LinkedIn Australia chief Clifford Rosenberg points to apps as growth driver

Executive social network LinkedIn says it has big plans for its Australian division and will be emphasising its mobile applications over the next year, the head of its Australian arm has said.

The network also flagged some expansion plans, including the hiring of a commercial sales team and a director from the site’s California headquarters.

“We’ve had some very positive discussions with a number of partners, and this could include telcos who are very interested in our mobile applications. We’ve got an extremely successful iPhone App, and we’ve just announced a BlackBerry App,” said Clifford Rosenberg, managing director of LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand.

“We’re very excited about the mobile opportunities available to us and we think that’s an exceptional market, and we have a few good alliance discussions going on at the moment.”

Rosenberg says the site recognises the importance of the growth of the app market, and wants to tap into that user base.

“Part of the LinkedIn mantra is being able to provide connections to our network when and where people want, and they should be able to do it. I think the apps have a few slightly different things from the traditional site, which differs the offering a little.”

“When I use a mobile app it’s very often the case that I’m about to go into a meeting with people I don’t know. I’ll use the app to do a quick search on someone’s profile… that’s an extremely valuable business aid.”

Rosenberg also says LinkedIn has been actively recruiting new staff since his appointment in November, with a number of sales managers coming on board.

“This goes down to our commercial sales model, with our premium subscriptions and all of that. We’ve also started an enterprise solution to corporations in a license basis, and so we need to get out there talking about those things. More of the hires we’re making are based around those two subjects.”

The network has also brought out Steve Barham from the site’s Mountain View headquarters to act as director of recruitment solutions.

“If I look at the next 12 month’s it’s about raising awareness, reaching out to all our members, and so on. We’re going to be reaching out to millions of people, and so we need a local focus that Steve can bring. We will be targeting some sectors more heavily than others.”

As for competition, Rosenberg says the site isn’t worried by Facebook due to the vastly different demographics targeted by the networks. While Facebook is offering itself as a network for everyone, with more than an estimated five million users, LinkedIn is more of an exclusive business networking tool.

“We do see the two sites as very different propositions. I think Facebook is very well positioned as a social network and people are there on a day-to-day basis. But we see ourselves in the professional space with a clear delineation from that space. We help communicate and network and develop careers.”