inherent element of communication between vendors and customers, business partners, and professional networks.

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