The year 2011 truly belonged to the digital consumer. Social networking sites became the meeting point for almost anything — from finding friends to protesting against corruption. In 2011, India touched the 100-million mark in terms of internet users, 85 million being active users. The numbers may be relatively small compared to other markets, but this is a significant base for online firms. For LinkedIn, India is the second-largest base after the US. Google+ has garnered four million users in a short span and Facebook has close to 40 million Indian users. Here’s what you can expect in 2012.
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
If 2011 was a year in which online networking garnered attention the world over, in India, we saw professional networking gain immense traction with professionals. People have realised the value of building their online identity of record and have, thus, started leveraging such platforms to showcase and brand themselves. Not only professionals, but students and entrepreneurs have also started using these networking options as a launch pad for their career that helps them establish their profiles, connect with like-minded professionals and generate leads and business development. To give you an example, one of our members, Purvish Diwanji, director, Satyajit Chemicals, created a free company page on LinkedIn. He connected with prospective international partners and got a $15000 assignment from a buyer in South Africa.
THE FORECAST FOR 2012
Professional networking in India will continue to grow. The primary reason for this is the large number of individuals entering the workforce. Having started our India operations in 2009, we have grown from a mere 3.4 million to a 13 million member base, the largest market after the US. The growth opportunity in India is, thus, tremendous. Professional networks need to continue to remain contextual and relevant to its audiences. As long as we continue to connect talent with opportunity, our members, recruiters and brands will derive value from the platform.
DOMINANT PLATFORM: MOBILE OR ONLINE?
Mobile and online content is always evolving. Our mission is to make professionals productive and successful and to do this we will be present on relevant platforms. We work where the professional works — applications for the BlackBerry, Android and iOS give them the ability to engage on groups, read the top news in their industry, look up a person before a meeting or simply connect with a new contact without the need to be stationed on a computer. A mobile product cannot host just a profile, but needs added features to provide maximum value to a user. That is why you see that we have various features that drive value and engagement on the go. With mobile penetration increasing in India, supported by affordable data access, this platform, in my opinion will lead to increased engagement among professionals.
Hari V Krishnan, Country Manager, LinkedIn India
Source------>http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/networking-ties/460387/