LinkedIn now has mentions

It’s great how the main social networks ‘borrow’ each others features which is good news for members who benefit from increased or improved functionality. Facebook and Google+ do this on a regular basis with cover photos and automatic upload of photos two examples of features appearing on one network quickly followed by appearance on another. It’s rumoured that Facebook will soon be launching hashtags. Originally a Twitter idea, hashtags already feature on Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

LinkedIn have just borrowed another idea that of the main social networks first appeared on Twitter; mentions. Also labelled mentions on LinkedIn, you can just type a person’s or a company’s name to mention them or put an @ symbol in front of the name to prompt suggestions - just like Facebook.

Mentions enable you to have conversations with people because when used people can see who it talking about them and instantly respond. They help conversations flow and are one of the reasons that Twitter is more conversational than Facebook.

Below is a Slide Show in which LinkedIn explain how their new mentions work. It’s interesting to note that if you share an update to Twitter. the mentioned person’s Twitter name is published seamlessly. Note that this will only work if the person mentioned has added their Twitter handle to their profile.

LinkedIn started rolling out mentions to English speaking countries on 4 April so if you don’t yet have the new feature you should do soon.

I’m running a LinkedIn workshop in Cheltenham on Wednesday 24 April if you’d like to learn about making the most of LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can use the Ask a Question flyout on the right.

UPDATE on 27 April 2013: Looks like LinkedIn mentions are not being rolled out in the UK as I can now use them on my profile.

How are you going to use the new LinkedIn Comments feature? Let me know in the Comments below.

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