"LinkedIn users grow over 300 percent in 3 years"

LinkedIn is the largest professional network on the Internet, and an increasing number of users are finding it an effective tool in job searches

LinkedIn, a site launched in 2009 tailor made for professionals to connect with each other, has crossed 15 million users from a user base of 3.4 million in 2009, its country manager Hari V Krishnan told Campaign India today. This means it has grown its member base by 300 percent in less than three years!

Krishnan, in an interview to Mint,  said LinkedIn helps “professionals to stay connected, gain insights for their businesses, bag that dream job and ultimately, realize their professional potential. Today’s professional workforce is extremely mobile and we constantly focus on providing these professionals with simple solutions to deliver a seamless LinkedIn experience wherever they are.”

The revenue of the networking platform mainly comes from hiring solutions, business solutions and the fees paid by premium members. With respect to premium members, Krishnan told Campaign India, that the number would be would be fewer, “because premium accounts are not meant for all professionals. There are specific categories of professionals – like, for instance, market researchers, business development executives and even journalists – among whom premium memberships have found many takers.”

He added that the number of people using LinkedIn on mobile has been growing even faster than the user base which has come from building the right and simple apps for “that particular platform – be it Blackberry, Android Windows Phone or the iPhone. The kind of features we have built into the apps have aided this growth, be it the calendar or news, customised for each platform.”

Earlier this month, the portal had reported better than expected first quarter revenue and profit numbers and also raised its outlook for the full year. The company which has more than 161 million users throughout the world increased its 2012 revenue outlook by $40 million and gave a range of $880-$900 million.