LinkedIn: A Quick History Lesson

LinkedIn is a business and employment-oriented social networking service that was founded in 2002. The platform was created by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant, with the aim of connecting professionals and allowing them to share job opportunities, business ideas, and expertise.

LinkedIn launched in May 2003, and initially focused on connecting professionals in the technology industry. The platform quickly gained popularity, and by 2004 it had over four million users. In 2006, LinkedIn introduced a feature called “LinkedIn Answers,” which allowed users to ask and answer questions related to their fields of expertise.

In 2011, LinkedIn went public and its stock price soared on the first day of trading. Today, LinkedIn has over 740 million users and is considered the leading social networking platform for professionals. It is used by job seekers, businesses, and recruiters to connect, share information, and find job opportunities.

LinkedIn has also introduced a number of additional features over the years, including the ability to create and join professional groups, publish articles, and offer online courses. In 2016, LinkedIn was acquired by Microsoft for $26.2 billion.

In summary, LinkedIn is a social networking platform that was founded in 2002 with the aim of connecting professionals and allowing them to share job opportunities and expertise. Today, it has over 740 million users and is considered the leading platform for professionals. It has introduced a number of additional features over the years, and was acquired by Microsoft in 2016.