LinkedIn Redesigns Mobile Profiles to Put Relationships Into Context

LinkedIn's flagship app has gotten a major overhaul.

The company rolled out an update to its app Tuesday morning, unveiling completely redesigned user profiles that focus on adding contextual information. The extra info aims to make it easier to initiate conversations with other users — even if they're not connected.

Profiles now have a completely overhauled "in common" section that displays contextual information about experiences, connections or groups you share with other users — including those who are not part of your connections. (Previously, this section only displayed shared connections.) "In common" may display whether you and another connection went to the same college, for example, or are members of the same LinkedIn group.

"Your LinkedIn Profile is your professional identity of record," Charlton Soesanto, mobile product manager at LinkedIn, wrote in a blog post. "Your new profile helps you tell your story to other professionals when they’re looking for you on the go."

Contextual information also appears when you visit the "who's viewed your profile" page, which now includes information about how users found you — whether it was via search, a mutual connection or because you checked out their profile first.

"It's not just a list of people and names anymore, but an opportunity for how can I connect with these people, what are the relationships," Soesanto told Mashable. "It closes the feedback loop for your activity on LinkedIn."

LinkedIn's new profile also highlights skills, experience and education at the top, and is easier to change. When viewing your own page, the app displays tips on how to make your profile more discoverable, such adding missing information.

The redesigned profile will initially roll out on LinkedIn's flagship iOS and Android apps, but updates will eventually appear on the web, as well as the company's other mobile apps. LinkedIn's Job Search app, for example, will surface insights and display things you have in common with other users when you check out their profiles.

Posted by : Gizmeon