LinkedIn, acquired by Microsoft in June of 2013, for an estimated US $26 billion, seems to be formatting itself into a social media Site with a purpose. Microsoft, always aware of their lack of exposure when it comes to the unprecedented growth of socially interactive platforms, has been determined to turn the status around, seemingly, at any cost. To this end it’s promoting LinkedIn as a ‘special project’. Shiny new toys for LinkedIn are appearing with regularity. One such is the recent launch of the LinkedIn QR codes, aimed at facilitating ease of connecting, whilst networking on the social scene.
What exactly are QR codes, then?
A QR code is a machine readable type of barcode, which imparts information to a scanner, such as an URL, profile on a Website or other digital information.
Why LinkedIn QR Codes?
Essentially, LinkedIn is aimed at securing business connections, whether its enterprise-to-enterprise couplings or job vacancy fulfillment, the application is all about financial prospecting & getting ahead in the world of high finance. Generally, businesses list their profiles on Site, & the members categorize themselves under that umbrella. Despite the overview aspect of defining a personal profile under an enterprise’s heading, LinkedIn has grown to accommodate much more than mere business listings, it has become a place for making social connections for business purposes. Nevertheless, many businesses conduct their networking in real life venues & situations, such as conferences & exhibitions, &, traditionally, business cards would be exchanged at these events, so that connections found could be fostered to the end of procuring progressive business arrangements.
However, business cards have become very staid & old fashioned in today’s digitally driven world. That being the case, it’s far more convenient to share a simple QR code with a potential business associate, than to share a card or, heaven forbid, attempt to spell out your name, & provide contact details at a busy social venue. That’s where the LinkedIn QR codes come in.
Using your QR Code for networking
The beauty of a QR code is that it’s instantly transportable into your peers’ digital contact list, on whichever device they have on hand. So if you’re networking at a party & find yourself chatting to a person who is a potential business prospect, all you need to do to share your contact information, is scan your QR code into their device, & voila. You won’t be forgotten. Obviously, your QR code can be used to air your business profile to the world in many other innovative ways, it’s really, only up to you – add the image as a signature to every email you send out, add it to your Website, put it on your social media Sites, have business ties(scarves, shirts) made with a print as the item’s logo – the options are limitless…
How do you find your LinkedIn QR code?
Tap the QR code icon on the search bar to reveal your personal code & a scanner to scan the codes of your peers. On scanning a code, the user is taken directly to the profile concerned.
In Conclusion:
LinkedIn is most certainly rising in popularity, so, the additional functionality offered by QR code connections, should see its user base & usage increase, because of the enhanced opportunity by way of QR code to increase networking opportunities.
